obs._]

THE LADIES.

Eh? What's the matter?

THERESA.

Nothing. I don't know.
Forgive me. I'm alone here--far from friends.
Oh, it was silly!--suddenly--

MARIA LOUISA.

Poor dear!

THERESA.

I held my heart in--

MARIA LOUISA.

Tears will do you good.

THE DUKE.

What's this I trod on? Why, a white cockade!

METTERNICH.

H'm!

THE DUKE.

[_To the_ ATTACHE.]

Yours, no doubt, sir. Favor me: your hat.

[_The_ ATTACHE _gives him his hat unwillingly._
_The_ DUKE _sees the tricolor cockade._]

Ah!

[_To_ METTERNICH.]

I was not aware--but then--the flag?

METTERNICH.

Highness--

THE DUKE.

Is that changed, too?

METTERNICH.

A trivial detail.

THE DUKE.

Nothing.

METTERNICH.

Question of color--

THE DUKE.

Of a shade.
See for yourself. Looked at in certain lights,
I really think this is the more effective. [_He moves
a few steps._]

[_His mother takes him by the arm and leads him
to the butterfly-cases, which the_ DOCTOR, _who
has come back, has spread out._]

THE DUKE.

Butterflies?

MARIA LOUISA.

You admire the black one?

THE DUKE.

Charming.

THE DOCTOR.

The plants it loves are umbelliferous.

THE DUKE.

It seems to see me with its wings.

THE DOCTOR.

Those eyes?
We call them lunulae.

THE DUKE.

Indeed? I'm glad.

THE DOCTOR.

Are you examining the spotted grey?

THE DUKE.

No, sir.

THE DOCTOR.

What then, my lord?

THE DUKE.

The pin that killed it.

THE DOCTOR.

[_To_ MARIA LOUISA.]

No use.

MARIA LOUISA.

[_To_ SCARAMPI.]

We'll wait. I count on the effect--

SCARAMPI.

Ah, yes!--Of our surprise.

GENTZ.

[_Who has approached the_ DUKE.]

A sweetmeat?

THE DUKE.

[_Taking one and tasting it._]

Perfect.
A flavor of verbena and of pear,
And something else--wait--yes--

GENTZ.

It's not worth while--

THE DUKE.

What's not worth while?

GENTZ.

To feign an interest.
I'm not so blind as Metternich.

[_He offers