The Queen: God Bless Her!


Dramatis Personae

QUEEN VICTORIA
LORD BEACONSFIELD
MR. JOHN BROWN
A FOOTMAN



The Queen: God Bless Her!

A Scene from Home-Life in the Highlands

_The august Lady is sitting in a garden-tent on the lawn of Balmoral
Castle. Her parasol leans beside her. Writing-materials are on the table
before her, and a small fan, for it is hot weather; also a dish of
peaches. Sunlight suffuses the tent interior, softening the round contours
of the face, and caressing pleasantly the small plump hand busy at
letter-writing. The even flow of her penmanship is suddenly disturbed;
picking up her parasol, she indulgently beats some unseen object, lying
concealed against her skirts_.

QUEEN. No: don't scratch! Naughty! Naughty!

(_She then picks up a hand-bell, rings it, and continues her writing.