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L a d y : General! (She unvoluntarily puts her hands on her fichu 3 as if to protect something there.)

N a p o l e o n : You tricked that blockhead out of them. You disguised yourself as a man. I want my despatches. They are there in

the bosom of your dress under your hands.

L a d y (quickly removing her hands) : Oh, how unkindly you are speaking to me! (She takes her handkerchief from her fichu.)

You frighten me. (She touches her eyes as if to wipe away a tear.)

N a p o l e o n : I see you don't know me, madam, or you would save yourself the trouble of pretending to cry.

L a d y (producing an effect of smiling through her tears): Yes, I do know you. You are the famous General Buonaparte.4

N a p o l e o n (angrily): The papers, if you please.

L a d y : But I assure you — (He snatches the handkerchief rudely.) General! (Indignantly.)

N a p o l e o n (taking the other handkerchief from his breast): You lent one of your handkerchiefs to my lieutenant when you

robbed him. (He looks at the two handkerchiefs.) They match one another. (He smells them.) The same scent. (He flings them down

on the table.) I am waiting for my despatches. I shall take them, if necessary, with as little ceremony as I took the handkerchief.

L a d y (in dignified reproof) : General: do you threaten women?

N a p o l e o n (bluntly): Yes. (Holding out his hand.) Yes: I am waiting for them.

L a d y : General: I only want to keep one little private letter. Only one. Let me have it.

N a p o l e o n (cold and stern): Is that a reasonable demand, madam?

L a d y (relaxed by his not refusing point blank): No, but that is why you must grant it. Are your own demands reasonable?

thousands of lives for the sake of your victories, your ambitions, your destiny! And what I ask is such a little thing. And I am only a

weak woman, and you a brave man. What is the secret of your power? Only that you believe in yourself. You can fight and conquer for

yourself and for nobody else. You are not afraid of your own destiny. You teach us what we all might be if we had the will and courage:

and that (suddenly sinking on knees before him) is why we all begin to worship you. (She kisses his hands.)

N a p o l e o n (embarrassed) : Tut! Tut! 5 Pray rise, madam.

L a d y : My Emperor!

N a p o l e o n (overcome, raising her): Pray! pray! No, no: this is folly. Come: be calm, be calm. (Pettingher.) There! there! my girl.

L a d y ( struggling with happy tears): Yes, I know it is an impertinence in me to tell you what you must know far better than I do.

But you are not angry with me, are you?

N a p o l e o n : Angry! No, no: not a bit. Come: you are a very clever and sensible and interesting woman. {He pats her on the

cheek.) Shall we be friends?

L a d y ( enraptured) : Your friend! You will let me be your friend! Oh! (She offers him both her hands with a radiant smile.) You

see: I shew my confidence in you.