Excerpt from Madame Sans-Gêne: An Opera in Four Acts Act IV opens on the same scene: The lights burn low; Caterina is alone, absorbed in sad thoughts. When Lefebvre, chosen by Napoleon to execute the death sentence on N eipperg, comes in, she pleads with him in vain; Napoleon himself enters when Lefebvre has departed, his face and bearing showing signs of an inward struggle between doubt of N eipperg's guilt, on the one hand, and a thirst for ven geance, on the other. He tries to make Caterina, who swears that she knows nothing, confess a knowledge of clandestine meetings between N ci perg and the Empress; suddenly changing his tone to one of harsh command, e insists that Caterina sh all knock at the Empress's door, then and there, and announce Neipperg again. Caterina, agonized by con?icting emotions, finally obeys; the door opens slightly, and through the opening appears a hand with a acket, the voice of the Empress saying: Give t °s to him - and my farewell! Napoleon seizes the packet, with astonishment re the address, His Majesty, the Emperor ofaustria, hesitates, then breaks the seals and reads: Honoured and dear father, since the minister of police Opens my letters, I am taking recourse to the Count of Neipperg, to send this by him in secret. His assiduity troubles me and the Emperor. Entertain him in Vienna. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.