[_Bursting out._]

Be d.a.m.ned!

SEVERAL MASKS.

[_Laughing._]

Bravo the Veteran!

GENTZ.

[_To_ FLAMBEAU.]

Nicholas!--Have a quail.

FLAMBEAU.

[_Taking the dish._]

But Nicholas was good at winning battles.

A MASK.

And what a funny court he sc.r.a.ped together!

SECOND MASK.

If you talked t.i.tles, pedigrees, precedence, There wasn't a soul who had a word to say.

FLAMBEAU.

Wasn't Cambronne at Court to say the word?

A MASK.

But--in war--

FLAMBEAU.

Oh--!

SECOND MASK.

What did he do?

ANOTHER MASK.

Why, wrote reports.

A MASK.

And always stood about on distant hills.

FLAMBEAU.

By G.o.d--!

THE DUKE.

Hush!

TIBURTIUS.

Once a ball was good enough To wound him in the foot at Ratisbon: Enough to make a subject for a picture.

FLAMBEAU.

[_To the_ DUKE.]

Be calm--!

THE DUKE.

Be calm--!

FLAMBEAU.

Just take away this knife.

TIBURTIUS.

In short--

THE DUKE.

He'd best be careful what he says.

FLAMBEAU.

You must put up with it!

THE DUKE.

Not for an Empire!

TIBURTIUS.

In short this hero was--