The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 89

The fire dies down, and darkness enwraps the scene.

SCENE VI

BRIGHTON. THE ROYAL PAVILION

[It is the birthday dinner-party of the PRINCE OF WALES. In the floridly decorated banqueting-room stretch tables spread with gold and silver plate, and having artificial fountains in their midst.

Seated at the tables are the PRINCE himself as host--rosy, well curled, and affable--the DUKES OF YORK, CLARENCE, KENT, SUSs.e.x, c.u.mBERLAND, and CAMBRIDGE, with many n.o.blemen, including LORDS HEADFORT, BERKELEY, EGREMONT, CHICHESTER, DUDLEY, SAY AND SELE, SOUTHAMPTON, HEATHFIELD, ERSKINE, KEITH, C. SOMERSET, G. CAVENDISH, R. SEYMOUR, and others; SIR C. POLE, SIR E.G. DE CRESPIGNY, MR.

SHERIDAN; Generals, Colonels, and Admirals, and the REV. MR. SCOTT.

The PRINCE'S band plays in the adjoining room. The banquet is drawing to its close, and a boisterous conversation is in progress.

Enter COLONEL BLOOMFIELD with a dispatch for the PRINCE, who looks it over amid great excitement in the company. In a few moments silence is called.]

PRINCE OF WALES

I have the joy, my lords and gentlemen, To rouse you with the just imported tidings From General Wellesley through Lord Castlereagh Of a vast victory [noisy cheers] over the French in Spain.

The place--called Talavera de la Reyna [If I p.r.o.nounce it rightly]--long unknown, Wears not the crest and blazonry of fame! [Cheers.]

The heads and chief contents of the dispatch I read you as succinctly as I can. [Cheers.]

SHERIDAN [singing sotto voce]

"Now foreign foemen die and fly, Dammy, we'll drink little England dry!"

[The PRINCE reads the parts of the dispatch that describe the battle, amid intermittent cheers.]

PRINCE OF WALES [continuing]

Such is the substance of the news received, Which, after Wagram, strikes us genially As sudden sunrise through befogged night shades!

SHERIDAN [privately]

By G.o.d, that's good, sir! You are a poet born, while the rest of us are but made, and bad at that.

[The health of the army in Spain is drunk with acclamations.]

PRINCE OF WALES [continuing]

In this achievement we, alas! have lost Too many! Yet suck blanks must ever be.-- Mackenzie, Langworth, Beckett of the Guards, Have fallen of ours; while of the enemy Generals Lap.i.s.se and Morlot are laid low.-- Drink to their memories!

[They drink in silence.]

Other news, my friends, Received to-day is of like hopeful kind.

The Great War-Expedition to the Scheldt [Cheers.]

Which lately sailed, has found a favouring wind, And by this hour has touched its destined sh.o.r.es.

The enterprise will soon be hot aglow, The invaders making first the Cadsand coast, And then descending on Walcheren Isle.

But items of the next step are withheld Till later days, from obvious policy. [Cheers.]

[Faint throbbing sounds, like the notes of violincellos and contraba.s.sos, reach the ear from some building without as the speaker pauses.

In worthy emulation of us here The county holds to-night a birthday ball, Which flames with all the fashion of the town.

I have been asked to patronize their revel, And sup with them, and likewise you, my guests.

We have good reason, with such news to bear!

Thither we haste and join our loyal friends, And stir them with this live intelligence Of our staunch regiments on the Spanish plains. [Applause.]

With them we'll now knit hands and beat the ground, And bring in dawn as we whirl round and round!

There are some fair ones in their set to-night, And such we need here in our bachelor-plight. [Applause.]

[The PRINCE, his brothers, and a large proportion of the other Pavilion guests, swagger out in the direction of the Castle a.s.sembly-rooms adjoining, and the deserted banqueting-hall grows dark. In a few moments the back of the scene opens, revealing the a.s.sembly-rooms behind.]

SCENE VII

THE SAME. THE a.s.sEMBLY ROOMS

[The rooms are lighted with candles in bra.s.s chandeliers, and a dance is in full movement to the strains of a string-band. A signal is given, shortly after the clock has struck eleven, by MR. FORTH, Master of Ceremonies.]

FORTH

His Royal Highness comes, though somewhat late, But never too late for welcome! [Applause.] Dancers, stand, That we may do fit homage to the Prince Who soon may shine our country's gracious king.

[After a brief stillness a commotion is heard at the door, the band strikes up the National air, and the PRINCE enters, accompanied by the rest of the visitors from the Pavilion. The guests who have been temporarily absent now crowd in, till there is hardly s.p.a.ce to stand.]

PRINCE OF WALES [wiping his face and whispering to Sheridan]

What shall I say to fit their feeling here?

d.a.m.n me, that other speech has stumped me quite!

SHERIDAN [whispering]

If heat be evidence of loy---

PRINCE OF WALES

If what?