ALBERT—You are very much interested in the stars, aren’t you, Alexandra?
ALEXANDRA—I never thought much about them until to-night.
ALBERT—Thought more about roses—what? But to-night the sky is
illuminated—what? A beautiful summer night. [_Significantly._] The stars
shine like eyes.
BEATRICE—If you are interested, we have a very good observatory in the
tower.
ALBERT—Have you? I didn’t know.
ALEXANDRA—Oh, only an amateur’s observatory.
ALBERT—Doubtless the brilliant professor fitted it up. The young man of a
thousand talents ... what?
AGI—No, your highness, it was here when I came.
ALBERT—I wonder you didn’t mention it before.
ALEXANDRA—You go to bed so early. And the stars have no regard for
etiquette.
ALBERT—Bravo! That retort was so clever the Professor himself might have
thought of it. What?
ALEXANDRA—No, Albert. I thought of it myself.
ALBERT—[_To HYACINTH, who has just entered with SYMPHOROSA._] Did you
hear what she said?
HYACINTH—Who?
ALBERT—Xara. She said the stars have no regard for etiquette. [_A gong
sounds. CÆSAR, the two HUSSARS and ALFRED enter. The COLONEL enters back
left._]
BEATRICE—We dragged the doctor away from his beloved stars to-night.
HYACINTH—And also the poor boys.
SYMPHOROSA—Yes, the poor boys looked forward to it all day. They are
delighted with any excuse for not going to bed early.
HYACINTH—Well, they can see them to-morrow. Fortunately the stars are
eternal, eh? One can always put them off until to-morrow. [_The two
ladies exit back left._]
ALBERT—I didn’t know you had an observatory.
HYACINTH—Oh, yes. Ever since my late brother-in-law, Henry, bought a big
telescope. You have seen it often, colonel.
WUNDERLICH—Oh, yes. Once I burned my tongue up there.
ALBERT—With the telescope?
WUNDERLICH—No, your highness. There was some acid in a cup up there, and
I tasted it.
SYMPHOROSA—I can imagine what an impression it must have made on you.
WUNDERLICH—I shall never forget it, your highness.
BEATRICE—I think, Albert, it is time to eat something.
ALBERT—I hope to eat a great deal. I always have a ravenous appetite at
night. Haven’t I, Wunderlich?
WUNDERLICH—God be thanked, your highness.
ALEXANDRA—[_To AGI, low._] I shouldn’t like them to read in your face
what we have been talking about. [_ALEXANDRA and AGI stand down stage
left; HYACINTH and ALBERT at center, a trifle back; BEATRICE and
SYMPHOROSA down right in front of the table._]
ALBERT—Xara is absorbed in the science of the stars.
AGI—[_To ALEXANDRA._] I’ll try, your highness, but I am afraid it’s too
late.
BEATRICE—[_To ALBERT._] She takes a keen interest in the education of the
boys. She supervises their studies.
ALEXANDRA—That sounds as if you are threatening me.
ALBERT—Xara will be an astronomer yet.
HYACINTH—Hardly a career to attract a woman.
ALEXANDRA—I have offended you deeply.
AGI—Yes, your highness.
ALEXANDRA—Won’t you forgive me?