METTERNICH.

This scene Must never be repeated.

THE EMPEROR.

It has hurt me.

Unhappy child!

METTERNICH.

[_Leading him off._]

Come, Sire.

THE EMPEROR.

[_Without._]

The child--

[_His voice dies away._]

[_The_ DUKE _opens his door very gently, sees they are gone, listens a moment, then enters quickly and places one of Napoleon's little hats on the table._]

THE DUKE.

The signal!

[_He returns to his room._]

[FLAMBEAU _enters._]

FLAMBEAU.

'Tis time. Well, signal? Are you here?--Perhaps.

[_He hunts for it._]

"Flambeau," he said, "you cannot fail to find it."

Now, is it high or low, or black or white?

Or great or small?

[_He sees the hat._]

The Emperor's--! Small _and_ great!

[_He goes toward the window._]

Oh, but the Countess watches in the park, And if the signal's here I am to signal:

[_He takes out his handkerchief._]

No! This won't do. A white flag makes her ill.

[_A servant enters with a reading-lamp, which he carries toward the_ DUKE'S _room._]

THE SERVANT.

The Duke of Reichstadt's reading-lamp.

FLAMBEAU.

[_Leaping upon him and seizing the lamp._]

You dolt!

It's leaking! It must have fresh air!

[_He takes it out on the balcony._]

You wave it three times so: arrange the wick;

[_He does as he says and gives the lamp back to the_ SERVANT.]

That's it. See that?

THE SERVANT.

Oh, aren't you clever?

[_He carries the lamp into the_ DUKE'S _room._]

FLAMBEAU.

Rather!

To-morrow--flight!

[SEDLINZKY _enters._]

SEDLINZKY.

The Duke?

FLAMBEAU.

[_Pointing to the room._]

In there.