LADY. Aha! now you see that I'm not really brave. (Relapsing into
petulant listlessness.) But what right have you to despise me if you
only win your battles for others? for your country! through patriotism!
That is what I call womanish: it is so like a Frenchman!
NAPOLEON (furiously). I am no Frenchman.
LADY (innocently). I thought you said you won the battle of Lodi for
your country, General Bu-- shall I pronounce it in Italian or French?
NAPOLEON. You are presuming on my patience, madam. I was born a French
subject, but not in France.
LADY (folding her arms on the end of the couch, and leaning on them
with a marked access of interest in him). You were not born a subject
at all, I think.
NAPOLEON (greatly pleased, starting on a fresh march). Eh? Eh? You
think not.
LADY. I am sure of it.
NAPOLEON. Well, well, perhaps not. (The self-complacency of his assent
catches his own ear. He stops short, reddening. Then, composing himself
into a solemn attitude, modelled on the heroes of classical antiquity,
he takes a high moral tone.) But we must not live for ourselves alone,
little one. Never forget that we should always think of others, and
work for others, and lead and govern them for their own good.
Self-sacrifice is the foundation of all true nobility of character.
LADY (again relaxing her attitude with a sigh). Ah, it is easy to see
that you have never tried it, General.
NAPOLEON (indignantly, forgetting all about Brutus and Scipio). What do
you mean by that speech, madam?
LADY. Haven't you noticed that people always exaggerate the value of
the things they haven't got? The poor think they only need riches to be
quite happy and good. Everybody worships truth, purity, unselfishness,
for the same reason--because they have no experience of them. Oh, if
they only knew!
NAPOLEON (with angry derision). If they only knew! Pray, do you know?
LADY (with her arms stretched down and her hands clasped on her knees,
looking straight before her). Yes. I had the misfortune to be born
good. (Glancing up at him for a moment.) And it is a misfortune, I can
tell you, General. I really am truthful and unselfish and all the rest
of it; and it's nothing but cowardice; want of character; want of being
really, strongly, positively oneself.