me I have seen you so.

THE DUKE.

What? Rather young and merry? Thank you, Flambeau.

CURTAIN.

[Illustration: decoration of two eagles with an orb between]

[Illustration: decoration of an eagle with wings spread wide and a crown
above its head]

THE THIRD ACT

_Scene: The same as in the previous act._

_A miscellaneous crowd of men, women and children are discovered on the
rising of the curtain. They are being placed in order by an_ OFFICER.

THE OFFICER.

Line up. Be quiet. Boy, behave yourself.
The Emperor enters here; so leave a passage.
You, giant Highlander, don't scrape your feet.

A MAN.

Will he pass here?

THE OFFICER.

Yes; and he'll take your papers.
Hold your petitions so that he can see them.
No tedious twaddle--Ah!--and you're forbidden
To kneel when he comes in.

A WOMAN.

Forbidden or not,
That won't prevent us--

[_The_ EMPEROR _enters quite simply, without being
announced. All the people, in spite of the warning,
fall on their knees._]

THE EMPEROR.

Rise, my children, rise.

[_He passes from one to the other, taking their
papers. To a_ WOMAN.]

Your pension's doubled.

THE WOMAN.

Sire!

THE EMPEROR.

[_To a_ MAN.]

What? What? A team
Of oxen? That's expensive!--Granted.

THE MAN.

Father!

THE EMPEROR.

[_Reading another paper._]

Granted.

A WOMAN.

Father Franz--

THE EMPEROR.

What, you? All well
At home?

THE WOMAN.

Oh, so-so.

THE EMPEROR.

Well, old woman? Well?

THE OLD WOMAN.

Why, don't you see, the wind has killed my chickens.

THE EMPEROR.

Granted.--A vocalist?

THE VOCALIST.

I yodle.

THE EMPEROR.

Come
And yodle to the Court at Baden.

THE CHAMBERLAIN.

Name?

THE VOCALIST.

Schnauser.

THE EMPEROR.

A Highlander?

THE HIGHLANDER.

Out yonder
My home is, on the mountains, in the skies.
I want to be a cabman in Vienna.

THE EMPEROR.

Well, so you shall.

[_Taking another paper._]

A wealthy husbandman
Begs Franz to give him back his daughter's love
Which a Bohemian glass