Aranjuez, it can be done.
The quiet of the place, the freer manners,
All favor you.

CARLOS.
And such, too, was my hope;
But it, alas! was vain.

MARQUIS.
Not wholly so.
I go to wait upon her. If she be
The same in Spain she was in Henry's court,
She will be frank at least. And if I can
Read any hope for Carlos in her looks--
Find her inclined to grant an interview--
Get her attendant ladies sent away----

CARLOS.
Most of them are my friends--especially
The Countess Mondecar, whom I have gained
By service to her son, my page.

MARQUIS.
'Tis well;
Be you at hand, and ready to appear,
Whene'er I give the signal, prince.

CARLOS.
I will,--
Be sure I will:--and all good speed attend thee!

MARQUIS.
I will not lose a moment; so, farewell.

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE III.

The Queen's Residence in Aranjuez. The Pleasure Grounds,
intersected by an avenue, terminated by the Queen's Palace.

The QUEEN, DUCHESS OF OLIVAREZ, PRINCESS OF EBOLI, and MARCHIONESS
OF MONDECAR, all advancing from the avenue.

QUEEN (to the MARCHIONESS).
I will have you beside me, Mondecar.
The princess, with these merry eyes of hers,
Has plagued me all the morning. See, she scarce
Can hide the joy she feels to leave the country.

EBOLI.
'Twere idle to conceal, my queen, that I
Shall be most glad to see Madrid once more.

MONDECAR.
And will your majesty not be so, too?
Are you so grieved to quit Aranjuez?

QUEEN.
To quit--this lovely spot at least I am.
This is my world. Its sweetness oft and oft
Has twined itself around my inmost heart.
Here, nature, simple, rustic nature greets me,
The sweet companion of my early years--
Here I indulge once more my childhood's sports,
And my dear France's gales come blowing here.
Blame not this partial fondness--all hearts yearn
For their own native land.

EBOLI.
But then how lone,
How dull and lifeless it is here! We might
As well be in La Trappe.

QUEEN.
I cannot see it.
To me Madrid alone is lifeless. But
What saith our duchess to it?

OLIVAREZ.
Why, methinks,
Your majesty, since kings have ruled in Spain,
It hath been still the custom for the court
To pass the summer months alternately
Here and at Pardo,--in Madrid, the winter.

QUEEN.
Well, I suppose it has! Duchess, you know
I've long resigned all argument with you.

MONDECAR.
Next