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am on the side of the energetic minority whose principles I agree
with。 The Revolution is as cruel as we were； but its aims are my
aims。 Therefore I stand for the Revolution。
STRAMMFEST。 You do not know what you are saying。 This is pure
Bolshevism。 Are you； the daughter of a Panjandrum； a Bolshevist？
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 I am anything that will make the world less
like a prison and more like a circus。
STRAMMFEST。 Ah！ You still want to be a circus star。
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Yes； and be billed as the Bolshevik Empress。
Nothing shall stop me。 You have your orders； General Strammfest：
save the Revolution。
STRAMMFEST。 What Revolution？ Which Revolution？ No two of your
rabble of revolutionists mean the same thing by the Revolution
What can save a mob in which every man is rushing in a different
direction？
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 I will tell you。 The war can save it。
STRAMMFEST。 The war？
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Yes； the war。 Only a great common danger and a
great common duty can unite us and weld these wrangling factions
into a solid commonwealth。
STRAMMFEST。 Bravo！ War sets everything right： I have always said
so。 But what is a united people without a united army？ And what
can I do？ I am only a soldier。 I cannot make speeches： I have won
no victories： they will not rally to my call ＇again he sinks into
his chair with his former gesture of discouragement＇。
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Are you sure they will not rally to mine？
STRAMMFEST。 Oh； if only you were a man and a soldier！
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Suppose I find you a man and a soldier？
STRAMMFEST ＇rising in a fury＇。 Ah！ the scoundrel you eloped with！
You think you will shove this fellow into an army command； over
my head。 Never。
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 You promised everything。 You swore anything。
＇She marches as if in front of a regiment。＇ I know that this man
alone can rouse the army to enthusiasm。
STRAMMFEST。 Delusion！ Folly！ He is some circus acrobat； and you
are in love with him。
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 I swear I am not in love with him。 I swear I
will never marry him。
STRAMMFEST。 Then who is he？
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Anybody in the world but you would have
guessed long ago。 He is under your very eyes。
STRAMMFEST ＇staring past her right and left＇。 Where？
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Look out of the window。
He rushes to the window； looking for the officer。 The Grand
Duchess takes off her cloak and appears in the uniform of the
Panderobajensky Hussars。
STRAMMFEST ＇peering through the window＇。 Where is he？ I can see
no one。
THE GRAND DUCHESS。 Here； silly。
STRAMMFEST ＇turning＇。 You！ Great Heavens！ The Bolshevik Empress！
End