How well she imitates your careless stride!
To the Prince-chancellor, Counsellor, Chamberlain, Ladies and gentlemen, drain brimming glasses! Metternich, Austrian Prince, Grandee of Spain, Duke of Portella, Lord of Daruvar--
She's coming forward! Look how calm she is!
He helps us with his chatter, And doesn't know it.
Knight o' the Swedish Seraphs, The Danish Elephant, the Golden Fleece--
Curator of the Fine Arts, Czechish Magnate--
Grand Cross Of Charles the Third, the Falcon, Bear, and Lion-- Phew--!
And while they clash their glasses, Prince, She's starting--she has started--
The Archduchess Knew nothing of the plot--
I wanted to complete my little toast, But while the Duke was here I couldn't name The proudest title Metternich can boast of; But now we're rid of him, I have the honor:-- Ladies and gentlemen, here's the destroyer Of Bonaparte!
[_Who is pouring his wine into his gun-barrel_.]
A middling soldier, But then he rode a camel while in Egypt; What more do you want?
[_Arranging his hair, and striking the conventional attitude._]
He mocks him, yet Even the mockery's great, for it evokes him.
You know he used to tumble off his horse?
That's what the Ultras always said about him.
Oh, that's the rule. What could these worms and insects talk about If they had not the eagle to abuse?
That was manufactured. It's so simple! You want to make a sounding name--
Which shall creep into history by and by: Take three bright, simple vowels: Na--po--le-- And add a nasal sound: On--
Yes: Na--po--le, the lightning; On, the thunder.
But Nicholas was good at winning battles.
And what a funny court he scraped together!
If you talked titles, pedigrees, precedence, There wasn't a soul who had a word to say.
Wasn't Cambronne at Court to say the word?
Once a ball was good enough To wound him in the foot at Ratisbon: Enough to make a subject for a picture.
Aha! Thank God, there was a man among them!
_You_ challenge _me!_ You represent the King, sir!
The King is not in question, but my country. You are insulting France, when you insult The man she loved through many glorious years.
[_Who has disappeared for a moment, and has come back cloaked._]
Come! I've got Gentz's cloak. It's lined with fur.
[TIBURTIUS _and the_ ATTACHÉ _have exchanged cards_. TIBURTIUS _steps forward and nervously lights a cigar._]