Complete Works of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (1040 page)

[He jumps up from her side and crosses the room to a window,

where he lifts the curtain cautiously.  The Queen follows him

with a scared look.

QUEEN

A riot can it be?

GODOY

Let me put these out ere they notice them;

They think me at the Royal Palace yonder.

[He hastily extinguishes the candles except one taper, which

he places in a recess, so that the room is in shade.  He then

draws back the curtains, and she joins him at the window, where,

enclosing her with his arm, he and she look out together.

In front of the house a guard of hussars is stationed, beyond

them spreading the Plaza or Square.  On the other side rises in

the lamplight the white front of the Royal Palace.  On the flank

of the Palace is a wall enclosing gardens, bowered alleys, and

orange groves, and in the wall a small door.

A mixed multitude of soldiery and populace fills the space in

front of the King's Palace, and they shout and address each other

vehemently.  During a lull in their vociferations is heard the

peaceful purl of the Tagus over a cascade in the Palace grounds.]

QUEEN

Lingering, we've risked too long our chance of flight!

The Paris Terror will repeat it here.

Not for myself I fear.  No, no; for thee! 
[She clings to him.]

If they should hurt you, it would murder me

By heart-bleedings and stabs intolerable!

GODOY
[kissing her]

The first thought now is how to get you back

Within the Palace walls.  Why would you risk

To come here on a night so critical?

QUEEN
[passionately]

I could not help it—nay, I WOULD not help!

Rather than starve my soul I venture all.—

Our last love-night—last, maybe, of long years,

Why do you chide me now?

GODOY

     Dear Queen, I do not:

I shape these sharp regrets but for your sake.

Hence you must go, somehow, and quickly too.

They think not yet of you in threatening thus,

But of me solely.... Where does your lady wait?

QUEEN

Below.  One servant with her.  They are true,

And can be let know all.  But you—but you! 
[Uproar continues.]

GODOY

I can escape.  Now call them.  All three cloak

And veil as when you came.

[They retreat into the room.  QUEEN MARIA LUISA'S lady-in-waiting

and servant are summoned.  Enter both.  All three then muffle

themselves up, and GODOY prepares to conduct the QUEEN downstairs.]

QUEEN

Nay, now!  I will not have it.  We are safe;

Think of yourself.  Can you get out behind?

GODOY

I judge so—when I have done what's needful here.—

The mob knows not the bye-door—slip across;

Thence around sideways.—All's clear there as yet.

[The QUEEN, her lady-in-waiting, and the servant go out

hurriedly.

GODOY looks again from the window.  The mob is some way off, the

immediate front being for the moment nearly free of loiterers; and

the three muffled figures are visible, crossing without hindrance

towards the door in the wall of the Palace Gardens.  The instant

they reach it a sentinel springs up, challenging them.]

GODOY

Ah—now they are doomed!  My God, why did she come!

[A parley takes place.  Something, apparently a bribe, is handed

to the sentinel, and the three are allowed to slip in, the QUEEN

having obviously been unrecognized.  He breathes his relief.]

Now for the others.  Then—ah, then Heaven knows!

[He sounds a bell and a servant enters.

Where is the Countess of Castillofiel?

SERVANT

She's looking for you, Prince.

GODOY

     Find her at once.

Ah—here she is.—That's well.—Go watch the Plaza [to servant]
.

[GODOY'S mistress, the DONA JOSEFA TUDO, enters.  She is a young

and beautiful woman, the vivacity of whose large dark eyes is

now clouded.  She is wrapped up for flight.  The servant goes out.]

JOSEFA
[breathlessly]

I should have joined you sooner, but I knew

The Queen was fondling with you.  She must needs

Come hampering you this night of all the rest,

As if not gorged with you at other times!

GODOY

Don't, pretty one! needless it is in you,

Being so well aware who holds my love.—

I could not check her coming, since she would.

You well know how the old thing is, and how

I am compelled to let her have her mind!

[He kisses her repeatedly.]

JOSEFA

But look, the mob is swelling!  Pouring in

By thousands from Madrid—and all afoot.

Will they not come on hither from the King's?

GODOY

Not just yet, maybe.  You should have sooner fled!

The coach is waiting and the baggage packed. 
[He again peers out.]

Yes, there the coach is; and the clamourers near,

Led by Montijo, if I see aright.

Yes, they cry "Uncle Peter!"—that means him.

There will be time yet.  Now I'll take you down

So far as I may venture.

[They leave the room.  In a few minutes GODOY, having taken her

down, re-enters and again looks out.  JOSEFA'S coach is moving

off with a small escort of GODOY'S guards of honour.  A sudden

yelling begins, and the crowd rushes up and stops the vehicle.

An altercation ensues.]

CROWD

Uncle Peter, it is the Favourite carrying off Prince Fernando.

Stop him!

JOSEFA
[putting her head out of the coach]

Silence their uproar, please, Senor Count of Montijo!  It is a lady

only, the Countess of Castillofiel.

MONTIJO

Let her pass, let her pass, friends!  It is only that pretty wench

of his, Pepa Tudo, who calls herself a Countess.  Our titles are

put to comical uses these days.  We shall catch the cock-bird

presently!

[The DONA JOSEFA'S carriage is allowed to pass on, as a shout

from some who have remained before the Royal Palace attracts the

attention of the multitude, which surges back thither.]

CROWD
[nearing the Palace]

Call out the King and the Prince.  Long live the King!  He shall not

go.  Hola!  He is gone!  Let us see him!  He shall abandon Godoy!

[The clamour before the Royal Palace still increasing, a figure

emerges upon a balcony, whom GODOY recognizes by the lamplight

to be FERNANDO, Prince of Asturias.  He can be seen waving his

hand.  The mob grows suddenly silent.]

FERNANDO
[in a shaken voice]

Citizens! the King my father is in the palace with the Queen.  He

has been much tried to-day.

CROWD

Promise, Prince, that he shall not leave us.  Promise!

FERNANDO

I do.  I promise in his name.  He has mistaken you, thinking you

wanted his head.  He knows better now.

CROWD

The villain Godoy misrepresented us to him!  Throw out the Prince

of Peace!

FERNANDO

He is not here, my friends.

CROWD

Then the King shall announce to us that he has dismissed him!  Let

us see him.  The King; the King!

[FERNANDO goes in.  KING CARLOS comes out reluctantly, and bows

to their cheering.  He produces a paper with a trembling hand.

KING [reading]

"As it is the wish of the people—-"

CROWD

Speak up, your Majesty!

KING
[more loudly]

"As it is the wish of the people, I release Don Manuel Godoy, Prince

of Peace, from the posts of Generalissimo of the Army and Grand

Admiral of the Fleet, and give him leave to withdraw whither he

pleases."

CROWD

Huzza!

KING

Citizens, to-morrow the decree is to be posted in Madrid.

CROWD

Huzza!  Long life to the King, and death to Godoy!

[KING CARLOS disappears from the balcony, and the populace,

still increasing in numbers, look towards GODOY'S mansion, as

if deliberating how to attack it.  GODOY retreats from the

window into the room, and gazing round him starts.  A pale,

worn, but placid lady, in a sombre though elegant robe, stands

here in the gloom.  She is THEREZA OF BOURBON, the Princess of

Peace.]

PRINCESS

It is only your unhappy wife, Manuel.  She will not hurt you!

GODOY
[shrugging his shoulders]

Nor with THEY hurt YOU!  Why did you not stay in the Royal Palace?

You would have been more comfortable there.

PRINCESS

I don't recognize why you should specially value my comfort.  You

have saved you real wives.  How can it matter what happens to

your titular one?

GODOY

Much, dear.  I always play fair.  But it being your blest privilege

not to need my saving I was left free to practise it on those who

did. 
[Mob heard approaching.]
  Would that I were in no more danger

than you!

PRINCESS

Puf!

[He again peers out.  His guard of hussars stands firmly in front

of the mansion; but the life-guards from the adjoining barracks,

who have joined the people, endeavour to break the hussars of

GODOY.  A shot is fired, GODOY'S guard yields, and the gate and

door are battered in.

CROWD [without]

Murder him! murder him!  Death to Manuel Godoy!

[They are heard rushing onto the court and house.]

PRINCESS

Go, I beseech you!  You can do nothing for me, and I pray you to

save yourself!  The heap of mats in the lumber-room will hide you!

[GODOY hastes to a jib-door concealed by sham bookshelves, presses

the spring of it, returns, kisses her, and then slips out.

His wife sits down with her back against the jib-door, and fans

herself.  She hears the crowd trampling up the stairs, but she

does not move, and in a moment people burst in.  The leaders are

armed with stakes, daggers, and various improvised weapons, and

some guards in undress appear with halberds.]

FIRST CITIZEN
[peering into the dim light]

Where is he?  Murder him! 
[Noticing the Princess.]
  Come, where

is he?

PRINCESS

The Prince of Peace is gone.  I know not wither.

SECOND CITIZEN

Who is this lady?

LIFE-GUARDSMAN

Manuel Godoy's Princess.

CITIZENS
[uncovering]

Princess, a thousand pardons grant us!—you

An injured wife—an injured people we!

Common misfortune makes us more than kin.

No single hair of yours shall suffer harm.

[The PRINCESS bows.]

FIRST CITIZEN

But this, Senora, is no place for you,

For we mean mischief here!  Yet first will grant

Safe conduct for you to the Palace gates,

Or elsewhere, as you wish

PRINCESS

     My wish is nought.

Do what you will with me.  But he's not here.

[Several of them form an escort, and accompany her from the room

and out of the house.  Those remaining, now a great throng, begin

searching the room, and in bands invade other parts of the mansion.]

SOME CITIZENS
[returning]

It is no use searching.  She said he was not here, and she's a woman

of honour.

FIRST CITIZEN
[drily]

She's his wife.

[They begin knocking the furniture to pieces, tearing down the

hangings, trampling on the musical instruments, and kicking holes

through the paintings they have unhung from the walls.  These,

with clocks, vases, carvings, and other movables, they throw out

of the window, till the chamber is a scene of utter wreck and

desolation.  In the rout a musical box is swept off a table, and

starts playing a serenade as it falls on the floor.  Enter the

COUNT OF MONTIJO.]

MONTIJO

Stop, friends; stop this!  There is no sense in it—

It shows but useless spite!  I have much to say:

The French Ambassador, de Beauharnais,

Has come, and sought the King.  And next Murat,

With thirty thousand men, half cavalry,

Is closing in upon our doomed Madrid!

I know not what he means, this Bonaparte;

He makes pretence to gain us Portugal,

But what want we with her?  'Tis like as not