oak and Golden Fleece upon you;
But here, like this, I like you very much.
With the dear silver of your floating hair,
Your kindly eyes, your simple coat and waistcoat;
For now you're just a dear old gentleman,
By whom a grandchild might be petted.

THE EMPEROR.

Petted!

THE DUKE.

Are you not bored to see the heavy jowls
Of Louis-Philip on the coins of France?

THE EMPEROR.

Hush! hush!

THE DUKE.

Do you adore these podgy Bourbons?

THE EMPEROR.

You are not like your cousins the Archdukes.

THE DUKE.

Indeed?

THE EMPEROR.

Where did you learn your saucy tricks?

THE DUKE.

I learnt them playing in the Tuileries.

THE EMPEROR.

Ah, you come back to that?

THE DUKE.

I wish I could.

THE EMPEROR.

Can you recall those days?

THE DUKE.

Oh, only vaguely.

THE EMPEROR.

Can you recall your father?

THE DUKE.

I remember
A man who pressed me hard against a star,
And as he pressed I felt with tears of fright
The diamond star was stamped upon my heart:
Sire, it has stayed there!

THE EMPEROR.

Do I blame you for it?

THE DUKE.

Yes, let the goodness of your nature speak!
When I was small you loved me, did you not?
You loved to have me with you at your meals,
And so we used to dine together--

THE EMPEROR.

Charming.

THE DUKE.

My hair was long, and I was Prince of Parma;
And when they punished me you let me off.

THE EMPEROR.

Do you remember how you hated ponies?

THE DUKE.

One day they showed me one as white as snow;
I stamped with fury in the riding-school.

THE EMPEROR.

You thought a pony was a deadly insult.

THE DUKE.

I cried with rage: I want a great, big horse!

THE EMPEROR.

And now you want another great, big horse!

THE DUKE.

And how I used to beat my German nurses.

THE EMPEROR.

And how with Colin you would calmly dig
Enormous holes about my park--

THE DUKE.

For Crusoe.

THE EMPEROR.

He was Man Friday.

THE DUKE.

And I used to hide.
I had a gun, three hatchets and a bow.

THE EMPEROR.

Then you stood sentinel before my door.

THE DUKE.

As a hussar.

THE EMPEROR.

And ladies, coming late,
Found this excuse quite natural:--"Oh,