ACT II, Scene 2

(In the score, the composer has programmed some of the following actions to take place during the quintet.
The lighting has changed to hot, afternoon rays, the music to hot sun, buzzing bees in character. Over the top of the wall UR can be seen the top of a horse-drawn carriage, a four-horse calèche, pulling up and stopping, Other carriage tops also appear, to suggest a retinue. The carriage rocks from those getting out. A cloaked man, Napoleon's brother, Joseph, enters UC and strolls around, inspecting the butcher shop, the inn, the well, the bakery, and the men at table, who in turn inspect him. Joseph goes to the arch and beckons those outside to come in. A military escort and some officers enter without any military formality, but on guard, taking up positions around the area. Napoleon enters dramatically, a large cloak over his green uniform and a floppy hat to protect his anonymity.
(Napoleon also is said to have traveled in civilian clothes for a disguise.)
He is prematurely aged, corpulent, a pallor in his face accompanied by drowsiness not only from his travels. Then the wives and children of the entourage straggle in. Napoleon goes to the well, looks down it for a while, and indicates to a servant to crank up some water. Another is motioned to the butcher shop, and another is directed to the bakery. Members of his entourage, the women and children, and the other men, move about to refresh themselves at the well and the shops. Napoleon leans on the well rim on the SR side and looks down into it.

Adele comes to the Dutch door and serves the servant. Chauvin appears at the door and goes outside to the well bearing a container to get some water. Chauvin leans on the SL edge of the well, mirroring Napoleon's posture. Chauvin looks up into the eyes of the man across from him, and we see a gradual brightening of Chauvin's countenance, eventuating in a soft, "Emperor!" IChauvin comes immediately to Chauvin and stands on the US side of the well. IChauvin shadows Chauvin, looking on. Everyone on stage looks at Chauvin on hearing the name. Napoleon goes to, and sits on the bench under the tree. The servants bring to him bread, meat and water, which he savors; he mops his brow. He commands a servant to enter the inn.)

CHAUVIN

(He goes to SL of Napoleon and with great difficulty bows low to one knee. He rises and stands back respectfully.)

Majesty!

NAPOLEON

(He puts a finger to his lips. IChauvin enters and immediately goes to Chauvin.)

(Napoleon takes a swig of his drink.)

We know you. Your adornments mark you well.

(During this, the veterans begin to come forward.)

CHAUVIN AND ICHAUVIN

Nicolas Chauvin, mon général. Recently of the Grand Armée at Waterloo, and still at your service, Majesty.

NAPOLEON

You are well worn in our service.
In spite of what you see around us —

(sweeping his arm around at his company)

our situation is delicate.

CHAUVIN AND ICHAUVIN

The miracle of your real presence, my Emperor, commands my deepest sense of duty.

NAPOLEON

Joseph, brother. What's anchored in the distant harbor?

JOSEPH

We saw two frigates. But the British are blockading the mouth. I would disguise myself as you, having some resemblance, so that you might seek the New World's shores, to practice your geographic science.

NAPOLEON

No, we will not foment any civil strife to stem the royal tide.

(Napoleon and Joseph move to the back, leaving Chauvin alone.)

CHAUVIN

My mates and I, we were trained to think and act as one,
like bricks and bloody mortar
forming thick and flinty walls to house our pride.
Unbeatable! Unyielding! Formidable!
The brick I am grows larger than the unity I knew.
Now I am elevated to some higher purpose.

(Guillaume Puiné enters from the passage stage left at a running walk. He looks around desperately, sees the inn, and hurries inside. Napoleon's company moves to stage right expectant of what is to follow, huddling around Napoleon, who has stuck himself inconspicuously in the midst of his people. Soon, three men and two women [White-Terrorists/Royalists] hurry out from the passage between the butcher shop and the inn. They inspect each person in Napoleon's retinue, as well as all others standing in their distinct groups. The terrorists carry heavy sticks which they wave like weapons as they variously sing, shouting to the sky above and the buildings all around.)

WHITE-TERRORISTS/ROYALISTS CHORUS

Guillaume Puiné!
You are known to us.
We have a pike for your head!
Guillaume Puiné!
This is your day, Guillaume!
Your last, you evil Bonapartist!
Your limbs to the fish in the bay!
After we've tenderized you,
you murderer of royal beauty—
and of everything that's holy
in the old order of Christian life!
A knife to the crotch!

(The five are joined by others. The five enter the businesses around the square and shortly return to CS by the well. They go off into the inn. The remainder of their mob crowds around the door of the inn, looking in. The mob shouts in triumph and backs away from the inn's door. The five enter the square with Guillaume in tow. Some veterans enter UC by the gate to the square and stand in neutral posture across the stage UC.)

WHITE-TERRORISTS/ROYALISTS CHORUS

Jacobins must die!
The usurper, the outlaw is gone,
and so shall they all of his kind.
We shall repeal the past.

(One, the leader of this band of white-terrorists, steps out from the mob.)

TERRORIST LEADER

We shall repeal the past!

(The Terrorist Leader raises a large club above Guillaume's head. The club has the white flag of the royal color attached to it.)

GUILLAUME PUINÉ

(the club poised above his head)

Vive l'Empereur!

(The club is brought down on Guillaume's head, but the blow misses when Guillaume flinches. His shoulder is crunched, and he cries out. He falls. Another in the mob steps out with a club and finishes Guillaume. Then the mob sets to beating the dying man with sticks. The women dance with ecstatic gyrations around what has become the corpse. Some drag him off through the passage while others sing)

WHITE-TERRORISTS/ROYALISTS CHORUS

Oh, Guillaume! Oh, Guillaume,
you Boney, Boney papa
we rub your nose in your own caca.

(Their thirst for blood turns to the friends of Napoleon. The leader shouts.)

WHITE-TERRORISTS LEADER

Vive le Roi, Louis Dis-huit!

(The leader looks for assent from the retinue of Napoleon, whom he faces, by attempting to start an applause for the acts of the mob and the cry for the king. He sees none, only horror in their faces.)

What we have here are the revolutionary pigs to be slaughtered.

(Those who dragged the body off return with Guillaume's head held high on a pike, dripping blood. There is a celebration. Then they move back to confront the "revolutionary pigs.")

The sharks will feast tonight!

(Napoleon moves out to protect his entourage, after his officers and his guard attempted to make a move at the terrorists.)

NAPOLEON

Stand apart!

(His friends part to let him move forward.)

NAPOLEON

Are you the coward who struck down that defenseless man?

(The man who struck Guillaume pushes forward to confront Napoleon. More veterans enter the square from up center.)

WHITE-TERRORISTS LEADER

Him, and many more Bonapartists before him. Who questions our patriotic acts?

(Dibroc, Picot, Souvan and the veterans join Chauvin.)

NAPOLEON

Patriotism was born in revolutionary language.
In your mouths and in your acts,
the word does not work.
You are not part of the glory of nation
we created.

(Chauvin moves in front of Napoleon and bows to him,)

CHAUVIN

Your Majesty!

(turning to confront the terrorist leader)

These traitors and murderers will die here, now.

WHITE-TERRORISTS LEADER

What majesty?
Bonapartists!
We will have your heads.

(He hefts his club as if to swing it in a roundhouse right-to-left blow to Napoleon's head.)

(At the point of the mob leader's beginning the swing, Dibroc, holding his relic of the imperial throne and wearing a hat with white, royalist cockade, steps in front of Napoleon and Chauvin. Both Chauvins draw their sabres, IChauvin drawing slightly ahead of Chauvin, but everyone is looking at the latter.)

DIBROC

What is signified by this?

(He twirls his white-plumed hat, puts it on his own head, and puts the tricolor cockade on the terrorist leader's head.)

You want to claim the throne of France?
Well here it is!

(The white terrorist leader throws off the hated hat and begins to swing his club at the head of Dibroc, who intercepts the club coming around with the throne arm held two-handed like a staff, and knocks the terrorist's club down. With a swift and skillful, one-arm overhead-arc swing of the throne arm, he slices at the left leg of the mob leader, wounding him. Chauvin stands over the mob leader, and almost instantly, automatically, acting to impale him fatally in the heart, an old soldier's response, but he uncharacteristically inhibits that movement by looking at Napoleon for an order. Napoleon withdraws to the front of his group after recognizing Chauvin, and with a thumbs-down hand gesture and a wan smile, turns his back and goes upstage to the exit UC, but not out.)

NAPOLEON

We—

(hesitating, looking around significantly)

Bonapartists —
are not gods, but we,
some of whom you see here,
are the most magnificent warriors of all time.
Our enemies have honored us with their able fight, but,

(to the terrorists)

you are not our enemies,
who had a measure of our respect, which you would never know.
You are terrorists, and all terrorists are mad dogs,
beasts of our contempt.
You wretches are not French.
Be gone!

(Chauvin dips his sword tip in the blood of Puiné's head above him on the pike, returns the sword to the terrorist leader's heart, and thrusts. The leader dies.)

END ACT II