ove hankers after peace.

PHEDRO

And in your marriage, my lord?

PRINCE

I yearn for surprises. Of course the right sort of surprises.

PHEDRO

You will get them, my lord.

PRINCE

[_Who is not attending him but listening to Dea's song._]

What?

PHEDRO

My sixth sense whispers to me, my lord, that you are on the eve of
many surprises.

[_The noise of the wand of the COURT STEWARD is heard pounding
through the park._]

AN APPROACHING VOICE

The Queen's court is arriving. The Queen's court precedes the Queen.
See that the performance is ready. See that the performance is ready.

[_The voice dies away. There is the sound of much commotion in
the vicinity of the cart. The voice of DEA ceases and someone
calls: GWYMPLANE! GWYMPLANE answering distantly: Yes. URSUS:
Hurry. GWYMPLANE: I come. The PRINCE and PHEDRO steal quickly
away._]

_CURTAIN_

SCENE 3

[_Courtiers entering. A lady looking through her lorgnette._]

A LADY

I hope this is not going to be too boring.

3D COURTIER

Ah, that, Madame, is the pleasure-seeker's prayer. Save me this night
from being bored to death.

2D COURTIER [_a great dandy_]

I hope they have enchanting costumes, and that they are well perfumed.

[_He smells a scrap of lace._]

LADY

I hear he is remarkable.

2D COURTIER

Who?

LADY

The mountebank, I forget his name. He has a Latin name besides, which
I forget also, but they say that when he appears....

COURT USHER [_announces_]

The Queen.

[_The Queen arrives surrounded by a brilliant court. JOSEPHINE
attends her, dressed entirely in silver and wearing immense
emeralds. Her hair is very formally powdered, and she wears a
cherry-coloured cloak. A coloured slave in black moire carries
her train._]

QUEEN

I am not in a mood for laughing tonight. [_She glances at Josephine._]
At any rate it is always singularly depressing to go anywhere in order
to laugh. And if this clown causes me even to smile he shall have some
rare reward.

[_Seats herself upon a raised dais. Courtiers group themselves
around her. Most of the ladies have seats. Many of the gentlemen
sit at their feet._]

JOSEPHINE

[_Listlessly fluttering her fan; she is on the left of the QUEEN
and near the audience._]

How tedious! For what are they delaying?

PRINCE [_standing over her_]

We are scarcely seated.

JO