]
The two ladies rush to her feet, each carrying a slipper.
Catherine, about to put her feet into them, is checked by a
disturbance in the antechamber.
PATIOMKIN [carrying Edstaston through the antechamber]. Useless
to struggle. Come along, beautiful baby darling. Come to Little
Mother. [He sings.]
March him baby,
Baby, baby,
Lit-tle ba-by bumpkins.
VARINKA [joining in to the same doggerel in canon, a third
above]. March him, baby, etc., etc.
EDSTASTON [trying to make himself heard]. No, no. This is
carrying a joke too far. I must insist. Let me down! Hang it,
will you let me down! Confound it! No, no. Stop playing the fool,
will you? We don't understand this sort of thing in England. I
shall be disgraced. Let me down.
CATHERINE [meanwhile]. What a horrible noise! Naryshkin, see what
it is.
Naryshkin goes to the door.
CATHERINE [listening]. That is Prince Patiomkin.
NARYSHKIN [calling from the door]. Little Mother, a stranger.
Catherine plunges into bed again and covers herself up.
Patiomkin, followed by Varinka, carries Edstaston in: dumps him
down on the foot of the bed: and staggers past it to the cabinet
door. Varinka joins the courtiers at the opposite side of the
room.
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