You drive me distracted! Whom did you say? Von Bock? Don't you know that we are mortal enemies? And don't you know why? (PRESIDENT: The first word that I ever heard of it!) My dear count! You shall hear--your hair will stand on end! You must remember the famous court ball--it is now just twenty years ago. It was the first time that English country-dances were introduced--you remember how the hot wax trickled from the great chandelier on Count Meerschaum's blue and silver domino. Surely, you cannot have forgotten that affair! (PRESIDENT: Who could forget so remarkable a circumstance!) Well, then, in the heat of the dance Princess Amelia lost her garter. The whole ball, as you may imagine, was instantly thrown into confusion. Von Bock and myself--we were then fellow-pages--crept through the whole saloon in search of the garter. At length I discovered it. Von Bock perceives my good-fortune--rushes forward--tears it from my hands, and, just fancy--presents it to the princess, and so cheated me of the honor I had so fortunately earned. What do you think of that?

Marshal Monologue from Love and Intrigue: A Tragedy

Rehearse Marshal's monologue