Part 37 (1/2)

Mar. The great death-warrant's signed. Ere its black list Be full, there'll be an emperor on the roll!

(National music. Dancers seen through doors, the emperor and empress among them)

(CURTAIN)

ACT III.

Scene I: Before the Imperial Theatre. Brilliant lights. Crowd confusedly a.s.sembled. All talking.

Shouts. Long live the Empire!

Citizen.

O you mob, you puppet throat, that whistles as you're squeezed!

A Mob Orator.

My friends, to-day we gloriously celebrate the birthday of the most glorious empire--

Cit. Long live the Republic! Hail to Juarez!

Voices. To dungeon with him! The traitor! Tear him to pieces!

(Guards dash upon citizen and drag him off)

1st Officer.

Don't tell me the Republic is dead when a man is willing to die just to give one shout for it.

2d Officer.

Three-fourths of the Mexicans have hearts of that color. But the Empire stands. Miramon is a miracle. How does he manage it?

1st Off.

He understands the use of the bayonet. As our friend over the water says, you can do anything with bayonets but sit on them.

2d Off. Isn't this a rabble? Motley's the only wear in Maximilian's court. He might succeed in running this country if so many people hadn't come along to help him do it. You ask a French question and you get a Dutch answer. You give an order in Prussian and it's obeyed in Irish,--

Voices. He comes! Make way! Make way! Hail to Maximilian!

Chief Guard.

Back, all of you! The Emperor will greet you yonder!

We've orders to clear the plaza! Back! Back! His carriage stops! Go, get your places! Out! out!

(Guards drive mob out)

1st Guard.

If all the Empire's birthdays are to be like this I hope it will never come of age. It's work, I tell you! I'm dripping like a squeezed cloud!

2d Guard.

If it had pleased the Empire to spend a little of the money it has wasted to-day for the widows and orphans it has made--

1st Guard.