. THE •: DYNASTS ACT
EMPRESS-MOTHER
Here comes dear Anne. Speak not of it before 4rer; Enter the GRAND-DUCHESS, a girl of sixteen.
ANNE
Alas! the news is that poor Prussia's queen,
Spirited Queen Louisa, once so fair,
Is slowly dying, mother! Did you know ?
ALEXANDER (betraying emotion)
Ah!—such I dreaded from the earlier hints, Poor soul—her heart was slain some time ago.
ANNE What do you mean by that, my brother dear?
EMPRESS-MOTHER
He means, my child, that he as usual spends Much sentiment upon the foreign fair, And hence leaves little for his folk at home.
ALEXANDER
I mean, Anne, that her country's overthrow Let death into her heart The Tilsit days Taught me to know her well, and honour her. She was a lovely woman even then! „ '. . Strangely, the present English Prince of Wales Was wished to husband her. Had wishes won, They might have varied Europe's history.
. • v,.:. "• •'•• , , . . ',. . ANNE
Napoleon, I have heard, admired her once ; ""How he must grieve that soon she'll be no more!
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