SCENE vi PART SECOND
JOSEPHINE But all went well throughout our touring time ?
NAPOLEON
Not so—behind the scenes. Our arms at Baylen Have been smirched badly. Twenty thousand
shamed
All through Dupont's ill-luck! The selfsame day My brother Joseph's progress to Madrid Was glorious as a sodden rocket's fizz! Since when his letters creak with querulousness. C1 Napoleon el chico " 'tis they call him— " Napoleon the Little," so he says. Then notice Austria. Much looks louring there, And her sly new regard for England grows. The English, next, have shipped an army down To Mondego, under one Wellesley, A man from India, and his march is south To Lisbon, by Vimiero. On hell go And do the devil's mischief ere he is met By unaware Junot, and chevyed back To English fogs and fumes !
JOSEPHINE
My dearest one,
You have mused on worse reports with better grace Full many and many a time. Ah—there is more! . . . I know ; I know!
NAPOLEON (kicking away a stool)
There is, of course ; that worm Time ever keeps in hand for gnawing me !— The question of my dynasty—which bites Closer and closer as the years wheel on.
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