Of General Belliard, French Ambassador; And Councillor Gentz, and several Estafets. With your permission-- [_To a lackey._] First, Baron von Gentz. MARIA LOUISA. The room is yours. [_She goes out with_ THERESA. TIBURTIUS _and_ BOMBELLES _follow her_. GENTZ _enters_.] METTERNICH. Good-morning, Gentz. You know The Emperor recalls me to Vienna? I'm going back to-day. GENTZ. Ah? METTERNICH. Yes; it's tiresome-- The town in summer! GENTZ. Empty as my pocket. METTERNICH. Oh, come now! No offence, you know, but--eh? Surely the Russian Government has-- GENTZ. _Me!_ METTERNICH. Be frank. Who's bought you? Eh? GENTZ. [_Munching sweetmeats._] The highest bidder. METTERNICH. Where does the money go? GENTZ. [_Smelling at a scent-bottle he has taken out of his pocket._] In riotous living. METTERNICH. Good Heavens! And you're considered my right hand! GENTZ. Let not your left know what your right receives. METTERNICH. Sweetmeats and perfumes! Oh! GENTZ. Why, yes, of course. I've money; I love sweets and perfumes. Yes, I'm a depraved old baby. METTERNICH. Affectation! Mere pose of self-contempt. [_Suddenly._] And Fanny? GENTZ. Elssler? Won't love me. I'm ridiculous From every point of view. She loves the Duke. I'm but a screen; but I'm content to suffer When I remember how it serves the state If he's amused. And so I play the fool, And dance attendance on the little dancer. She bade me bring her here this very night, Just to surprise the Duke. METTERNICH. You scandalize me. GENTZ. His mother's going out. There's dancing. [_He hands_ METTERNICH _a letter which he has taken out of a pocket-book_.] Read-- From Fouché's son. METTERNICH. [_Reading the letter._] August the twentieth, Eighteen hundred and thirty-- GENTZ. He'd transform-- METTERNICH. Good Viscount of Otranto! GENTZ. Our Duke of Reichstadt to Napoleon Two. METTERNICH. [_Handing back the letter._] A list of partisans? GENTZ. Yes. METTERNICH. Make a note. GENTZ. Do we refuse? METTERNICH. Without destroying hope. Ah, but my little Colonel serves me well To keep these Frenchmen straight. When they forget Their Metternich, and lean too much to the left, I let him show his nose out of his box, and--crack!-- When they come right, I pop him in again! GENTZ. When can one see the springs work? METTERNICH. Now. [_Enter the French_ ATTACHÉ. METTERNICH.