Complete Works of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (1071 page)

traversed by the Upper Rhine, which stretches through it in

birds-eye perspective.  At this date in Europe's history the

stream forms the frontier between France and Germany.

It is the morning of New Year's Day, and the shine of the tardy

sun reaches the fronts of the beetling castles, but scarcely

descends far enough to touch the wavelets of the river winding

leftwards across the many-leagued picture from Schaffhausen to

Coblenz.]

DUMB SHOW

At first nothing—not even the river itself—seems to move in the

panorama.  But anon certain strange dark patches in the landscape,

flexuous and riband-shaped, are discerned to be moving slowly.

Only one movable object on earth is large enough to be conspicuous

herefrom, and that is an army.  The moving shapes are armies.

The nearest, almost beneath us, is defiling across the river by a

bridge of boats, near the junction of the Rhine and the Neckar,

where the oval town of Mannheim, standing in the fork between the

two rivers, has from here the look of a human head in a cleft

stick.  Martial music from many bands strikes up as the crossing

is effected, and the undulating columns twinkle as if they were

scaly serpents.

SPIRIT OF RUMOUR

It is the Russian host, invading France!

Many miles to the left, down-stream, near the little town of Caube,

another army is seen to be simultaneously crossing the pale current,

its arms and accoutrements twinkling in like manner.

SPIRIT OF RUMOUR

Thither the Prussian levies, too, advance!

Turning now to the right, far away by Basel
[beyond which the

Swiss mountains close the scene]
, a still larger train of war-

geared humanity, two hundred thousand strong, is discernible.

It has already crossed the water, which is much narrower here,

and has advanced several miles westward, where its ductile mass

of greyness and glitter is beheld parting into six columns, that

march on in flexuous courses of varying direction.

SPIRIT OF RUMOUR

There glides carked Austria's invading force!—

Panting, too, Paris-wards with foot and horse,

Of one intention with the other twain,

And Wellington, from the south, in upper Spain.

All these dark and grey columns, converging westward by sure

degrees, advance without opposition.  They glide on as if by

gravitation, in fluid figures, dictated by the conformation of

the country, like water from a burst reservoir; mostly snake-

shaped, but occasionally with batrachian and saurian outlines.

In spite of the immensity of this human mechanism on its surface,

the winter landscape wears an impassive look, as if nothing were

happening.

Evening closes in, and the Dumb Show is obscured.

SCENE II

PARIS.  THE TUILERIES

[It is Sunday just after mass, and the principal officers of the

National Guard are assembled in the Salle des Marechaux.  They

stand in an attitude of suspense, some with the print of sadness

on their faces, some with that of perplexity.

The door leading from the Hall to the adjoining chapel is thrown

open.  There enter from the chapel with the last notes of the

service the EMPEROR NAPOLEON and the EMPRESS; and simultaneously

from a door opposite MADAME DE MONTESQUIOU, the governess, who

carries in her arms the KING OF ROME, now a fair child between

two and three.  He is clothed in a miniature uniform of the

Guards themselves.

MADAM DE MONTESQUIOU brings forward the child and sets him on his

feet near his mother.  NAPOLEON, with a mournful smile, giving one

hand to the boy and the other to MARIE LOUISE, en famille, leads

them forward.  The Guard bursts into cheers.]

NAPOLEON

Gentlemen of the National Guard and friends,

I have to leave you; and before I fare

To Heaven know what of personal destiny,

I give into your loyal guardianship

Those dearest in the world to me; my wife,

The Empress, and my son the King of Rome.—

I go to shield your roofs and kin from foes

Who have dared to pierce the fences of our land;

And knowing that you house those dears of mine,

I start afar in all tranquillity,

Stayed by my trust in your proved faithfulness.

   
[Enthusiastic cheers for the Guard.]

OFFICERS
[with emotion]

We proudly swear to justify the trust!

And never will we see another sit

Than you, or yours, on the great throne of France.

NAPOLEON

I ratify the Empress' regency,

And re-confirm it on last year's lines,

My bother Joseph stoutening her rule

As the Lieutenant-General of the State.—

Vex her with no divisions; let regard

For property, for order, and for France

Be chief with all.  Know, gentlemen, the Allies

Are drunken with success.  Their late advantage

They have handled wholly for their own gross gain,

And made a pastime of my agony.

That I go clogged with cares I sadly own;

Yet I go primed with hope; ay, in despite

Of a last sorrow that has sunk upon me,—

The grief of hearing, good and constant friends,

That my own sister's consort, Naples' king,

Blazons himself a backer of the Allies,

And marches with a Neapolitan force

Against our puissance under Prince Eugene.

The varied operations to ensue

May bring the enemy largely Paris-wards;

But suffer no alarm; before long days

I will annihilate by flank and rear

Those who have risen to trample on our soil;

And as I have done so many and proud a time,

Come back to you with ringing victory!—

Now, see: I personally present to you

My son and my successor ere I go.

[He takes the child in his arms and carries him round to the

officers severally.  They are much affected and raise loud

cheers.]

You stand by him and her?  You swear as much?

OFFICERS

We do!

NAPOLEON

This you repeat—you promise it?

OFFICERS

We promise.  May the dynasty live for ever!

[Their shouts, which spread to the Carrousel without, are echoed

by the soldiers of the Guard assembled there. The EMPRESS is now

in tears, and the EMPEROR supports her.]

MARIE LOUISE

Such whole enthusiasm I have never known!—

Not even from the Landwehr of Vienna.

[Amid repeated protestations and farewells NAPOLEON, the EMPRESS,

the KING OF ROME, MADAME DE MONTESQUIOU, etc. go out in one

direction, and the officers of the National Guard in another.

The curtain falls for an interval.

When it rises again the apartment is in darkness, and its atmosphere

chilly.  The January night-wind howls without.  Two servants enter

hastily, and light candles and a fire.  The hands of the clock are

pointing to three.

The room is hardly in order when the EMPEROR enters, equipped for

the intended journey; and with him, his left arm being round her

waist, walks MARIE LOUISE in a dressing-gown.  On his right arm

he carries the KING OF ROME, and in his hand a bundle of papers.

COUNT BERTRAND and a few members of the household follow.

Reaching the middle of the room, he kisses the child and embraces

the EMPRESS, who is tearful, the child weeping likewise.  NAPOLEON

takes the papers to the fire, thrusts them in, and watches them

consume; then burns other bundles brought by his attendants.]

NAPOLEON
[gloomily]

Better to treat them thus; since no one knows

What comes, or into whose hands he may fall!

MARIE LOUISE

I have an apprehension-unexplained—

That I shall never see you any more!

NAPOLEON

Dismiss such fears.  You may as well as not.

As things are doomed to be they will be, dear.

If shadows must come, let them come as though

The sun were due and you were trusting to it:

'Twill teach the world it wrongs in bringing them.

[They embrace finally.  Exeunt NAPOLEON, etc.  Afterwards MARIE

LOUISE and the child.]

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS

Her instinct forwardly is keen in cast,

And yet how limited.  True it may be

They never more will meet; although—to use

The bounded prophecy I am dowered with—

The screen that will maintain their severance

Would pass her own believing; proving it

No gaol-grille, no scath of scorching war,

But this persuasion, pressing on her pulse

To breed aloofness and a mind averse;

Until his image in her soul will shape

Dwarfed as a far Colossus on a plain,

Or figure-head that smalls upon the main.

[The lights are extinguished and the hall is left in darkness.]

SCENE III

THE SAME.  THE APARTMENTS OF THE EMPRESS

[A March morning, verging on seven o'clock, throws its cheerless

stare into the private drawing-room of MARIE LOUISE, animating

the gilt furniture to only a feeble shine. Two chamberlains of

the palace are there in waiting.  They look from the windows and

yawn.]

FIRST CHAMBERLAIN

Here's a watering for spring hopes!  Who would have supposed when

the Emperor left, and appointed her Regent, that she and the Regency

too would have to scurry after in so short a time!

SECOND CHAMBERLAIN

Was a course decided on last night?

FIRST CHAMBERLAIN

Yes.  The Privy Council sat till long past midnight, debating the

burning question whether she and the child should remain or not.

Some were one way, some the other.  She settled the matter by saying

she would go.

SECOND CHAMBERLAIN

I thought it might come to that.  I heard the alarm beating all night

to assemble the National Guard; and I am told that some volunteers

have marched out to support Marmot.  But they are a mere handful:

what can they do?

[A clatter of wheels and a champing and prancing of horses is

heard outside the palace.  MENEVAL enters, and divers officers

of the household;  then from her bedroom at the other end MARIE

LOUISE, in a travelling dress and hat, leading the KING OF ROME,

attired for travel likewise.  She looks distracted and pale.

Next come the DUCHESS OF MONTEBELLO, lady of honour, the COUNTESS

DE MONTESQUIOU, ladies of the palace, and others, all in travelling

trim.]

KING OF ROME
[plaintively]

Why are we doing these strange things, mamma,

And what did we get up so early for?

MARIE LOUISE

I cannot, dear, explain.  So many events

Enlarge and make so many hours of one,

That it would be too hard to tell them now.

KING OF ROME

But you know why we a setting out like this?

Is it because we fear our enemies?

MARIE LOUISE

We are not sure that we are going yet.

I may be needful; but don't ask me here.

Some time I will tell you.

[She sits down irresolutely, and bestows recognitions on the

assembled officials with a preoccupied air.]

KING OF ROME
[in a murmur]

     I like being here best;

And I don't want to go I know not where!

MARIE LOUISE

Run, dear to Mamma 'Quiou and talk to her

         
[He goes across to MADAME DE MONTESQUIOU.]

I hear that women of the Royalist hope

      
[To the DUCHESS OF MONTEBELLO]

Have bent them busy in their private rooms

With working white cockades these several days.—

Yes—I must go!

DUCHESS OF MONTEBELLO

     But why yet, Empress dear?

We may soon gain good news; some messenger

Hie from the Emperor or King Joseph hither?

MARIE LOUISE

King Joseph I await.  He's gone to eye

The outposts, with the Ministers of War,

To learn the scope and nearness of the Allies;

He should almost be back.

[A silence, till approaching feet are suddenly heard outside the

door.]

Ah, here he comes;

Now we shall know!

[Enter precipitately not Joseph but officers of the National Guard

and others.]

OFFICERS

     Long live the Empress-regent!

Do not quit Paris, pray, your Majesty.

Remain, remain.  We plight us to defend you!