METTERNICH. Fanny has kept you very late at table; Oh, this _liaison!_ you're as good as lost. GENTZ. What? I and Fanny? Off. METTERNICH. What? GENTZ. Off. METTERNICH. [_Seeing the Prefect of Police._] Sedlinzky. SEDLINZKY. One word. GENTZ. [_To_ METTERNICH.] It's off. [_To a_ DOMINO.] 'Twas wrong to bring you, Fanny. If they discovered you! What an imprudence! A public dancer! FANNY. Oh, I'll dance discreetly. GENTZ. They'll find you out. For heaven's sake be clumsy. METTERNICH. A plot? SEDLINZKY. Yes; for the Duke!--and at this ball! METTERNICH. [_Lightly_.] Here! you alarm me! GENTZ. Be an angel, Fanny, And tell me why you wished to come. FANNY. Caprice. METTERNICH. I fear the Duke no more. I've killed his pride. And he's in mourning for it. He'll not come. SEDLINZKY. But there's a plot! METTERNICH. Bah! SEDLINZKY. Women-- METTERNICH. Featherbrains. SEDLINZKY. No! Noble ladies. METTERNICH. Really? SEDLINZKY. Poles and Greeks: Princess Grazalcowitch. METTERNICH. Grazalcowitch! That's terrible! [_To a_ LACKEY.] Pray let me have a sandwich. SEDLINZKY. You laugh?--Hush!--Here they come. They've fled the light And seek a nook to whisper in. [_Enter several_ DOMINOS.] ONE OF THE DOMINOS. My dear, How sweet it is to run a risk for his sake. SECOND DOMINO. Let us conspire! THIRD DOMINO. His hair's such lovely auburn. FOURTH DOMINO. It's like a pretty little halo, dear, Through which a regal crown is dimly seen. FIFTH DOMINO. He has a doubly-fascinating charm:-- A fair Napoleon! Hamlet dressed in white! FIRST DOMINO. Let us conspire! SECOND DOMINO. First, I suggest we order A golden bee from Stieger in Vienna. ANOTHER DOMINO. Vienna! Why? That _would_ be idiotic! We'll have it made by Odiot in Paris. FOURTH DOMINO. I move we always wear with every dress A very striking bunch of violets. FIRST DOMINO. That's it, Princess! ANOTHER DOMINO. And let us risk returning To Empire fashions. SECOND DOMINO. For evening: not for day. THIRD DOMINO. Dear, don't forget the horrible short waists. ALL. And all the puffs!--and ruches!--Dearest! METTERNICH. Ladies-- ALL. Good heavens! METTERNICH. Go on with your delicious plotting. Conspire! conspire! Ha-ha! [_He goes out, laughing heartily._] FIRST DOMINO.