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diff --git a/old/fs27w10.txt b/old/fs27w10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a6adec0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/fs27w10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8405 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook The Death of Wallenstein (play), by Schiller +[Translated by S. T. Coleridge] + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**EBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These EBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers***** + + +Title: The Death of Wallenstein + +Author: Frederich Schiller + +Release Date: Oct, 2004 [EBook #6787] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 21, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + + + + + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEATH OF WALLENSTEIN *** + + + +This eBook was produced by Tapio Riikonen +and David Widger, widger@cecomet.net + + + + + + THE DEATH OF WALLENSTEIN. + + Translated by S. T. Coleridge. + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONAE. + + +WALLENSTEIN, Duke of Friedland, Generalissimo of the Imperial Forces in + the Thirty Years' War. +DUCHESS OF FREIDLAND, Wife of Wallenstein. +THEKLA, her Daughter, Princess of Friedland. +THE COUNTESS TERZKY, Sister of the Duchess. +LADY NEUBRUNN. +OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI, Lieutenant-General. +MAX. PICCOLOMINI, his Son, Colonel of a Regiment of Cuirassiers. +COUNT TERZKY, the Commander of several Regiments, and + Brother-in-law of Wallenstein. +ILLO, Field-Marshal, Wallenstein's Confidant. +ISOLANI, General of the Croats. +BUTLER, an Irishman, Commander of a Regiment of Dragoons. +GORDON, Governor of Egra. +MAJOR GERALDIN. +CAPTAIN DEVEREUX. +CAPTAIN MACDONALD. +AN ADJUTANT. +NEUMANN, Captain of Cavalry, Aide-de-Camp to TERZKY. +COLONEL WRANGEL, Envoy from the Swedes. +ROSENBURG, Master of Horse. +SWEDISH CAPTAIN. +SENI. +BURGOMASTER of Egra. +ANSPESSADE of the Cuirassiers. +GROOM OF THE CHAMBER. | Belonging +A PAGE. | to the Duke. +Cuirassiers, Dragoons, and Servants. + + + + +ACT I. + +SCENE I. + + A room fitted up for astrological labors, and provided with + celestial charts, with globes, telescopes, quadrants, and other + mathematical instruments. Seven colossal figures, representing the + planets, each with a transparent star of different color on its + head, stand in a semicircle in the background, so that Mars and + Saturn are nearest the eye. The remainder of the scene and its + disposition is given in the fourth scene of the second act. There + must be a curtain over the figures, which may be dropped and conceal + them on occasions. + + [In the fifth scene of this act it must be dropped; but in the + seventh scene it must be again drawn up wholly or in part.] + + WALLENSTEIN at a black table, on which, a speculum astrologicum is + described with chalk. SENI is taking observations through a window. + +WALLENSTEIN. +All well--and now let it be ended, Seni. Come, +The dawn commences, and Mars rules the hour; +We must give o'er the operation. Come, +We know enough. + +SENI. + Your highness must permit me +Just to contemplate Venus. She is now rising +Like as a sun so shines she in the east. + +WALLENSTEIN. +She is at present in her perigee, +And now shoots down her strongest influences. + [Contemplating the figure on the table. +Auspicious aspect! fateful in conjunction, +At length the mighty three corradiate; +And the two stars of blessing, Jupiter +And Venus, take between them the malignant +Slyly-malicious Mars, and thus compel +Into my service that old mischief-founder: +For long he viewed me hostilely, and ever +With beam oblique, or perpendicular, +Now in the Quartile, now in the Secundan, +Shot his red lightnings at my stars, disturbing +Their blessed influences and sweet aspects: +Now they have conquered the old enemy, +And bring him in the heavens a prisoner to me. + +SENI (who has come down from the window). +And in a corner-house, your highness--think of that! +That makes each influence of double strength. + +WALLENSTEIN. +And sun and moon, too, in the Sextile aspect, +The soft light with the vehement--so I love it. +Sol is the heart, Luna the head of heaven, +Bold be the plan, fiery the execution. + +SENI. +And both the mighty Lumina by no +Maleficus affronted. Lo! Saturnus, +Innocuous, powerless, in cadente Domo. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The empire of Saturnus is gone by; +Lord of the secret birth of things is he; +Within the lap of earth, and in the depths +Of the imagination dominates; +And his are all things that eschew the light. +The time is o'er of brooding and contrivance, +For Jupiter, the lustrous, lordeth now, +And the dark work, complete of preparation, +He draws by force into the realm of light. +Now must we hasten on to action, ere +The scheme, and most auspicious positure +Parts o'er my head, and takes once more its flight, +For the heaven's journey still, and adjourn not. + [There are knocks at the door. +There's some one knocking there. See who it is. + +TERZKY (from without). +Open, and let me in. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Ay--'tis Terzky. +What is there of such urgence? We are busy. + +TERZKY (from without). +Lay all aside at present, I entreat you; +It suffers no delaying. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Open, Seni! + + [While SENI opens the door for TERZKY, WALLENSTEIN draws the curtain + over the figures. + + + +SCENE II. + + WALLENSTEIN, COUNT TERZKY. + +TERZKY (enters). +Hast thou already heard it? He is taken. +Gallas has given him up to the emperor. + + [SENI draws off the black table, and exit. + +WALLENSTEIN (to TERZKY). +Who has been taken? Who is given up? + +TERZKY. +The man who knows our secrets, who knows every +Negotiation with the Swede and Saxon, +Through whose hands all and everything has passed---- + +WALLENSTEIN (drawing back). +Nay, not Sesina? Say, no! I entreat thee. + +TERZKY. +All on his road for Regensburg to the Swede +He was plunged down upon by Gallas' agent, +Who had been long in ambush, lurking for him. +There must have been found on him my whole packet +To Thur, to Kinsky, to Oxenstiern, to Arnheim: +All this is in their hands; they have now an insight +Into the whole--our measures and our motives. + + + +SCENE III. + + To them enters ILLO. + +ILLO (to TERZKY). +Has he heard it? + +TERZKY. +He has heard it. + +ILLO (to WALLENSTEIN). + Thinkest thou still +To make thy peace with the emperor, to regain +His confidence? E'en were it now thy wish +To abandon all thy plans, yet still they know +What thou hast wished: then forwards thou must press; +Retreat is now no longer in thy power. + +TERZKY. +They have documents against us, and in hands, +Which show beyond all power of contradiction---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +Of my handwriting--no iota. Thee +I punish or thy lies. + +ILLO. + And thou believest, +That what this man, and what thy sister's husband, +Did in thy name, will not stand on thy reckoning? +His word must pass for thy word with the Swede, +And not with those that hate thee at Vienna? + +TERZKY. +In writing thou gavest nothing; but bethink thee, +How far thou venturedst by word of mouth +With this Sesina! And will he be silent? +If he can save himself by yielding up +Thy secret purposes, will he retain them? + +ILLO. +Thyself dost not conceive it possible; +And since they now have evidence authentic +How far thou hast already gone, speak! tell us, +What art thou waiting for? Thou canst no longer +Keep thy command; and beyond hope of rescue +Thou'rt lost if thou resign'st it. + +WALLENSTEIN. + In the army +Lies my security. The army will not +Abandon me. Whatever they may know, +The power is mine, and they must gulp it down +And if I give them caution for my fealty, +They must be satisfied, at least appear so. + +ILLO. +The army, duke, is thine now; for this moment +'Tis thine: but think with terror on the slow, +The quiet power of time. From open violence +The attachment of thy soldiery secures thee +To-day, to-morrow: but grant'st thou them a respite, +Unheard, unseen, they'll undermine that love +On which thou now dost feel so firm a footing, +With wily theft will draw away from thee +One after the other---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + 'Tis a cursed accident! +Oh! I will call it a most blessed one, +If it work on thee as it ought to do, +Hurry thee on to action--to decision. +The Swedish general? + +WALLENSTEIN. + He's arrived! Know'st +What his commission is---- + +ILLO. + To thee alone +Will he intrust the purpose of his coming. + +WALLENSTEIN. +A cursed, cursed accident! Yes, yes, +Sesina knows too much, and won't be silent. + +TERZKY. +He's a Bohemian fugitive and rebel, +His neck is forfeit. Can he save himself +At thy cost, think you he will scruple it? +And if they put him to the torture, will he, +Will he, that dastardling, have strength enough---- + +WALLENSTEIN (lost in thought). +Their confidence is lost, irreparably! +And I may act which way I will, I shall +Be and remain forever in their thought +A traitor to my country. How sincerely +Soever I return back to my duty, +It will no longer help me---- + +ILLO. + Ruin thee, +That it will do! Not thy fidelity, +Thy weakness will be deemed the sole occasion---- + +WALLENSTEIN (pacing up and down in extreme agitation). +What! I must realize it now in earnest, +Because I toyed too freely with the thought! +Accursed he who dallies with a devil! +And must I--I must realize it now-- +Now, while I have the power, it must take place! + +ILLO. +Now--now--ere they can ward and parry it! + +WALLENSTEIN (looking at the paper of Signatures). +I have the generals' word--a written promise! +Max. Piccolomini stands not here--how's that? + +TERZRY. +It was--be fancied---- + +ILLO. + Mere self-willedness. +There needed no such thing 'twixt him and you. + +WALLENSTEIN. +He is quite right; there needed no such thing. +The regiments, too, deny to march for Flanders +Have sent me in a paper of remonstrance, +And openly resist the imperial orders. +The first step to revolt's already taken. + +ILLO. +Believe me, thou wilt find it far more easy +To lead them over to the enemy +Than to the Spaniard. + +WALLENSTEIN. + I will hear, however, +What the Swede has to say to me. + +ILLO (eagerly to TERZKY). + Go, call him, +He stands without the door in waiting. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Stay! +Stay but a little. It hath taken me +All by surprise; it came too quick upon me; +'Tis wholly novel that an accident, +With its dark lordship, and blind agency, +Should force me on with it. + +ILLO. + First hear him only, +And then weigh it. + + [Exeunt TERZKY and ILLO. + + + +SCENE IV. + +WALLENSTEIN (in soliloquy). + Is it possible? +Is't so? I can no longer what I would? +No longer draw back at my liking? I +Must do the deed, because I thought of it? +And fed this heart here with a dream? +Because I did not scowl temptation from my presence, +Dallied with thoughts of possible fulfilment, +Commenced no movement, left all time uncertain, +And only kept the road, the access open? +By the great God of Heaven! it was not +My serious meaning, it was ne'er resolved. +I but amused myself with thinking of it. +The free-will tempted me, the power to do +Or not to do it. Was it criminal +To make the fancy minister to hope, +To fill the air with pretty toys of air, +And clutch fantastic sceptres moving toward me? +Was not the will kept free? Beheld I not +The road of duty close beside me--but +One little step, and once more I was in it! +Where am I? Whither have I been transported? +No road, no track behind me, but a wall, +Impenetrable, insurmountable, +Rises obedient to the spells I muttered +And meant not--my own doings tower behind me. + [Pauses and remains in deep thought. +A punishable man I seem, the guilt, +Try what I will, I cannot roll off from me; +The equivocal demeanor of my life +Bears witness on my prosecutor's party. +And even my purest acts from purest motives +Suspicion poisons with malicious gloss. +Were I that thing for which I pass, that traitor, +A goodly outside I had sure reserved, +Had drawn the coverings thick and double round me, +Been calm and chary of my utterance; +But being conscious of the innocence +Of my intent, my uncorrupted will, +I gave way to my humors, to my passion: +Bold were my words, because my deeds were not +Now every planless measure, chance event, +The threat of rage, the vaunt of joy and triumph, +And all the May-games of a heart overflowing, +Will they connect, and weave them all together +Into one web of treason; all will be plan, +My eye ne'er absent from the far-off mark, +Step tracing step, each step a politic progress; +And out of all they'll fabricate a charge +So specious, that I must myself stand dumb. +I am caught in my own net, and only force, +Naught but a sudden rent can liberate me. + + [Pauses again. + +How else! since that the heart's unbiased instinct +Impelled me to the daring deed, which now +Necessity, self-preservation, orders. +Stern is the on-look of necessity, +Not without shudder may a human hand +Grasp the mysterious urn of destiny. +My deed was mine, remaining in my bosom; +Once suffered to escape from its safe corner +Within the heart, its nursery and birthplace, +Sent forth into the foreign, it belongs +Forever to those sly malicious powers +Whom never art of man conciliated. + + [Paces in agitation through the chamber, then pauses, and, after + the pause, breaks out again into audible soliloquy. + +What it thy enterprise? thy aim? thy object? +Hast honestly confessed it to thyself? +Power seated on a quiet throne thou'dst shake, +Power on an ancient, consecrated throne, +Strong in possession, founded in all custom; +Power by a thousand tough and stringy roots +Fixed to the people's pious nursery faith. +This, this will be no strife of strength with strength. +That feared I not. I brave each combatant, +Whom I can look on, fixing eye to eye, +Who, full himself of courage, kindles courage +In me too. 'Tis a foe invisible +The which I fear--a fearful enemy, +Which in the human heart opposes me, +By its coward fear alone made fearful to me. +Not that, which full of life, instinct with power, +Makes known its present being; that is not +The true, the perilously formidable. +O no! it is the common, the quite common, +The thing of an eternal yesterday. +Whatever was, and evermore returns, +Sterling to-morrow, for to-day 'twas sterling! +For of the wholly common is man made, +And custom is his nurse! Woe then to them +Who lay irreverent hands upon his old +House furniture, the dear inheritance +From his forefathers! For time consecrates; +And what is gray with age becomes religion. +Be in possession, and thou hast the right, +And sacred will the many guard it for thee! + + [To the PAGE,--who here enters. + +The Swedish officer? Well, let him enter. + + [The PAGE exit, WALLENSTEIN fixes his eye in deep thought + on the door. + +Yet, it is pure--as yet!--the crime has come +Not o'er this threshold yet--so slender is +The boundary that divideth life's two paths. + + + +SCENE V. + + WALLENSTEIN and WRANGEL. + +WALLENSTEIN (after having fixed a searching look on him). +Your name is Wrangel? + +WRANGEL. + Gustave Wrangel, General +Of the Sudermanian Blues. + +WALLENSTEIN. + It was a Wrangel +Who injured me materially at Stralsund, +And by his brave resistance was the cause +Of the opposition which that seaport made. + +WRANGEL. +It was the doing of the element +With which you fought, my lord! and not my merit, +The Baltic Neptune did assert his freedom: +The sea and land, it seemed were not to serve +One and the same. + +WALLENSTEIN +You plucked the admiral's hat from off my head. + +WRANGEL. +I come to place a diadem thereon. + +WALLENSTEIN (makes the motion for him to take a seat, and seats himself). + And where are your credentials +Come you provided with full powers, sir general? + +WRANGEL. +There are so many scruples yet to solve---- + +WALLENSTEIN (having read the credentials). +An able letter! Ay--he is a prudent, +Intelligent master whom you serve, sir general! +The chancellor writes me that he but fulfils +His late departed sovereign's own idea +In helping me to the Bohemian crown. + +WRANGEL. +He says the truth. Our great king, now in heaven, +Did ever deem most highly of your grace's +Pre-eminent sense and military genius; +And always the commanding intellect, +He said, should have command, and be the king. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Yes, he might say it safely. General Wrangel, + [Taking his hand affectionately. +Come, fair and open. Trust me, I was always +A Swede at heart. Eh! that did you experience +Both in Silesia and at Nuremberg; +I had you often in my power, and let you +Always slip out by some back door or other. +'Tis this for which the court can ne'er forgive me, +Which drives me to this present step: and since +Our interests so run in one direction, +E'en let us have a thorough confidence +Each in the other. + +WRANGEL. + Confidence will come +Has each but only first security. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The chancellor still, I see, does not quite trust me; +And, I confess--the game does not lie wholly +To my advantage. Without doubt he thinks, +If I can play false with the emperor, +Who is my sovereign, I can do the like +With the enemy, and that the one, too, were +Sooner to be forgiven me than the other. +Is not this your opinion, too, sir general? + +WRANGEL. +I have here a duty merely, no opinion. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The emperor hath urged me to the uttermost +I can no longer honorably serve him. +For my security, in self-defence, +I take this hard step, which my conscience blames. + +WRANGEL. +That I believe. So far would no one go +Who was not forced to it. + [After a pause. + What may have impelled +Your princely highness in this wise to act +Toward your sovereign lord and emperor, +Beseems not us to expound or criticise. +The Swede is fighting for his good old cause, +With his good sword and conscience. This concurrence, +This opportunity is in our favor, +And all advantages in war are lawful. +We take what offers without questioning; +And if all have its due and just proportions---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +Of what then are ye doubting? Of my will? +Or of my power? I pledged me to the chancellor, +Would he trust me with sixteen thousand men, +That I would instantly go over to them +With eighteen thousand of the emperor's troops. + +WRANGEL. +Your grace is known to be a mighty war-chief, +To be a second Attila and Pyrrhus. +'Tis talked of still with fresh astonishment, +How some years past, beyond all human faith, +You called an army forth like a creation: +But yet---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + But yet? + +WRANGEL. + But still the chancellor thinks +It might yet be an easier thing from nothing +To call forth sixty thousand men of battle, +Than to persuade one-sixtieth part of them---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +What now? Out with it, friend? + +WRANGEL. + To break their oaths. + +WALLENSTEIN. +And he thinks so? He judges like a Swede, +And like a Protestant. You Lutherans +Fight for your Bible. You are interested +About the cause; and with your hearts you follow +Your banners. Among you whoe'er deserts +To the enemy hath broken covenant +With two lords at one time. We've no such fancies. + +WRANGEL. +Great God in heaven! Have then the people here +No house and home, no fireside, no altar? + +WALLENSTEIN. +I will explain that to you, how it stands: +The Austrian has a country, ay, and loves it, +And has good cause to love it--but this army +That calls itself the imperial, this that houses +Here in Bohemia, this has none--no country; +This is an outcast of all foreign lands, +Unclaimed by town or tribe, to whom belongs +Nothing except the universal sun. +And this Bohemian land for which we fight +Loves not the master whom the chance of war, +Not its own choice or will, hath given to it. +Men murmur at the oppression of their conscience, +And power hath only awed but not appeased them. +A glowing and avenging memory lives +Of cruel deeds committed on these plains; +How can the son forget that here his father +Was hunted by the bloodhound to the mass? +A people thus oppressed must still be feared, +Whether they suffer or avenge their wrongs. + +WRANGEL. +But then the nobles and the officers? +Such a desertion, such a felony, +It is without example, my lord duke, +In the world's history. + +WALLENSTEIN. + They are all mine-- +Mine unconditionally--mine on all terms. +Not me, your own eyes you must trust. + + [He gives him the paper containing the written oath. WRANGEL reads + it through, and, having read it, lays it on the table,--remaining + silent. + + So then; +Now comprehend you? + +WRANGEL. + Comprehend who can! +My lord duke, I will let the mask drop--yes! +I've full powers for a final settlement. +The Rhinegrave stands but four days' march from here +With fifteen thousand men, and only waits +For orders to proceed and join your army. +These orders I give out immediately +We're compromised. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What asks the chancellor? + +WRANGEL (considerately). +Twelve regiments, every man a Swede--my head +The warranty--and all might prove at last +Only false play---- + +WALLENSTEIN (starting). + Sir Swede! + +WRANGEL (calmly proceeding). + Am therefore forced +To insist thereon, that he do formally, +Irrevocably break with the emperor, +Else not a Swede is trusted to Duke Friedland. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Come, brief and open! What is the demand? + +WRANGEL. +That he forthwith disarm the Spanish regiments +Attached to the emperor, that he seize on Prague, +And to the Swedes give up that city, with +The strong pass Egra. + +WALLENSTEIN. + That is much indeed! +Prague!--Egra's granted--but--but Prague! 'Twon't do. +I give you every security +Which you may ask of me in common reason-- +But Prague--Bohemia--these, sir general, +I can myself protect. + +WRANGEL. + We doubt it not. +But 'tis not the protection that is now +Our sole concern. We want security, +That we shall not expend our men and money +All to no purpose. + +WALLENSTEIN. + 'Tis but reasonable. + +WRANGEL. +And till we are indemnified, so long +Stays Prague in pledge. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Then trust you us so little? + +WRANGEL (rising). +The Swede, if he would treat well with the German, +Must keep a sharp lookout. We have been called +Over the Baltic, we have saved the empire +From ruin--with our best blood have we sealed +The liberty of faith and gospel truth. +But now already is the benefaction +No longer felt, the load alone is felt. +Ye look askance with evil eye upon us, +As foreigners, intruders in the empire, +And would fain send us with some paltry sum +Of money, home again to our old forests. +No, no! my lord duke! it never was +For Judas' pay, for chinking gold and silver, +That we did leave our king by the Great Stone. [1] +No, not for gold and silver have there bled +So many of our Swedish nobles--neither +Will we, with empty laurels for our payment, +Hoist sail for our own country. Citizens +Will we remain upon the soil, the which +Our monarch conquered for himself and died. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Help to keep down the common enemy, +And the fair border land must needs be yours. + +WRANGEL. +But when the common enemy lies vanquished, +Who knits together our new friendship then? +We know, Duke Friedland! though perhaps the Swede +Ought not to have known it, that you carry on +Secret negotiations with the Saxons. +Who is our warranty that we are not +The sacrifices in those articles +Which 'tis thought needful to conceal from us? + +WALLENSTEIN (rises). +Think you of something better, Gustave Wrangel! +Of Prague no more. + +WRANGEL. + Here my commission ends. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Surrender up to you my capital! +Far liever would I force about, and step +Back to my emperor. + +WRANGEL. + If time yet permits---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +That lies with me, even now, at any hour. + +WRANGEL. +Some days ago, perhaps. To-day, no longer; +No longer since Sesina's been a prisoner. + [WALLENSTEIN is struck, and silenced. +My lord duke, hear me--we believe that you +At present do mean honorably by us. +Since yesterday we're sure of that--and now +This paper warrants for the troops, there's nothing +Stands in the way of our full confidence. +Prague shall not part us. Hear! The chancellor +Contents himself with Alstadt; to your grace +He gives up Ratschin and the narrow side. +But Egra above all must open to us, +Ere we can think of any junction. + +WALLENSTEIN. + You, +You therefore must I trust, and not you me? +I will consider of your proposition. + +WRANGEL. +I must entreat that your consideration +Occupy not too long a time. Already +Has this negotiation, my lord duke! +Crept on into the second year. If nothing +Is settled this time, will the chancellor +Consider it as broken off forever? + +WALLENSTEIN. +Ye press me hard. A measure such as this +Ought to be thought of. + +WRANGEL. + Ay! but think of this too, +That sudden action only can procure it. +Success--think first of this, your highness. + + [Exit WRANGEL. + + + +SCENE VI. + + WALLENSTEIN, TERZKY, and ILLO (re-enter). + +ILLO. +Is't all right? + +TERZKY. + Are you compromised? + +ILLO. + This Swede +Went smiling from you. Yes! you're compromised. + +WALLENSTEIN. +As yet is nothing settled; and (well weighed) +I feel myself inclined to leave it so. + +TERZKY. +How? What is that? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Come on me what will come, +The doing evil to avoid an evil +Cannot be good! + +TERZKY. + Nay, but bethink you, duke. + +WALLENSTEIN. +To live upon the mercy of these Swedes! +Of these proud-hearted Swedes!--I could not bear it. + +ILLO. +Goest thou as fugitive, as mendicant? +Bringest thou not more to them than thou receivest? + +WALLENSTEIN. +How fared it with the brave and royal Bourbon +Who sold himself unto his country's foes, +And pierced the bosom of his father-land? +Curses were his reward, and men's abhorrence +Avenged the unnatural and revolting deed. + +ILLO. +Is that thy case? + +WALLENSTEIN. + True faith, I tell thee, +Must ever be the dearest friend of man +His nature prompts him to assert its rights. +The enmity of sects, the rage of parties, +Long-cherished envy, jealousy, unite;' +And all the struggling elements of evil +Suspend their conflict, and together league +In one alliance 'gainst their common foe-- +The savage beast that breaks into the fold, +Where men repose in confidence and peace. +For vain were man's own prudence to protect him. +'Tis only in the forehead nature plants +The watchful eye; the back, without defence, +Must find its shield in man's fidelity. + +TERZKY. +Think not more meanly off thyself than do +Thy foes, who stretch their hands with joy to greet thee. +Less scrupulous far was the imperial Charles, +The powerful head of this illustrious house; +With open arms he gave the Bourbon welcome; +For still by policy the world is ruled. + + + +SCENE VII. + + To these enter the COUNTESS TERZKY. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Who sent for you? There is no business here +For women. + +COUNTESS + I am come to bid you joy. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Use thy authority, Terzky; bid her go. + +COUNTESS. +Come I perhaps too early? I hope not. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Set not this tongue upon me, I entreat you: +You know it is the weapon that destroys me. +I am routed, if a woman but attack me: +I cannot traffic in the trade of words +With that unreasoning sex. + +COUNTESS. + I had already +Given the Bohemians a king. + +WALLENSTEIN (sarcastically). + They have one, +In consequence, no doubt. + +COUNTESS (to the others). + Ha! what new scruple? + +TERZKY. +The duke will not. + +COUNTESS. + He will not what he must! + +ILLO. +It lies with you now. Try. For I am silenced +When folks begin to talk to me of conscience +And of fidelity. + +COUNTESS. + How? then, when all +Lay in the far-off distance, when the road +Stretched out before thine eyes interminably, +Then hadst thou courage and resolve; and now, +Now that the dream is being realized, +The purpose ripe, the issue ascertained, +Dost thou begin to play the dastard now? +Planned merely, 'tis a common felony; +Accomplished, an immortal undertaking: +And with success comes pardon hand in hand, +For all event is God's arbitrament. + +SERVANT (enters). +The Colonel Piccolomini. + +COUNTESS (hastily). + --Must wait. + +WALLENSTEIN. +I cannot see him now. Another time. + +SERVANT. +But for two minutes he entreats an audience +Of the most urgent nature is his business. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Who knows what he may bring us! I will hear him. + +COUNTESS (laughs). +Urgent for him, no doubt? but thou may'st wait. + +WALLENSTEIN. +What is it? + +COUNTESS. + Thou shalt be informed hereafter. +First let the Swede and thee be compromised. + + [Exit SERVANT. + +WALLENSTEIN. +If there were yet a choice! if yet some milder +Way of escape were possible--I still +Will choose it, and avoid the last extreme. + +COUNTESS. +Desirest thou nothing further? Such a way +Lies still before thee. Send this Wrangel off. +Forget thou thy old hopes, cast far away +All thy past life; determine to commence +A new one. Virtue hath her heroes too, +As well as fame and fortune. To Vienna +Hence--to the emperor--kneel before the throne; +Take a full coffer with thee--say aloud, +Thou didst but wish to prove thy fealty; +Thy whole intention but to dupe the Swede. + +ILLO. +For that too 'tis too late. They know too much; +He would but bear his own head to the block. + +COUNTESS. +I fear not that. They have not evidence +To attaint him legally, and they avoid +The avowal of an arbitrary power. +They'll let the duke resign without disturbance. +I see how all will end. The King of Hungary +Makes his appearance, and 'twill of itself +Be understood, and then the duke retires. +There will not want a formal declaration. +The young king will administer the oath +To the whole army; and so all returns +To the old position. On some morrow morning +The duke departs; and now 'tis stir and bustle +Within his castles. He will hunt and build; +Superintend his horses' pedigrees, +Creates himself a court, gives golden keys, +And introduceth strictest ceremony +In fine proportions, and nice etiquette; +Keeps open table with high cheer: in brief, +Commenceth mighty king--in miniature. +And while he prudently demeans himself, +And gives himself no actual importance, +He will be let appear whate'er he likes: +And who dares doubt, that Friedland will appear +A mighty prince to his last dying hour? +Well now, what then? Duke Friedland is as others, +A fire-new noble, whom the war hath raised +To price and currency, a Jonah's gourd, +An over-night creation of court-favor, +Which, with an undistinguishable ease, +Makes baron or makes prince. + +WALLENSTEIN (in extreme agitation). + Take her away. +Let in the young Count Piccolomini. + +COUNTESS. +Art thou in earnest? I entreat thee! +Canst thou consent to bear thyself to thy own grave, +So ignominiously to be dried up? +Thy life, that arrogated such an height +To end in such a nothing! To be nothing, +When one was always nothing, is an evil +That asks no stretch of patience, a light evil; +But to become a nothing, having been---- + +WALLENSTEIN (starts up in violent agitation). +Show me a way out of this stifling crowd, +Ye powers of aidance! Show me such a way +As I am capable of going. I +Am no tongue-hero, no fine virtue-prattler; +I cannot warm by thinking; cannot say +To the good luck that turns her back upon me +Magnanimously: "Go; I need thee not." +Cease I to work, I am annihilated. +Dangers nor sacrifices will I shun, +If so I may avoid the last extreme; +But ere I sink down into nothingness, +Leave off so little, who began so great, +Ere that the world confuses me with those +Poor wretches, whom a day creates and crumbles, +This age and after ages [2] speak my name +With hate and dread; and Friedland be redemption +For each accursed deed. + +COUNTESS. + What is there here, then, +So against nature? Help me to perceive it! +Oh, let not superstition's nightly goblins +Subdue thy clear, bright spirit! Art thou bid +To murder? with abhorred, accursed poniard, +To violate the breasts that nourished thee? +That were against our nature, that might aptly +Make thy flesh shudder, and thy whole heart sicken. [3] +Yet not a few, and for a meaner object, +Have ventured even this, ay, and performed it. +What is there in thy case so black and monstrous? +Thou art accused of treason--whether with +Or without justice is not now the question-- +Thou art lost if thou dost not avail thee quickly +Of the power which thou possessest--Friedland! Duke! +Tell me where lives that thing so meek and tame, +That doth not all his living faculties +Put forth in preservation of his life? +What deed so daring, which necessity +And desperation will not sanctify? + +WALLENSTEIN. +Once was this Ferdinand so gracious to me; +He loved me; he esteemed me; I was placed +The nearest to his heart. Full many a time +We like familiar friends, both at one table, +Have banqueted together--he and I; +And the young kings themselves held me the basin +Wherewith to wash me--and is't come to this? + +COUNTESS. +So faithfully preservest thou each small favor, +And hast no memory for contumelies? +Must I remind thee, how at Regensburg +This man repaid thy faithful services? +All ranks and all conditions in the empire +Thou hadst wronged to make him great,--hadst loaded on thee, +On thee, the hate, the curse of the whole world. +No friend existed for thee in all Germany, +And why? because thou hadst existed only +For the emperor. To the emperor alone +Clung Friedland in that storm which gathered round him +At Regensburg in the Diet--and he dropped thee! +He let thee fall! he let thee fall a victim +To the Bavarian, to that insolent! +Deposed, stripped bare of all thy dignity +And power, amid the taunting of thy foe +Thou wert let drop into obscurity. +Say not, the restoration of thy honor +Has made atonement for that first injustice. +No honest good-will was it that replaced thee; +The law of hard necessity replaced thee, +Which they had fain opposed, but that they could not. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Not to their good wishes, that is certain, +Nor yet to his affection I'm indebted +For this high office; and if I abuse it, +I shall therein abuse no confidence. + +COUNTESS. +Affection! confidence!--they needed thee. +Necessity, impetuous remonstrant! +Who not with empty names, or shows of proxy, +Is served, who'll have the thing and not the symbol, +Ever seeks out the greatest and the best, +And at the rudder places him, e'en though +She had been forced to take him from the rabble-- +She, this necessity, it was that placed thee +In this high office; it was she that gave thee +Thy letters-patent of inauguration. +For, to the uttermost moment that they can, +This race still help themselves at cheapest rate +With slavish souls, with puppets! At the approach +Of extreme peril, when a hollow image +Is found a hollow image and no more, +Then falls the power into the mighty hands +Of nature, of the spirit-giant born, +Who listens only to himself, knows nothing +Of stipulations, duties, reverences, +And, like the emancipated force of fire, +Unmastered scorches, ere it reaches them, +Their fine-spun webs, their artificial policy. + +WALLENSTEIN. +'Tis true! they saw me always as I am-- +Always! I did not cheat them in the bargain. +I never held it worth my pains to hide +The bold all-grasping habit of my soul. + +COUNTESS. +Nay rather--thou hast ever shown thyself +A formidable man, without restraint; +Hast exercised the full prerogatives +Of thy impetuous nature, which had been +Once granted to thee. Therefore, duke, not thou, +Who hast still remained consistent with thyself, +But they are in the wrong, who, fearing thee, +Intrusted such a power in hands they feared. +For, by the laws of spirit, in the right +Is every individual character +That acts in strict consistence with itself: +Self-contradiction is the only wrong. +Wert thou another being, then, when thou +Eight years ago pursuedst thy march with fire, +And sword, and desolation, through the circles +Of Germany, the universal scourge, +Didst mock all ordinances of the empire, +The fearful rights of strength alone exertedst, +Trampledst to earth each rank, each magistracy, +All to extend thy Sultan's domination? +Then was the time to break thee in, to curb +Thy haughty will, to teach thee ordinance. +But no, the emperor felt no touch of conscience; +What served him pleased him, and without a murmur +He stamped his broad seal on these lawless deeds. +What at that time was right, because thou didst it +For him, to-day is all at once become +Opprobrious, foul, because it is directed +Against him. O most flimsy superstition! + +WALLENSTEIN (rising). +I never saw it in this light before, +'Tis even so. The emperor perpetrated +Deeds through my arm, deeds most unorderly. +And even this prince's mantle, which I wear, +I owe to what were services to him, +But most high misdemeanors 'gainst the empire. + +COUNTESS. +Then betwixt thee and him (confess it, Friedland!) +The point can be no more of right and duty, +Only of power and the opportunity. +That opportunity, lo! it comes yonder +Approaching with swift steeds; then with a swing +Throw thyself up into the chariot-seat, +Seize with firm hand the reins ere thy opponent +Anticipate thee, and himself make conquest +Of the now empty seat. The moment comes; +It is already here, when thou must write +The absolute total of thy life's vast sum. +The constellations stand victorious o'er thee, +The planets shoot good fortune in fair junctions, +And tell thee, "Now's the time!" The starry courses +Hast thou thy life-long measured to no purpose? +The quadrant and the circle, were they playthings? + + [Pointing to the different objects in the room. + +The zodiacs, the rolling orbs of heaven, +Hast pictured on these walls and all around thee. +In dumb, foreboding symbols hast thou placed +These seven presiding lords of destiny-- +For toys? Is all this preparation nothing? +Is there no marrow in this hollow art, +That even to thyself it doth avail +Nothing, and has no influence over thee +In the great moment of decision? + +WALLENSTEIN (during this last speech walks up and down with inward + struggles, laboring with passion; stops suddenly, stands still, then + interrupting the COUNTESS). +Send Wrangel to me--I will instantly +Despatch three couriers---- + +ILLO (hurrying out). + God in heaven be praised! + +WALLENSTEIN. +It is his evil genius and mine. +Our evil genius! It chastises him +Through me, the instrument of his ambition; +And I expect no less, than that revenge +E'en now is whetting for my breast the poinard. +Who sows the serpent's teeth let him not hope +To reap a joyous harvest. Every crime +Has, in the moment of its perpetration, +Its own avenging angel--dark misgiving, +An ominous sinking at the inmost heart. +He can no longer trust me. Then no longer +Can I retreat--so come that which must come. +Still destiny preserves its due relations, +The heart within us is its absolute +Vicegerent. [To TERZKY. + Go, conduct you Gustave Wrangel +To my state cabinet. Myself will speak to +The couriers. And despatch immediately +A servant for Octavio Piccolomini. + + [To the COUNTESS, who cannot conceal her triumph. + +No exultation! woman, triumph not! +For jealous are the powers of destiny, +Joy premature, and shouts ere victory, +Encroach upon their rights and privileges. +We sow the seed, and they the growth determine. + + [While he is making his exit the curtain drops. + + + + +ACT II. + +SCENE I. + + Scene as in the preceding Act. + + WALLENSTEIN, OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI. + +WALLENSTEIN (coming forward in conversation). +He sends me word from Linz that he lies sick; +But I have sure intelligence that he +Secretes himself at Frauenberg with Gallas. +Secure them both, and send them to me hither. +Remember, thou takest on thee the command +Of those same Spanish regiments,--constantly +Make preparation, and be never ready; +And if they urge thee to draw out against me, +Still answer yes, and stand as thou went fettered. +I know, that it is doing thee a service +To keep thee out of action in this business. +Thou lovest to linger on in fair appearances; +Steps of extremity are not thy province, +Therefore have I sought out this part for thee. +Thou wilt this time be of most service to me +By thy inertness. The meantime, if fortune +Declare itself on my side, thou wilt know +What is to do. + + [Enter MAX. PICCOLOMINI. + + Now go, Octavio. +This night must thou be off, take my own horses +Him here I keep with me--make short farewell-- +Trust me, I think we all shall meet again +In joy and thriving fortunes. + +OCTAVIO (to his son). + I shall see you +Yet ere I go. + + + +SCENE II. + + WALLENSTEIN, MAX. PICCOLOMINI. + +MAX. (advances to him). +My general! + +WALLENSTEIN. + That I am no longer, if +Thou stylest thyself the emperor's officer. + +MAX. +Then thou wilt leave the army, general? + +WALLENSTEIN. +I have renounced the service of the emperor. + +MAX. +And thou wilt leave the army? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Rather hope I +To bind it nearer still and faster to me. + [He seats himself. +Yes, Max., I have delayed to open it to thee, +Even till the hour of acting 'gins to strike. +Youth's fortunate feeling doth seize easily +The absolute right, yea, and a joy it is +To exercise the single apprehension +Where the sums square in proof; +But where it happens, that of two sure evils +One must be taken, where the heart not wholly +Brings itself back from out the strife of duties, +There 'tis a blessing to have no election, +And blank necessity is grace and favor. +This is now present: do not look behind thee,-- +It can no more avail thee. Look thou forwards! +Think not! judge not! prepare thyself to act! +The court--it hath determined on my ruin, +Therefore I will be beforehand with them. +We'll join the Swedes--right gallant fellows are they, +And our good friends. + [He stops himself, expecting PICCOLOMINI's answer. +I have taken thee by surprise. Answer me not: +I grant thee time to recollect thyself. + + [He rises, retires to the back of the stage. MAX. remains + for a long time motionless, in a trance of excessive anguish. + At his first motion WALLENSTEIN returns, and places himself + before him. + +MAX. +My general, this day thou makest me +Of age to speak in my own right and person, +For till this day I have been spared the trouble +To find out my own road. Thee have I followed +With most implicit, unconditional faith, +Sure of the right path if I followed thee. +To-day, for the first time, dost thou refer +Me to myself, and forcest me to make +Election between thee and my own heart. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Soft cradled thee thy fortune till to-day; +Thy duties thou conldst exercise in sport, +Indulge all lovely instincts, act forever +With undivided heart. It can remain +No longer thus. Like enemies, the roads +Start from each other. Duties strive with duties, +Thou must needs choose thy party in the war +Which is now kindling 'twixt thy friend and him +Who is thy emperor. + +MAX. + War! is that the name? +War is as frightful as heaven's pestilence, +Yet it is good, is it heaven's will as that is. +Is that a good war, which against the emperor +Thou wagest with the emperor's own army? +O God of heaven! what a change is this. +Beseems it me to offer such persuasion +To thee, who like the fixed star of the pole +Wert all I gazed at on life's trackless ocean? +O! what a rent thou makest in my heart! +The ingrained instinct of old reverence, +The holy habit of obediency, +Must I pluck life asunder from thy name? +Nay, do not turn thy countenance upon me-- +It always was as a god looking upon me! +Duke Wallenstein, its power has not departed; +The senses still are in thy bonds, although +Bleeding, the soul hath freed itself. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Max., hear me. + +MAX. +Oh, do it not, I pray thee, do it not! +There is a pure and noble soul within thee, +Knows not of this unblest unlucky doing. +Thy will is chaste, it is thy fancy only +Which hath polluted thee--and innocence, +It will not let itself be driven away +From that world-awing aspect. Thou wilt not, +Thou canst not end in this. It would reduce +All human creatures to disloyalty +Against the nobleness of their own nature. +'Twill justify the vulgar misbelief, +Which holdeth nothing noble in free will, +And trusts itself to impotence alone, +Made powerful only in an unknown power. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The world will judge me harshly, I expect it. +Already have I said to my own self +All thou canst say to me. Who but avoids +The extreme, can he by going round avoid it? +But here there is no choice. Yes, I must use +Or suffer violence--so stands the case, +There remains nothing possible but that. + +MAX. +Oh, that is never possible for thee! +'Tis the last desperate resource of those +Cheap souls, to whom their honor, their good name, +Is their poor saving, their last worthless keep, +Which, having staked and lost, they staked themselves +In the mad rage of gaming. Thou art rich +And glorious; with an unpolluted heart +Thou canst make conquest of whate'er seems highest! +But he who once hath acted infamy +Does nothing more in this world. + +WALLENSTEIN (grasps his hand). + Calmly, Max.! +Much that is great and excellent will we +Perform together yet. And if we only +Stand on the height with dignity, 'tis soon +Forgotten, Max., by what road we ascended. +Believe me, many a crown shines spotless now, +That yet was deeply sullied in the winning. +To the evil spirit doth the earth belong, +Not to the good. All that the powers divine +Send from above are universal blessings +Their light rejoices us, their air refreshes, +But never yet was man enriched by them: +In their eternal realm no property +Is to be struggled for--all there is general. +The jewel, the all-valued gold we win +From the deceiving powers, depraved in nature, +That dwell beneath the day and blessed sunlight. +Not without sacrifices are they rendered +Propitious, and there lives no soul on earth +That e'er retired unsullied from their service. + +MAX. +Whate'er is human to the human being +Do I allow--and to the vehement +And striving spirit readily I pardon +The excess of action; but to thee, my general! +Above all others make I large concession. +For thou must move a world and be the master-- +He kills thee who condemns thee to inaction. +So be it then! maintain thee in thy post +By violence. Resist the emperor, +And if it must be force with force repel; +I will not praise it, yet I can forgive it. +But not--not to the traitor--yes! the word +Is spoken out-- +Not to the traitor can I yield a pardon. +That is no mere excess! that is no error +Of human nature--that is wholly different, +Oh, that is black, black as the pit of hell! + [WALLENSTEIN betrays a sudden agitation. +Thou canst not hear it named, and wilt thou do it? +O turn back to thy duty. That thou canst, +I hold it certain. Send me to Vienna; +I'll make thy peace for thee with the emperor. +He knows thee not. But I do know thee. He +Shall see thee, duke! with my unclouded eye, +And I bring back his confidence to thee. + +WALLENSTEIN. +It is too late! Thou knowest not what has happened. + +MAX. +Were it too late, and were things gone so far, +That a crime only could prevent thy fall, +Then--fall! fall honorably, even as thou stoodest, +Lose the command. Go from the stage of war! +Thou canst with splendor do it--do it too +With innocence. Thou hast lived much for others, +At length live thou for thy own self. I follow thee. +My destiny I never part from thine. + +WALLENSTEIN. +It is too late! Even now, while thou art losing +Thy words, one after another, are the mile-stones +Left fast behind by my post couriers, +Who bear the order on to Prague and Egra. + + [MAX. stands as convulsed, with a gesture and countenance + expressing the most intense anguish. + +Yield thyself to it. We act as we are forced. +I cannot give assent to my own shame +And ruin. Thou--no--thou canst not forsake me! +So let us do, what must be done, with dignity, +With a firm step. What am I doing worse +Than did famed Caesar at the Rubicon, +When he the legions led against his country, +The which his country had delivered to him? +Had he thrown down the sword, he had been lost. +As I were, if I but disarmed myself. +I trace out something in me of this spirit. +Give me his luck, that other thing I'll bear. + + [MAX. quits him abruptly. WALLENSTEIN startled and overpowered, + continues looking after him, and is still in this posture when + TERZKY enters. + + + +SCENE III. + + WALLENSTEIN, TERZKY. + +TERZKY. +Max. Piccolomini just left you? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Where is Wrangel? + +TERZKY. +He is already gone. + +WALLENSTEIN. + In such a hurry? + +TERZKY. +It is as if the earth had swallowed him. +He had scarce left thee, when I went to seek him. +I wished some words with him--but he was gone. +How, when, and where, could no one tell me. +Nay, I half believe it was the devil himself; +A human creature could not so at once +Have vanished. + +ILLO (enters). + Is it true that thou wilt send +Octavio? + +TERZKY. + How, Octavio! Whither send him? + +WALLENSTEIN. +He goes to Frauenberg, and will lead hither +The Spanish and Italian regiments. + +ILLO. + No! +Nay, heaven forbid! + +WALLENSTEIN. + And why should heaven forbid? + +ILLO. +Him!--that deceiver! Wouldst thou trust to him +The soldiery? Him wilt thou let slip from thee, +Now in the very instant that decides us---- + +TERZKY. +Thou wilt not do this! No! I pray thee, no! + +WALLENSTEIN. +Ye are whimsical. + +ILLO. + O but for this time, duke, +Yield to our warning! Let him not depart. + +WALLENSTEIN. +And why should I not trust him only this time, +Who have always trusted him? What, then, has happened +That I should lose my good opinion of him? +In complaisance to your whims, not my own, +I must, forsooth, give up a rooted judgment. +Think not I am a woman. Having trusted him +E'en till to-day, to-day too will I trust him. + +TERZKY. +Must it be he--he only? Send another. + +WALLENSTEIN. +It must be he, whom I myself have chosen; +He is well fitted for the business. +Therefore I gave it him. + +ILLO. + Because he's an Italian-- +Therefore is he well fitted for the business! + +WALLENSTEIN. +I know you love them not, nor sire nor son, +Because that I esteem them, love them, visibly +Esteem them, love them more than you and others, +E'en as they merit. Therefore are they eye-blights, +Thorns in your footpath. But your jealousies, +In what affect they me or my concerns? +Are they the worse to me because you hate them? +Love or hate one another as you will, +I leave to each man his own moods and likings; +Yet know the worth of each of you to me. + +ILLO. +Von Questenberg, while he was here, was always +Lurking about with this Octavio. + +WALLENSTEIN. +It happened with my knowledge and permission. + +ILLO. +I know that secret messengers came to him +From Gallas---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + That's not true. + +ILLO. + O thou art blind, +With thy deep-seeing eyes! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Thou wilt not shake +My faith for me; my faith, which founds itself +On the profoundest science. If 'tis false, +Then the whole science of the stars is false; +For know, I have a pledge from Fate itself, +That he is the most faithful of my friends. + +ILLO. +Hast thou a pledge that this pledge is not false? + +WALLENSTEIN. +There exist moments in the life of man, +When he is nearer the great Soul of the world +Than is man's custom, and possesses freely +The power of questioning his destiny: +And such a moment 'twas, when in the night +Before the action in the plains of Luetzen, +Leaning against a tree, thoughts crowding thoughts, +I looked out far upon the ominous plain. +My whole life, past and future, in this moment +Before my mind's eye glided in procession, +And to the destiny of the next morning +The spirit, filled with anxious presentiment, +Did knit the most removed futurity. +Then said I also to myself, "So many +Dost thou command. They follow all thy stars, +And as on some great number set their all +Upon thy single head, and only man +The vessel of thy fortune. Yet a day +Will come, when destiny shall once more scatter +All these in many a several direction: +Few be they who will stand out faithful to thee." +I yearned to know which one was faithfulest +Of all, my camp included. Great destiny, +Give me a sign! And he shall be the man, +Who, on the approaching morning, comes the first +To meet me with a token of his love: +And thinking this, I fell into a slumber, +Then midmost in the battle was I led +In spirit. Great the pressure and the tumult! +Then was my horse killed under me: I sank; +And over me away, all unconcernedly, +Drove horse and rider--and thus trod to pieces +I lay, and panted like a dying man; +Then seized me suddenly a savior arm; +It was Octavio's--I woke at once, +'Twas broad day, and Octavio stood before me. +"My brother," said he, "do not ride to-day +The dapple, as you're wont; but mount the horse +Which I have chosen for thee. Do it, brother! +In love to me. A strong dream warned me so." +It was the swiftness of this horse that snatched me +From the hot pursuit of Bannier's dragoons. +My cousin rode the dapple on that day, +And never more saw I or horse or rider. + +ILLO. +That was a chance. + +WALLENSTEIN (significantly). + There's no such thing as chance +And what to us seems merest accident +Springs from the deepest source of destiny. +In brief, 'tis signed and sealed that this Octavio +Is my good angel--and now no word more. + + [He is retiring. + +TERZKY. +This is my comfort--Max. remains our hostage. + +ILLO. +And he shall never stir from here alive. + +WALLENSTEIN (stops and turns himself round). +Are ye not like the women, who forever +Only recur to their first word, although +One had been talking reason by the hour! +Know, that the human being's thoughts and deeds +Are not like ocean billows, blindly moved. +The inner world, his microcosmus, is +The deep shaft, out of which they spring eternally. +They grow by certain laws, like the tree's fruit-- +No juggling chance can metamorphose them. +Have I the human kernel first examined? +Then I know, too, the future will and action. + + [Exeunt. + + + +SCENE IV. + + Chamber in the residence of Piccolomini: OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI + (attired for travelling), an ADJUTANT. + +OCTAVIO. +Is the detachment here? + +ADJUTANT. + It waits below. + +OCTAVIO. +And are the soldiers trusty, adjutant? +Say, from what regiment hast thou chosen them? + +ADJUTANT. +From Tiefenbach's. + +OCTAVIO. +That regiment is loyal, +Keep them in silence in the inner court, +Unseen by all, and when the signal peals +Then close the doors, keep watch upon the house. +And all ye meet be instantly arrested. + [Exit ADJUTANT. +I hope indeed I shall not need their service, +So certain feel I of my well-laid plans; +But when an empire's safety is at stake +'Twere better too much caution than too little. + + + +SCENE V. + + A chamber in PICCOLOMINI's dwelling-house: OCTAVIO, + PICCOLOMINI, ISOLANI, entering. + +ISOLANI. +Here am I--well! who comes yet of the others? + +OCTAVIO (with an air of mystery). +But, first, a word with you, Count Isolani. + +ISOLANI (assuming the same air of mystery). +Will it explode, ha? Is the duke about +To make the attempt? In me, friend, you may place +Full confidence--nay, put me to the proof. + +OCTAVIO. +That may happen. + +ISOLANI. + Noble brother, I am +Not one of those men who in words are valiant, +And when it comes to action skulk away. +The duke has acted towards me as a friend: +God knows it is so; and I owe him all; +He may rely on my fidelity. + +OCTAVIO. +That will be seen hereafter. + +ISOLANI. + Be on your guard, +All think not as I think; and there are many +Who still hold with the court--yes, and they say +That these stolen signatures bind them to nothing. + +OCTAVIO. +Indeed! Pray name to me the chiefs that think so; + +ISOLANI. +Plague upon them! all the Germans think so +Esterhazy, Kaunitz, Deodati, too, +Insist upon obedience to the court. + +OCTAVIO. +I am rejoiced to hear it. + +ISOLANI. + You rejoice? + +OCTAVIO. +That the emperor has yet such gallant servants, +And loving friends. + +ISOLANI. + Nay, jeer not, I entreat you. +They are no such worthless fellows, I assure you. + +OCTAVIO. +I am assured already. God forbid +That I should jest! In very serious earnest, +I am rejoiced to see an honest cause +So strong. + +ISOLANI. + The devil!--what!--why, what means this? +Are you not, then----For what, then, am I here? + +OCTAVIO. +That you may make full declaration, whether +You will be called the friend or enemy +Of the emperor. + +ISOLANI (with an air of defiance). + That declaration, friend, +I'll make to him in whom a right is placed +To put that question to me. + +OCTAVIO. + Whether, count, +That right is mine, this paper may instruct you. + +ISOLANI (stammering). +Why,--why--what! this is the emperor's hand and seal + [Reads. +"Whereas the officers collectively +Throughout our army will obey the orders +Of the Lieutenant-General Piccolomini, +As from ourselves."--Hem!--Yes! so!--Yes! yes! +I--I give you joy, lieutenant-general! + +OCTAVIO. +And you submit to the order? + +ISOLANI. + I-- +But you have taken me so by surprise +Time for reflection one must have---- + +OCTAVIO. + Two minutes. + +ISOLANI. +My God! But then the case is---- + +OCTAVIO. + Plain and simple. +You must declare you, whether you determine +To act a treason 'gainst your lord and sovereign, +Or whether you will serve him faithfully. + +ISOLANI. +Treason! My God! But who talks then of treason? + +OCTAVIO. +That is the case. The prince-duke is a traitor-- +Means to lead over to the enemy +The emperor's army. Now, count! brief and full-- +Say, will you break your oath to the emperor? +Sell yourself to the enemy? Say, will you? + +ISOLANI. +What mean you? I--I break my oath, d'ye say, +To his imperial majesty? +Did I say so! When, when have I said that? + +OCTAVIO. +You have not said it yet--not yet. This instant +I wait to hear, count, whether you will say it. + +ISOLANI. +Ay! that delights me now, that you yourself +Bear witness for me that I never said so. + +OCTAVIO. +And you renounce the duke then? + +ISOLANI. + If he's planning +Treason--why, treason breaks all bonds asunder. + +OCTAVIO. +And are determined, too, to fight against him? + +ISOLANI. +He has done me service--but if he's a villain, +Perdition seize him! All scores are rubbed off. + +OCTAVIO. +I am rejoiced that you are so well disposed. +This night break off in the utmost secrecy +With all the light-armed troops--it must appear +As came the order from the duke himself. +At Frauenberg's the place of rendezvous; +There will Count Gallas give you further orders. + +ISOLANI. +It shall be done. But you'll remember me +With the emperor--how well disposed you found me. + +OCTAVIO. +I will not fail to mention it honorably. + + [Exit ISOLANI. A SERVANT enters. + +What, Colonel Butler! Show him up. + +ISOLANI (returning). +Forgive me too my bearish ways, old father! +Lord God! how should I know, then, what a great +Person I had before me. + +OCTAVIO. + No excuses! + +ISOLANI. +I am a merry lad, and if at time +A rash word might escape me 'gainst the court +Amidst my wine,--you know no harm was meant. + +OCTAVIO. +You need not be uneasy on that score. +That has succeeded. Fortune favor us +With all the others only but as much. + + [Exit. + + + +SCENE VI. + + OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI, BUTLER. + +BUTLER. +At your command, lieutenant-general. + +OCTAVIO. +Welcome, as honored friend and visitor. + +BUTLER. +You do me too much honor. + +OCTAVIO (after both have seated themselves) + You have not +Returned the advances which I made you yesterday-- +Misunderstood them as mere empty forms. +That wish proceeded from my heart--I was +In earnest with you--for 'tis now a time +In which the honest should unite most closely. + +BUTLER. +'Tis only the like-minded can unite. + +OCTAVIO. +True! and I name all honest men like-minded. +I never charge a man but with those acts +To which his character deliberately +Impels him; for alas! the violence +Of blind misunderstandings often thrusts +The very best of us from the right track. +You came through Frauenberg. Did the Count Gallas +Say nothing to you? Tell me. He's my friend. + +BUTLER. +His words were lost on me. + +OCTAVIO. + It grieves me sorely +To hear it: for his counsel was most wise. +I had myself the like to offer. + +BUTLER. + Spare +Yourself the trouble--me the embarrassment. +To have deserved so ill your good opinion. + +OCTAVIO. +The time is precious--let us talk openly. +You know how matters stand here. Wallenstein +Meditates treason--I can tell you further, +He has committed treason; but few hours +Have past since he a covenant concluded +With the enemy. The messengers are now +Full on their way to Egra and to Prague. +To-morrow he intends to lead us over +To the enemy. But he deceives himself; +For prudence wakes--the emperor has still +Many and faithful friends here, and they stand +In closest union, mighty though unseen. +This manifesto sentences the duke-- +Recalls the obedience of the army from him, +And summons all the loyal, all the honest, +To join and recognize in me their leader. +Choose--will you share with us an honest cause? +Or with the evil share an evil lot? + +BUTLER (rises). +His lot is mine. + +OCTAVIO. + Is that your last resolve? + +BUTLER. +It is. + +OCTAVIO. + Nay, but bethink you, Colonel Butler. +As yet you have time. Within my faithful breast +That rashly uttered word remains interred. +Recall it, Butler! choose a better party; +You have not chosen the right one. + +BUTLER (going). + Any other +Commands for me, lieutenant-general? + +OCTAVIO. +See your white hairs; recall that word! + +BUTLER. + Farewell! + +OCTAVIO. +What! Would you draw this good and gallant sword +In such a cause? Into a curse would you +Transform the gratitude which you have earned +By forty years' fidelity from Austria? + +BUTLER (laughing with bitterness). +Gratitude from the House of Austria! + + [He is going. + +OCTAVIO (permits him to go as far as the door, then calls after him). +Butler! + +BUTLER. + What wish you? + +OCTAVIO. + How was't with the count? + +BUTLER. +Count? what? + +OCTAVIO (coldly). + The title that you wished, I mean. + +BUTLER (starts in sudden passion). +Hell and damnation! + +OCTAVIO (coldly). + You petitioned for it-- +And your petition was repelled--was it so? + +BUTLER. +Your insolent scoff shall not go by unpunished. +Draw! + +OCTAVIO. +Nay! your sword to its sheath! and tell me calmly +How all that happened. I will not refuse you +Your satisfaction afterwards. Calmly, Butler! + +BUTLER. +Be the whole world acquainted with the weakness +For which I never can forgive myself, +Lieutenant-general! Yes; I have ambition. +Ne'er was I able to endure contempt. +It stung me to the quick that birth and title +Should have more weight than merit has in the army. +I would fain not be meaner than my equal, +So in an evil hour I let myself +Be tempted to that measure. It was folly! +But yet so hard a penance it deserved not. +It might have been refused; but wherefore barb +And venom the refusal with contempt? +Why dash to earth and crush with heaviest scorn +The gray-haired man, the faithful veteran? +Why to the baseness of his parentage +Refer him with such cruel roughness, only +Because he had a weak hour and forgot himself? +But nature gives a sting e'en to the worm +Which wanton power treads on in sport and insult. + +OCTAVIO. +You must have been calumniated. Guess you +The enemy who did you this ill service? + +BUTLER. +Be't who it will--a most low-hearted scoundrel! +Some vile court-minion must it be, some Spaniard; +Some young squire of some ancient family, +In whose light I may stand; some envious knave, +Stung to his soul by my fair self-earned honors! + +OCTAVIO. +But tell me, did the duke approve that measure? + +BUTLER. +Himself impelled me to it, used his interest +In my behalf with all the warmth of friendship. + +OCTAVIO. +Ay! are you sure of that? + +BUTLER. + I read the letter. + +OCTAVIO. +And so did I--but the contents were different. + [BUTLER is suddenly struck. +By chance I'm in possession of that letter-- +Can leave it to your own eyes to convince you. + + [He gives him the letter. + +BUTLER. +Ha! what is this? + +OCTAVIO. + I fear me, Colonel Butler, +An infamous game have they been playing with you. +The duke, you say, impelled you to this measure? +Now, in this letter, talks he in contempt +Concerning you; counsels the minister +To give sound chastisement to your conceit, +For so he calls it. + + [BUTLER reads through the letter; his knees tremble, he seizes a + chair, and sinks clown in it. + +You have no enemy, no persecutor; +There's no one wishes ill to you. Ascribe +The insult you received to the duke only. +His aim is clear and palpable. He wished +To tear you from your emperor: he hoped +To gain from your revenge what he well knew +(What your long tried fidelity convinced him) +He ne'er could dare expect from your calm reason. +A blind tool would he make you, in contempt +Use you, as means of most abandoned ends. +He has gained his point. Too well has he succeeded +In luring you away from that good path +On which you had been journeying forty years! + +BUTLER (his voice trembling). +Can e'er the emperor's majesty forgive me? + +OCTAVIO. +More than forgive you. He would fain compensate +For that affront, and most unmerited grievance +Sustained by a deserving gallant veteran. +From his free impulse he confirms the present, +Which the duke made you for a wicked purpose. +The regiment, which you now command, is yours. + + [BUTLER attempts to rise, sinks down again. He labors inwardly + with violent emotions; tries to speak and cannot. At length + he takes his sword from the belt, and offers it to PICCOLOMINI. + +OCTAVIO. +What wish you? Recollect yourself, friend. + +BUTLER. + Take it. + +OCTAVIO. +But to what purpose? Calm yourself. + +BUTLER. + O take it! +I am no longer worthy of this sword. + +OCTAVIO. +Receive it then anew, from my hands--and +Wear it with honor for the right cause ever. + +BUTLER. +Perjure myself to such a gracious sovereign? + +OCTAVIO. +You'll make amends. Quick! break off from the duke! + +BUTLER. +Break off from him. + +OCTAVIO. + What now? Bethink thyself. + +BUTLER (no longer governing his emotion). +Only break off from him? He dies! he dies! + +OCTAVIO. +Come after me to Frauenberg, where now +All who are loyal are assembling under +Counts Altringer and Gallas. Many others +I've brought to a remembrance of their duty +This night be sure that you escape from Pilsen. + +BUTLER (strides up and down in excessive agitation, then steps up to + OCTAVIO with resolved countenance). +Count Piccolomini! dare that man speak +Of honor to you, who once broke his troth. + +OCTAVIO. +He who repents so deeply of it dares. + +BUTLER. +Then leave me here upon my word of honor! + +OCTAVIO. +What's your design? + +BUTLER. + Leave me and my regiment. + +OCTAVIO. +I have full confidence in you. But tell me +What are you brooding? + +BUTLER. + That the deed will tell you. +Ask me no more at present. Trust me. +Ye may trust safely. By the living God, +Ye give him over, not to his good angel! +Farewell. + [Exit BUTLER. + +SERVANT (enters with a billet). + A stranger left it, and is gone. +The prince-duke's horses wait for you below. + + [Exit SERVANT. + +OCTAVIO (reads). +"Be sure, make haste! Your faithful Isolani." +--O that I had but left this town behind me. +To split upon a rock so near the haven! +Away! This is no longer a safe place +For me! Where can my son be tarrying! + + + +SCENE VII. + + OCTAVIO and MAX. PICCOLOMINI. + + MAX. enters almost in a state of derangement, from extreme + agitation; his eyes roll wildly, his walk is unsteady, and he + appears not to observe his father, who stands at a distance, + and gazes at him with a countenance expressive of compassion. + He paces with long strides through the chamber, then stands still + again, and at last throws himself into a chair, staring vacantly + at the object directly before him. + +OCTAVIO (advances to him). +I am going off, my son. + [Receiving no answer, he takes his hands + My son, farewell. + +MAX. + Farewell. + +OCTAVIO. +Thou wilt soon follow me? + +MAX. + I follow thee? +Thy way is crooked--it is not my way. + [OCTAVIO drops his hand and starts back. +Oh, hadst thou been but simple and sincere, +Ne'er had it come to this--all had stood otherwise. +He had not done that foul and horrible deed, +The virtuous had retained their influence over him +He had not fallen into the snares of villains. +Wherefore so like a thief, and thief's accomplice +Didst creep behind him lurking for thy prey! +Oh, unblest falsehood! Mother of all evil! +Thou misery-making demon, it is thou +That sinkest us in perdition. Simple truth, +Sustainer of the world, had saved us all! +Father, I will not, I cannot excuse thee! +Wallenstein has deceived me--oh, most foully! +But thou has acted not much better. + +OCTAVIO. + Son +My son, ah! I forgive thy agony! + +MAX. (rises and contemplates his father with looks of suspicion). +Was't possible? hadst thou the heart, my father, +Hadst thou the heart to drive it to such lengths, +With cold premeditated purpose? Thou-- +Hadst thou the heart to wish to see him guilty +Rather than saved? Thou risest by his fall. +Octavio, 'twill not please me. + +OCTAVIO. + God in heaven! + +MAX. +Oh, woe is me! sure I have changed my nature. +How comes suspicion here--in the free soul? +Hope, confidence, belief, are gone; for all +Lied to me, all that I e'er loved or honored. +No, no! not all! She--she yet lives for me, +And she is true, and open as the heavens +Deceit is everywhere, hypocrisy, +Murder, and poisoning, treason, perjury: +The single holy spot is our love, +The only unprofaned in human nature. + +OCTAVIO. +Max.!--we will go together. 'Twill be better. + +MAX. +What? ere I've taken a last parting leave, +The very last--no, never! + +OCTAVIO. + Spare thyself +The pang of necessary separation. +Come with me! Come, my son! + + [Attempts to take him with him. + +MAX. +No! as sure as God lives, no! + +OCTAVIO (more urgently). +Come with me, I command thee! I, thy father. + +MAX. +Command me what is human. I stay here. + +OCTAVIO. +Max.! in the emperor's name I bid thee come. + +MAX. +No emperor has power to prescribe +Laws to the heart; and wouldst thou wish to rob me +Of the sole blessing which my fate has left me, +Her sympathy? Must then a cruel deed +Be done with cruelty? The unalterable +Shall I perform ignobly--steal away, +With stealthy coward flight forsake her? No! +She shall behold my suffering, my sore anguish, +Hear the complaints of the disparted soul, +And weep tears o'er me. Oh! the human race +Have steely souls--but she is as an angel. +From the black deadly madness of despair +Will she redeem my soul, and in soft words +Of comfort, plaining, loose this pang of death! + +OCTAVIO. +Thou wilt not tear thyself away; thou canst not. +Oh, come, my son! I bid thee save thy virtue. + +MAX. +Squander not thou thy words in vain. +The heart I follow, for I dare trust to it. + +OCTAVIO (trembling, and losing all self-command). +Max.! Max.! if that most damned thing could be, +If thou--my son--my own blood--(dare I think it?) +Do sell thyself to him, the infamous, +Do stamp this brand upon our noble house, +Then shall the world behold the horrible deed, +And in unnatural combat shall the steel +Of the son trickle with the father's blood. + +MAX. +Oh, hadst thou always better thought of men, +Thou hadst then acted better. Curst suspicion, +Unholy, miserable doubt! To him +Nothing on earth remains unwrenched and firm +Who has no faith. + +OCTAVIO. + And if I trust thy heart, +Will it be always in thy power to follow it? + +MAX. +The heart's voice thou hast not o'erpowered--as little +Will Wallenstein be able to o'erpower it. + +OCTAVIO. +O, Max.! I see thee never more again! + +MAX. +Unworthy of thee wilt thou never see me. + +OCTAVIO. +I go to Frauenberg--the Pappenheimers +I leave thee here, the Lothrings too; Tsokana +And Tiefenbach remain here to protect thee. +They love thee, and are faithful to their oath, +And will far rather fall in gallant contest +Than leave their rightful leader and their honor. + +MAX. +Rely on this, I either leave my life +In the struggle, or conduct them out of Pilsen. + +OCTAVIO. +Farewell, my son! + +MAX. + Farewell! + +OCTAVIO. + How! not one look +Of filial love? No grasp of the hand at parting? +It is a bloody war to which we are going, +And the event uncertain and in darkness. +So used we not to part--it was not so! +Is it then true? I have a son no longer? + + [MAX. falls into his arms, they hold each other for a long time + in a speechless embrace, then go away at different sides. + + (The curtain drops.) + + + + +ACT III. + +SCENE I. + + A chamber in the house of the Duchess of Friedland. + + COUNTESS TERZKY, THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN (the two latter sit + at the same table at work). + +COUNTESS (watching them from the opposite side). +So you have nothing to ask me--nothing? +I have been waiting for a word from you. +And could you then endure in all this time +Not once to speak his name? + + [THEKLA remaining silent, the COUNTESS rises and advances to her. + + Why, how comes this? +Perhaps I am already grown superfluous, +And other ways exist, besides through me +Confess it to me, Thekla: have you seen him? + +THEKLA. +To-day and yesterday I have not seen him. + +COUNTESS. +And not heard from him, either? Come, be open. + +THEKLA. +No Syllable. + +COUNTESS. + And still you are so calm? + +THEKLA. +I am. + +COUNTESS. + May it please you, leave us, Lady Neubrunn. + + [Exit LADY NEUBRUNN. + + + +SCENE II. + + The COUNTESS, THEKLA. + +COUNTESS. +It does not please me, princess, that he holds +Himself so still, exactly at this time. + +THEKLA. +Exactly at this time? + +COUNTESS. + He now knows all +'Twere now the moment to declare himself. + +THEKLA. +If I'm to understand you, speak less darkly. + +COUNTESS. +'Twas for that purpose that I bade her leave us. +Thekla, you are no more a child. Your heart +Is no more in nonage: for you love, +And boldness dwells with love--that you have proved +Your nature moulds itself upon your father's +More than your mother's spirit. Therefore may you +Hear what were too much for her fortitude. + +THEKLA. +Enough: no further preface, I entreat you. +At once, out with it! Be it what it may, +It is not possible that it should torture me +More than this introduction. What have you +To say to me? Tell me the whole, and briefly! + +COUNTESS. +You'll not be frightened---- + +THEKLA. + Name it, I entreat you. + +COUNTESS. +Lies within my power to do your father +A weighty service---- + +THEKLA. + Lies within my power. + +COUNTESS. +Max. Piccolomini loves you. You can link him +Indissolubly to your father. + +THEKLA. + I? +What need of me for that? And is he not +Already linked to him? + +COUNTESS. + He was. + +THEKLA. + And wherefore +Should he not be so now--not be so always? + +COUNTESS. +He cleaves to the emperor too. + +THEKLA. + Not more than duty +And honor may demand of him. + +COUNTESS. + We ask +Proofs of his love, and not proofs of his honor. +Duty and honor! +Those are ambiguous words with many meanings. +You should interpret them for him: his love +Should be the sole definer of his honor. + +THEKLA. +How? + +COUNTESS. +The emperor or you must he renounce. + +THEKLA. +He will accompany my father gladly +In his retirement. From himself you heard, +How much he wished to lay aside the sword. + +COUNTESS. +He must not lay the sword aside, we mean; +He must unsheath it in your father's cause. + +THEKLA. +He'll spend with gladness and alacrity +His life, his heart's blood in my father's cause, +If shame or injury be intended him. + +COUNTESS. +You will not understand me. Well, hear then: +Your father has fallen off from the emperor, +And is about to join the enemy +With the whole soldiery---- + +THEKLA. + Alas, my mother! + +COUNTESS. +There needs a great example to draw on +The army after him. The Piccolomini +Possess the love and reverence of the troops; +They govern all opinions, and wherever +They lead the way, none hesitate to follow. +The son secures the father to our interests-- +You've much in your hands at this moment. + +THEKLA. + Ah, +My miserable mother! what a death-stroke +Awaits thee! No! she never will survive it. + +COUNTESS. +She will accommodate her soul to that +Which is and must be. I do know your mother: +The far-off future weighs upon her heart +With torture of anxiety; but is it +Unalterably, actually present, +She soon resigns herself, and bears it calmly. + +THEKLA. +O my foreboding bosom! Even now, +E'en now 'tis here, that icy hand of horror! +And my young hope lies shuddering in its grasp; +I knew it well--no sooner had I entered, +An heavy ominous presentiment +Revealed to me that spirits of death were hovering +Over my happy fortune. But why, think I +First of myself? My mother! O my mother! + +COUNTESS. + +Calm yourself! Break not out in vain lamenting! +Preserve you for your father the firm friend, +And for yourself the lover, all will yet +Prove good and fortunate. + +THEKLA. + Prove good! What good? +Must we not part; part ne'er to meet again? + +COUNTESS. +He parts not from you! He cannot part from you. + +THEKLA. +Alas, for his sore anguish! It will rend +His heart asunder. + +COUNTESS. + If indeed he loves you. +His resolution will be speedily taken. + +THEKLA. +His resolution will be speedily taken-- +Oh, do not doubt of that! A resolution! +Does there remain one to be taken? + +COUNTESS. + Hush! +Collect yourself! I hear your mother coming. + +THERLA. +How shall I bear to see her? + +COUNTESS. + Collect yourself. + + + +SCENE III. + + To them enter the DUCHESS. + +DUCHESS (to the COUNTESS). +Who was here, sister? I heard some one talking, +And passionately, too. + +COUNTESS. + Nay! there was no one. + +DUCHESS. +I am growing so timorous, every trifling noise +Scatters my spirits, and announces to me +The footstep of some messenger of evil. +And you can tell me, sister, what the event is? +Will he agree to do the emperor's pleasure, +And send the horse regiments to the cardinal? +Tell me, has he dismissed von Questenberg +With a favorable answer? + +COUNTESS. + No, he has not. + +DUCHESS. +Alas! then all is lost! I see it coming, +The worst that can come! Yes, they will depose him; +The accursed business of the Regensburg diet +Will all be acted o'er again! + +COUNTESS. + No! never! +Make your heart easy, sister, as to that. + + [THEKLA, in extreme agitation, throws herself upon her mother, + and enfolds her in her arms, weeping. + +DUCHESS. + Yes, my poor child! +Thou too hast lost a most affectionate godmother +In the empress. Oh, that stern, unbending man! +In this unhappy marriage what have I +Not suffered, not endured? For even as if +I had been linked on to some wheel of fire +That restless, ceaseless, whirls impetuous onward, +I have passed a life of frights and horrors with him, +And ever to the brink of some abyss +With dizzy headlong violence he bears me. +Nay, do not weep, my child. Let not my sufferings +Presignify unhappiness to thee, +Nor blacken with their shade the fate that waits thee. +There lives no second Friedland; thou, my child, +Hast not to fear thy mother's destiny. + +THEELA. +Oh, let us supplicate him, dearest mother! +Quick! quick! here's no abiding-place for us. +Here every coming hour broods into life +Some new affrightful monster. + +DUCHESS. + Thou wilt share +An easier, calmer lot, my child! We, too, +I and thy father, witnessed happy days. +Still think I with delight of those first years, +When he was making progress with glad effort, +When his ambition was a genial fire, +Not that consuming flame which now it is. +The emperor loved him, trusted him; and all +He undertook could not but be successful. +But since that ill-starred day at Regensburg, +Which plunged him headlong from his dignity, +A gloomy, uncompanionable spirit, +Unsteady and suspicious, has possessed him. +His quiet mind forsook him, and no longer +Did he yield up himself in joy and faith +To his old luck and individual power; +But thenceforth turned his heart and best affections +All to those cloudy sciences which never +Have yet made happy him who followed them. + +COUNTESS. +You see it, sister! as your eyes permit you, +But surely this is not the conversation +To pass the time in which we are waiting for him. +You know he will be soon here. Would you have him +Find her in this condition? + +DUCHESS. + Come, my child! +Come, wipe away thy tears, and show thy father +A cheerful countenance. See, the tie-knot here +Is off; this hair must not hang so dishevelled. +Come, dearest! dry thy tears up. They deform +Thy gentle eye. Well, now--what was I saying? +Yes, in good truth, this Piccolomini +Is a most noble and deserving gentleman. + +COUNTESS. +That is he, sister! + +THEKLA (to the COUNTESS, with narks of great oppression of spirits). + Aunt, you will excuse me? + + (Is going). + +COUNTESS. +But, whither? See, your father comes! + +THEKLA. +I cannot see him now. + +COUNTESS. + Nay, but bethink you. + +THEKLA. +Believe me, I cannot sustain his presence. + +COUNTESS. +But he will miss you, will ask after you. + +DUCHESS. +What, now? Why is she going? + +COUNTESS. + She's not well. + +DUCHESS (anxiously). +What ails, then, my beloved child? + + [Both follow the PRINCESS, and endeavor to detain her. During + this WALLENSTEIN appears, engaged in conversation with ILLO. + + + +SCENE IV. + + WALLENSTEIN, ILLO, COUNTESS, DUCHESS, THEKLA. + +WALLENSTEIN. +All quiet in the camp? + +ILLO. + It is all quiet. + +WALLENSTEIN. +In a few hours may couriers come from Prague +With tidings that this capital is ours. +Then we may drop the mask, and to the troops +Assembled in this town make known the measure +And its result together. In such cases +Example does the whole. Whoever is foremost +Still leads the herd. An imitative creature +Is man. The troops at Prague conceive no other, +Than that the Pilsen army has gone through +The forms of homage to us; and in Pilsen +They shall swear fealty to us, because +The example has been given them by Prague. +Butler, you tell me, has declared himself? + +ILLO. +At his own bidding, unsolicited, +He came to offer you himself and regiment. + +WALLENSTEIN, +I find we must not give implicit credence +To every warning voice that makes itself +Be listened to in the heart. To hold us back, +Oft does the lying spirit counterfeit +The voice of truth and inward revelation, +Scattering false oracles. And thus have I +To entreat forgiveness for that secretly. +I've wronged this honorable gallant man, +This Butler: for a feeling of the which +I am not master (fear I would not call it), +Creeps o'er me instantly, with sense of shuddering, +At his approach, and stops love's joyous motion. +And this same man, against whom I am warned, +This honest man is he who reaches to me +The first pledge of my fortune. + +ILLO. + And doubt not +That his example will win over to you +The best men in the army. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Go and send +Isolani hither. Send him immediately. +He is under recent obligations to me: +With him will I commence the trial. Go. + + [Exit ILLO. + +WALLENSTEIN (turns himself round to the females). +Lo, there's the mother with the darling daughter. +For once we'll have an interval of rest-- +Come! my heart yearns to live a cloudless hour +In the beloved circle of my family. + +COUNTESS. +'Tis long since we've been thus together, brother. + +WALLENSTEIN (to the COUNTESS, aside). +Can she sustain the news? Is she prepared? + +COUNTESS. +Not yet. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Come here, my sweet girl! Seat thee by me, +For there is a good spirit on thy lips. +Thy mother praised to me thy ready skill; +She says a voice of melody dwells in thee, +Which doth enchant the soul. Now such a voice +Will drive away from me the evil demon +That beats his black wings close above my head. + +DUCHESS. +Where is thy lute, my daughter? Let thy father +Hear some small trial of thy skill. + +THEKLA. + My mother +I---- + +DUCHESS. +Trembling? Come, collect thyself. Go, cheer +Thy father. + +THEKLA. + O my mother! I--I cannot. + +COUNTESS. +How, what is that, niece? + +THEKLA (to the COUNTESS). +O spare me--sing--now--in this sore anxiety, +Of the overburdened soul--to sing to him +Who is thrusting, even now, my mother headlong +Into her grave. + +DUCHESS. + How, Thekla! Humorsome! +What! shall thy father have expressed a wish +In vain? + +COUNTESS. + Here is the lute. + +THEKLA. + My God! how can I---- + + [The orchestra plays. During the ritornello THEKLA expresses in her + gestures and countenance the struggle of her feelings; and at the + moment that she should begin to sing, contracts herself together, as + one shuddering, throws the instrument down, and retires abruptly. + +DUCHESS. +My child! Oh, she is ill---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + What ails the maiden? +Say, is she often so? + +COUNTESS. + Since then herself +Has now betrayed it, I too must no longer +Conceal it. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What? + +COUNTESS. + She loves him! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Loves him? Whom? + +COUNTESS. +Max. does she love! Max. Piccolomini! +Hast thou never noticed it? Nor yet my sister? + +DUCHESS. +Was it this that lay so heavy on her heart? +God's blessing on thee,--my sweet child! Thou needest +Never take shame upon thee for thy choice. + +COUNTESS. +This journey, if 'twere not thy aim, ascribe it +To thine own self. Thou shouldst have chosen another +To have attended her. + +WALLENSTEIN. + And does he know it? + +COUNTESS. +Yes, and he hopes to win her. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Hopes to win her! +Is the boy mad? + +COUNTESS. + Well--hear it from themselves. + +WALLENSTEIN. +He thinks to carry off Duke Friedland's daughter! +Ay? The thought pleases me. +The young man has no groveling spirit. + +COUNTESS. + Since +Such and such constant favor you have shown him---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +He chooses finally to be my heir. +And true it is, I love the youth; yea, honor him. +But must he therefore be my daughter's husband? +Is it daughters only? Is it only children +That we must show our favor by? + +DUCHESS. +His noble disposition and his manners---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +Win him my heart, but not my daughter. + +DUCHESS. + Then +His rank, his ancestors---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + Ancestors! What? +He is a subject, and my son-in-law +I will seek out upon the thrones of Europe. + +DUCHESS +O dearest Albrecht! Climb we not too high +Lest we should fall too low. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What! have I paid +A price so heavy to ascend this eminence, +And jut out high above the common herd, +Only to close the mighty part I play +In life's great drama with a common kinsman? +Have I for this---- + [Stops suddenly, repressing himself. + She is the only thing +That will remain behind of me on earth; +And I will see a crown around her head, +Or die in the attempt to place it there. +I hazard all--all! and for this alone, +To lift her into greatness. +Yea, in this moment, in the which we are speaking + [He recollects himself. +And I must now, like a soft-hearted father, +Couple together in good peasant fashion +The pair that chance to suit each other's liking-- +And I must do it now, even now, when I +Am stretching out the wreath that is to twine +My full accomplished work--no! she is the jewel, +Which I have treasured long, my last, my noblest, +And 'tis my purpose not to let her from me +For less than a king's sceptre. + +DUCHESS. + O my husband! +You're ever building, building to the clouds, +Still building higher, and still higher building, +And ne'er reflect, that the poor narrow basis +Cannot sustain the giddy tottering column. + +WALLENSTEIN (to the COUNTESS). +Have you announced the place of residence +Which I have destined for her? + +COUNTESS. + No! not yet, +'Twere better you yourself disclosed it to her. + +DUCHESS. +How? Do we not return to Carinthia then? + +WALLENSTEIN. + No. + +DUCHESS. +And to no other of your lands or seats? + +WALLENSTEIN. +You would not be secure there. + +DUCHESS. + Not secure. +In the emperor's realms, beneath the emperor's +Protection? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Friedland's wife may be permitted +No longer to hope that. + +DUCHESS. + O God in heaven! +And have you brought it even to this! + +WALLENSTEIN. + In Holland +You'll find protection. + +DUCHESS + In a Lutheran country? +What? And you send us into Lutheran countries? + +WALLENSTEIN. +Duke Franz of Lauenburg conducts you thither. + +DUCHESS. +Duke Franz of Lauenburg? +The ally of Sweden, the emperor's enemy. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The emperor's enemies are mine no longer. + +DUCHESS (casting a look of terror on the DUKE and the COUNTESS). +Is it then true? It is. You are degraded +Deposed from the command? O God in heaven! + +COUNTESS (aside to the DUKE). +Leave her in this belief. Thou seest she cannot +Support the real truth. + + + +SCENE V. + + To them enter COUNT TERZKY. + +COUNTESS. + Terzky! +What ails him? What an image of affright! +He looks as he had seen a ghost. + +TERZKY (leading WALLENSTEIN aside). +Is it thy command that all the Croats---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + Mine! + +TERZKY. +We are betrayed. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What? + +TERZKY. + They are off! This night +The Jaegers likewise--all the villages +In the whole round are empty. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Isolani! + +TERZKY. +Him thou hast sent away. Yes, surely. + +WALLENSTEIN. + I? + +TERZKY. +No? Hast thou not sent him off? Nor Deodati? +They are vanished, both of them. + + + +SCENE VI. + + To them enter ILLO. + +ILLO. +Has Terzky told thee? + +TERZKY. + He knows all. + +ILLO. + And likewise +That Esterhatzy, Goetz, Maradas, Kaunitz, +Kolatto, Palfi, have forsaken thee. + +TERZKY. +Damnation! + +WALLENSTEIN (winks at them). +Hush! + +COUNTESS (who has been watching them anxiously from the distance and + now advances to them). +Terzky! Heaven! What is it? What has happened? + +WALLENSTEIN (scarcely suppressing his emotions). +Nothing! let us be gone! + +TERZKY (following him). + Theresa, it is nothing. + +COUNTESS (holding him back). +Nothing? Do I not see that all the life-blood +Has left your cheeks--look you not like a ghost? +That even my brother but affects a calmness? + +PAGE (enters). +An aide-de-camp inquires for the Count Terzky. + + [TERZKY follows the PAGE. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Go, hear his business. + [To ILLO. + This could not have happened +So unsuspected without mutiny. +Who was on guard at the gates? + +ILLO. + 'Twas Tiefenbach. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Let Tiefenbach leave guard without delay, +And Terzky's grenadiers relieve him. + [ILLO is going. + Stop! +Hast thou heard aught of Butler? + +ILLO. + Him I met +He will be here himself immediately. +Butler remains unshaken, + + [ILLO exit. WALLENSTEIN is following him. + +COUNTESS. +Let him not leave thee, sister! go, detain him! +There's some misfortune. + +DUCHESS (clinging to him). + Gracious Heaven! What is it? + +WALLENSTEIN. +Be tranquil! leave me, sister! dearest wife! +We are in camp, and this is naught unusual; +Here storm and sunshine follow one another +With rapid interchanges. These fierce spirits +Champ the curb angrily, and never yet +Did quiet bless the temples of the leader; +If I am to stay go you. The plaints of women +Ill suit the scene where men must act. + + [He is going: TERZKY returns. + +TERZKY. +Remain here. From this window must we see it. + +WALLENSTEIN (to the COUNTESS). +Sister, retire! + +COUNTESS. + No--never! + +WALLENSTEIN. + 'Tis my will. + +TERZKY (leads the COUNTESS aside, and drawing her attention + to the DUCHESS). +Theresa! + +DUCHESS. + Sister, come! since he commands it. + + + +SCENE VII. + + WALLENSTEIN, TERZKY. + +WALLENSTEIN (stepping to the window). +What now, then? + +TERZKY. +There are strange movements among all the troops, +And no one knows the cause. Mysteriously, +With gloomy silentness, the several corps +Marshal themselves, each under its own banners; +Tiefenbach's corps make threatening movements; only +The Pappenheimers still remain aloof +In their own quarters and let no one enter. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Does Piccolomini appear among them? + +TERZKY. +We are seeking him: he is nowhere to be met with. + +WALLENSTEIN. +What did the aide-de-camp deliver to you? + +TERZKY. +My regiments had despatched him; yet once more +They swear fidelity to thee, and wait +The shout for onset, all prepared, and eager. + +WALLENSTEIN. +But whence arose this larum in the camp? +It should have been kept secret from the army +Till fortune had decided for us at Prague. + +TERZKY. +Oh, that thou hadst believed me! Yester-evening +Did we conjure thee not to let that skulker, +That fox, Octavio, pass the gates of Pilsen. +Thou gavest him thy own horses to flee from thee. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The old tune still! Now, once for all, no more +Of this suspicion--it is doting folly. + +TERZKY. +Thou didst confide in Isolani too; +And lo! he was the first that did desert thee. + +WALLENSTEIN. +It was but yesterday I rescued him +From abject wretchedness. Let that go by; +I never reckoned yet on gratitude. +And wherein doth he wrong in going from me? +He follows still the god whom all his life +He has worshipped at the gaming-table. With +My fortune and my seeming destiny +He made the bond and broke it, not with me. +I am but the ship in which his hopes were stowed, +And with the which, well-pleased and confident, +He traversed the open sea; now he beholds it +In eminent jeopardy among the coast-rocks, +And hurries to preserve his wares. As light +As the free bird from the hospitable twig +Where it had nested he flies off from me: +No human tie is snapped betwixt us two. +Yea, he deserves to find himself deceived +Who seeks a heart in the unthinking man. +Like shadows on a stream, the forms of life +Impress their characters on the smooth forehead, +Naught sinks into the bosom's silent depth: +Quick sensibility of pain and pleasure +Moves the light fluids lightly; but no soul +Warmeth the inner frame. + +TERZKY. + Yet, would I rather +Trust the smooth brow than that deep furrowed one. + + + +SCENE VIII. + + WALLENSTEIN, TERZKY, ILLO. + +ILLO (who enters agitated with rage). +Treason and mutiny! + +TERZKY. + And what further now? + +ILLO. +Tiefenbach's soldiers, when I gave the orders. +To go off guard--mutinous villains! + +TERZKY. +Well! + +WALLENSTEIN. + What followed? + +ILLO. +They refused obedience to them. + +TERZKY. +Fire on them instantly! Give out the order. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Gently! what cause did they assign? + +ILLO. + No other, +They said, had right to issue orders but +Lieutenant-General Piccolomini. + +WALLENSTEIN (in a convulsion of agony). +What? How is that? + +ILLO. +He takes that office on him by commission, +Under sign-manual from the emperor. + +TERZKY. +From the emperor--hearest thou, duke? + +ILLO. + At his incitement +The generals made that stealthy flight---- + +TERZKY. + Duke, hearest thou? + +ILLO. +Caraffa too, and Montecuculi, +Are missing, with six other generals, +All whom he had induced to follow him. +This plot he has long had in writing by him +From the emperor; but 'twas finally concluded, +With all the detail of the operation, +Some days ago with the Envoy Questenberg. + + [WALLENSTEIN sinks down into a chair and covers his face. + +TERZKY. +Oh, hadst thou but believed me! + + +SCENE IX. + + To them enter the COUNTESS. + +COUNTESS. + This suspense, +This horrid fear--I can no longer bear it. +For heaven's sake tell me what has taken place? + +ILLO. +The regiments are falling off from us. + +TERZKY. +Octavio Piccolomini is a traitor. + +COUNTESS. +O my foreboding! + + [Rushes out of the room. + +TERZKY. + Hadst thou but believed me! +Now seest thou how the stars have lied to thee. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The stars lie not; but we have here a work +Wrought counter to the stars and destiny. +The science is still honest: this false heart +Forces a lie on the truth-telling heaven, +On a divine law divination rests; +Where nature deviates from that law, and stumbles +Out of her limits, there all science errs. +True I did not suspect! Were it superstition +Never by such suspicion to have affronted +The human form, oh, may the time ne'er come +In which I shame me of the infirmity. +The wildest savage drinks not with the victim, +Into whose breast he means to plunge the sword. +This, this, Octavio, was no hero's deed +'Twas not thy prudence that did conquer mine; +A bad heart triumphed o'er an honest one. +No shield received the assassin stroke; thou plungest +Thy weapon on an unprotected breast-- +Against such weapons I am but a child. + + + +SCENE X. + + To these enter BUTLER. + +TERZKY (meeting him). +Oh, look there, Butler! Here we've still a friend! + +WALLENSTEIN (meets him with outspread arms and embraces him with warmth). +Come to my heart, old comrade! Not the sun +Looks out upon us more revivingly, +In the earliest month of spring, +Than a friend's countenance in such an hour. + +BUTLER. +My general; I come---- + +WALLENSTEIN (leaning on BUTLER'S shoulder). + Knowest thou already +That old man has betrayed me to the emperor. +What sayest thou? Thirty years have we together +Lived out, and held out, sharing joy and hardship. +We have slept in one camp-bed, drank from one glass, +One morsel shared! I leaned myself on him, +As now I lean me on thy faithful shoulder, +And now in the very moment when, all love, +All confidence, my bosom beat to his +He sees and takes the advantage, stabs the knife +Slowly into my heart. + + [He hides his face on BUTLER's breast. + +BUTLER. + Forget the false one. +What is your present purpose? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Well remembered! +Courage, my soul! I am still rich in friends, +Still loved by destiny; for in the moment +That it unmasks the plotting hypocrite +It sends and proves to me one faithful heart. +Of the hypocrite no more! Think not his loss +Was that which struck the pang: Oh, no! his treason +Is that which strikes the pang! No more of him! +Dear to my heart, and honored were they both, +And the young man--yes--he did truly love me, +He--he--has not deceived me. But enough, +Enough of this--swift counsel now beseems us. +The courier, whom Count Kinsky sent from Prague, +I expect him every moment: and whatever +He may bring with him we must take good care +To keep it from the mutineers. Quick then! +Despatch some messenger you can rely on +To meet him, and conduct him to me. + + [ILLO is going. + +BUTLER (detaining him). +My general, whom expect you then? + +WALLENSTEIN. + The courier +Who brings me word of the event at Prague. + +BUTLER (hesitating). +Hem! + +WALLENSTEIN. + And what now? + +BUTLER. + You do not know it? + +WALLENSTEIN. +Well? + +BUTLER. +From what that larum in the camp arose? + +WALLENSTEIN. +From what? + +BUTLER. + That courier---- + +WALLENSTEIN (with eager expectation). + Well? + +BUTLER. + Is already here. + +TERZKY and ILLO (at the same time). +Already here? + +WALLENSTEIEN. + My courier? + +BUTLER. + For some hours. + +WALLENSTEIN. +And I not know it? + +BUTLER. + The sentinels detain him +In custody. + +ILLO (stamping with his foot). + Damnation! + +BUTLER. + And his letter +Was broken open, and is circulated +Through the whole camp. + +WALLENSTEIN. + You know what it contains? + +BUTLER. +Question me not. + +TERZKY. + Illo! Alas for us. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Hide nothing from me--I can bear the worst. +Prague then is lost. It is. Confess it freely. + +BUTLER. +Yes! Prague is lost. And all the several regiments +At Budweiss, Tabor, Braunau, Koenigingratz, +At Brunn, and Znaym, have forsaken you, +And taken the oaths of fealty anew +To the emperor. Yourself, with Kinsky, Terzky, +And Illo have been sentenced. + + [TERZKY and ILLO express alarm and fury. WALLENSTEIN remains + firm and collected. + +WALLENSTEIN. +'Tis decided! 'Tis well! I have received a sudden cure +From all the pangs of doubt: with steady stream +Once more my life-blood flows! My soul's secure! +In the night only Friedland stars can beam. +Lingering irresolute, with fitful fears +I drew the sword--'twas with an inward strife, +While yet the choice was mine. The murderous knife +Is lifted for my heart! Doubt disappears! +I fight now for my head and for my life. + + [Exit WALLENSTEIN; the others follow him. + + + +SCENE XI. + +COUNTESS TERZKY (enters from a side room). +I can endure no longer. No! + [Looks around her. + Where are they! +No one is here. They leave me all alone, +Alone in this sore anguish of suspense. +And I must wear the outward show of calmness +Before my sister, and shut in within me +The pangs and agonies of my crowded bosom. +It is not to be borne. If all should fail; +If--if he must go over to the Swedes, +An empty-handed fugitive, and not +As an ally, a covenanted equal, +A proud commander with his army following, +If we must wander on from land to land, +Like the Count Palatine, of fallen greatness +An ignominious monument. But no! +That day I will not see! And could himself +Endure to sink so low, I would not bear +To see him so low sunken. + + + +SCENE XII. + + COUNTESS, DUCHESS, THEKLA. + +THEKLA (endeavoring to hold back the DUCHESS) +Dear mother, do stay here! + +DUCHESS. + No! Here is yet +Some frightful mystery that is hidden from me. +Why does my sister shun me? Don't I see her +Full of suspense and anguish roam about +From room to room? Art thou not full of terror? +And what import these silent nods and gestures +Which stealthwise thou exchangest with her? + +THEKLA. + Nothing +Nothing, dear mother! + +DUCHESS (to the COUNTESS). + Sister, I will know. + +COUNTESS. +What boots it now to hide it from her? Sooner +Or later she must learn to hear and bear it. +'Tis not the time now to indulge infirmity; +Courage beseems us now, a heart collect, +And exercise and previous discipline +Of fortitude. One word, and over with it! +Sister, you are deluded. You believe +The duke has been deposed--the duke is not +Deposed--he is---- + +THEKLA (going to the COUNTESS), + What? do you wish to kill her? + +COUNTESS. +The duke is---- + +THEKLA (throwing her arms round her mother). + Oh, stand firm! stand firm, my mother! + +COUNTESS. +Revolted is the duke; he is preparing +To join the enemy; the army leave him, +And all has failed. + + + +SCENE XIII. + + A spacious room in the Duke of Friedland's palace. + +WALLENSTEIN (in armor). +Thou hast gained thy point, Octavio! Once more am I +Almost as friendless as at Regensburg. +There I had nothing left me but myself; +But what one man can do you have now experience. +The twigs have you hewed off, and here I stand +A leafless trunk. But in the sap within +Lives the creating power, and a new world +May sprout forth from it. Once already have I +Proved myself worth an army to you--I alone! +Before the Swedish strength your troops had melted; +Beside the Lech sank Tilly, your last hope; +Into Bavaria, like a winter torrent, +Did that Gustavus pour, and at Vienna +In his own palace did the emperor tremble. +Soldiers were scarce, for still the multitude +Follow the luck: all eyes were turned on me, +Their helper in distress; the emperor's pride +Bowed itself down before the man he had injured. +'Twas I must rise, and with creative word +Assemble forces in the desolate camps. +I did it. Like a god of war my name +Went through the world. The drum was beat; and, to +The plough, the workshop is forsaken, all +Swarm to the old familiar long loved banners; +And as the wood-choir rich in melody +Assemble quick around the bird of wonder, +When first his throat swells with his magic song, +So did the warlike youth of Germany +Crowd in around the image of my eagle. +I feel myself the being that I was. +It is the soul that builds itself a body, +And Friedland's camp will not remain unfilled. +Lead then your thousands out to meet me--true! +They are accustomed under me to conquer, +But not against me. If the head and limbs +Separate from each other, 'twill be soon +Made manifest in which the soul abode. + + (ILLO and TERZKY enter.) + +Courage, friends! courage! we are still unvanquished; +I feel my footing firm; five regiments, Terzky, +Are still our own, and Butler's gallant troops; +And an host of sixteen thousand Swedes to-morrow. +I was not stronger when, nine years ago, +I marched forth, with glad heart and high of hope, +To conquer Germany for the emperor. + + + +SCENE XIV. + + WALLENSTEIN, ILLO, TERZKY. + + (To them enter NEUMANN, who leads TERZKY aside, + and talks with him.) + +TERZKY. +What do they want? + +WALLENSTEIN. + What now? + +TERZKY. + Ten cuirassiers +From Pappenheim request leave to address you +In the name of the regiment. + +WALLENSTEIN (hastily to NEUMANN). + Let them enter. + [Exit NEUMANN. + This +May end in something. Mark you. They are still +Doubtful, and may be won. + + + +SCENE XV. + + WALLENSTEIN, TERZKY, ILLO, ten CUIRASSIERS (led by an ANSPESSADE + [4], march up and arrange themselves, after the word of command, + in one front before the DUKE, and make their obeisance. He takes + his hat off, and immediately covers himself again). + +ANSPESSADE. +Halt! Front! Present! + +WALLENSTEIN (after he has run through them with his eye, to the + NSPESSADE). +I know thee well. Thou art out of Brueggen in Flanders: +Thy name is Mercy. + +ANSPESSADE. + Henry Mercy. + +WALLENSTEIN. Thou were cut off on the march, surrounded by the Hessians, +and didst fight thy way with an hundred and eighty men through their +thousand. + +ANSPESSADE. 'Twas even so, general! + +WALLENSTEIN. What reward hadst thou for this gallant exploit? + +ANSPESSADE. That which I asked for: the honor to serve in this corps. + +WALLENSTEIN (turning to a second). Thou wert among the volunteers that +seized and made booty of the Swedish battery at Altenburg. + +SECOND CUIRASSIER. Yes, general! + +WALLENSTEIN. I forget no one with whom I have exchanged words. +(A pause.) Who sends you? + +ANSPESSADE. Your noble regiment, the cuirassiers of Piccolomini. + +WALLENSTEIN. Why does not your colonel deliver in your request according +to the custom of service? + +ANSPESSADE. Because we would first know whom we serve. + +WALLENSTEIN. Begin your address. + +ANSPESSADE (giving the word of command). Shoulder your arms! + +WALLENSTEIN (turning to a third). Thy name is Risbeck; Cologne is thy +birthplace. + +THIRD CUIRASSIER. Risbeck of Cologne. + +WALLENSTEIN. It was thou that broughtest in the Swedish colonel Duebald, +prisoner, in the camp at Nuremberg. + +THIRD CUIRASSIER. It was not I, general. + +WALLENSTRIN. Perfectly right! It was thy elder brother: thou hadst a +younger brother, too: where did he stay? + +THIRD CUIRASSIER. He is stationed at Olmutz, with the imperial army. + +WALLENSTEIN (to the ANSPESSADE). Now then--begin. + +ANSPESSADE. +There came to hand a letter from the emperor +Commanding us---- + +WALLENSTEIN (interrupting him). + Who chose you? + +ANSPESSADE. + Every company +Drew its own man by lot. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Now! to the business. + +ANSPESSADE. +There came to hand a letter from the emperor +Commanding us, collectively, from thee +All duties of obedience to withdraw, +Because thou wert an enemy and traitor. + +WALLENSTEIN. +And what did you determine? + +ANSPESSADE. + All our comrades +At Braunau, Budweiss, Prague, and Olmutz, have +Obeyed already; and the regiments here, +Tiefenbach and Toscano, instantly +Did follow their example. But--but we +Do not believe that thou art an enemy +And traitor to thy country, hold it merely +For lie and trick, and a trumped-up Spanish story! + [With warmth. +Thyself shall tell us what thy purpose is, +For we have found thee still sincere and true +No mouth shall interpose itself betwixt +The gallant general and the gallant troops. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Therein I recognize my Pappenheimers. + +ANSPESSADE. +And this proposal makes thy regiment to thee: +Is it thy purpose merely to preserve +In thine own hands this military sceptre, +Which so becomes thee, which the emperor +Made over to thee by a covenant! +Is it thy purpose merely to remain +Supreme commander of the Austrian armies? +We will stand by thee, general! and guarantee +Thy honest rights against all opposition. +And should it chance, that all the other regiments +Turn from thee, by ourselves we will stand forth +Thy faithful soldiers, and, as is our duty, +Far rather let ourselves be cut to pieces +Than suffer thee to fall. But if it be +As the emperor's letter says, if it be true, +That thou in traitorous wise wilt lead us over +To the enemy, which God in heaven forbid! +Then we too will forsake thee, and obey +That letter---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + Hear me, children! + +ANSPESSADE. + Yes, or no, +There needs no other answer. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Yield attention. +You're men of sense, examine for yourselves; +Ye think, and do not follow with the herd: +And therefore have I always shown you honor +Above all others, suffered you to reason; +Have treated you as free men, and my orders +Were but the echoes of your prior suffrage. + +ANSPESSADE. +Most fair and noble has thy conduct been +To us, my general! With thy confidence +Thou has honored us, and shown us grace and favor +Beyond all other regiments; and thou seest +We follow not the common herd. We will +Stand by thee faithfully. Speak but one word-- +Thy word shall satisfy us that it is not +A treason which thou meditatest--that +Thou meanest not to lead the army over +To the enemy; nor e'er betray thy country. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Me, me are they betraying. The emperor +Hath sacrificed me to my enemies, +And I must fall, unless my gallant troops +Will rescue me. See! I confide in you. +And be your hearts my stronghold! At this breast +The aim is taken, at this hoary head. +This is your Spanish gratitude, this is our +Requital for that murderous fight at Luetzen! +For this we threw the naked breast against +The halbert, made for this the frozen earth +Our bed, and the hard stone our pillow! never stream +Too rapid for us, nor wood too impervious; +With cheerful spirit we pursued that Mansfeldt +Through all the turns and windings of his flight: +Yea, our whole life was but one restless march: +And homeless, as the stirring wind, we travelled +O'er the war-wasted earth. And now, even now, +That we have well-nigh finished the hard toil, +The unthankful, the curse-laden toil of weapons, +With faithful indefatigable arm +Have rolled the heavy war-load up the hill, +Behold! this boy of the emperor's bears away +The honors of the peace, an easy prize! +He'll weave, forsooth, into his flaxen locks +The olive branch, the hard-earned ornament +Of this gray head, grown gray beneath the helmet. + +ANSPESSADE. +That shall he not, while we can hinder it! +No one, but thou, who has conducted it +With fame, shall end this war, this frightful war. +Thou leadest us out to the bloody field +Of death; thou and no other shalt conduct us home, +Rejoicing, to the lovely plains of peace-- +Shalt share with us the fruits of the long toil. + +WALLENSTEIN. +What! Think you then at length in late old age +To enjoy the fruits of toil? Believe it not. +Never, no never, will you see the end +Of the contest! you and me, and all of us, +This war will swallow up! War, war, not peace, +Is Austria's wish; and therefore, because I +Endeavored after peace, therefore I fall. +For what cares Austria how long the war +Wears out the armies and lays waste the world! +She will but wax and grow amid the ruin +And still win new domains. + [The CUIRASSIERS express agitation by their gestures. + Ye're moved--I see +A noble rage flash from your eyes, ye warriors! +Oh, that my spirit might possess you now +Daring as once it led you to the battle +Ye would stand by me with your veteran arms, +Protect me in my rights; and this is noble! +But think not that you can accomplish it, +Your scanty number! to no purpose will you +Have sacrificed you for your general. + [Confidentially. +No! let us tread securely, seek for friends; +The Swedes have proffered us assistance, let us +Wear for a while the appearance of good-will, +And use them for your profit, till we both +Carry the fate of Europe in our hands, +And from our camp to the glad jubilant world +Lead peace forth with the garland on her head! + +ANSPESSADE. +'Tis then but mere appearances which thou +Dost put on with the Swede! Thou'lt not betray +The emperor? Wilt not turn us into Swedes? +This is the only thing which we desire +To learn from thee. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What care I for the Swedes? +I hate them as I hate the pit of hell, +And under Providence I trust right soon +To chase them to their homes across their Baltic. +My cares are only for the whole: I have +A heart--it bleeds within me for the miseries +And piteous groanings of my fellow-Germans. +Ye are but common men, but yet ye think +With minds not common; ye appear to me +Worthy before all others, that I whisper thee +A little word or two in confidence! +See now! already for full fifteen years, +The war-torch has continued burning, yet +No rest, no pause of conflict. Swede and German, +Papist and Lutheran! neither will give way +To the other; every hand's against the other. +Each one is party and no one a judge. +Where shall this end? Where's he that will unravel +This tangle, ever tangling more and more +It must be cut asunder. +I feel that I am the man of destiny, +And trust, with your assistance, to accomplish it. + + + +SCENE XVI. + + To these enter BUTLER. + +BUTLER (passionately). +General! this is not right! + +WALLENSTEIN. + What is not right? + +BUTLER. +It must needs injure us with all honest men. + +WALLENSTEIN. +But what? + +BUTLER. + It is an open proclamation +Of insurrection. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Well, well--but what is it? + +BUTLER. +Count Terzky's regiments tear the imperial eagle +From off his banners, and instead of it +Have reared aloft their arms. + +ANSPESSADE (abruptly to the CUIRASSIERS). + Right about! March! + +WALLENSTEIN. +Cursed be this counsel, and accursed who gave it! + [To the CUIRASSIERS, who are retiring. +Halt, children, halt! There's some mistake in this; +Hark! I will punish it severely. Stop +They do not hear. (To ILLO). Go after them, assure them, +And bring them back to me, cost what it may. + + [ILLO hurries out. + +This hurls us headlong. Butler! Butler! +You are my evil genius, wherefore must you +Announce it in their presence? It was all +In a fair way. They were half won! those madmen +With their improvident over-readiness-- +A cruel game is Fortune playing with me. +The zeal of friends it is that razes me, +And not the hate of enemies. + + + +SCENE XVII. + + To these enter the DUCHESS, who rushes into the chamber; + THEKLA and the COUNTESS follow her. + +DUCHESS. + O Albrecht! +What hast thou done? + +WALLENSTEIN. + And now comes this beside. + +COUNTESS. +Forgive me, brother! It was not in my power-- +They know all. + +DUCHESS. + What hast thou done? + +COUNTESS (to TERZKY). +Is there no hope? Is all lost utterly? + +TERZKY. +All lost. No hope. Prague in the emperor's hands, +The soldiery have taken their oaths anew. + +COUNTESS. +That lurking hypocrite, Octavio! +Count Max. is off too. + +TERZKY. + Where can he be? He's +Gone over to the emperor with his father. + + [THEKLA rushes out into the arms of her mother, hiding her face + in her bosom. + +DUCHESS (enfolding her in her arms). +Unhappy child! and more unhappy mother! + +WALLENSTEIN (aside to TERZKY). +Quick! Let a carriage stand in readiness +In the court behind the palace. Scherfenberg, +Be their attendant; he is faithful to us. +To Egra he'll conduct them, and we follow. + [To ILLO, who returns. +Thou hast not brought them back? + +ILLO. + Hear'st thou the uproar? +The whole corps of the Pappenheimers is +Drawn out: the younger Piccolomini, +Their colonel, they require: for they affirm, +That he is in the palace here, a prisoner; +And if thou dost not instantly deliver him, +They will find means to free him with the sword. + + [All stand amazed. + +TERZKY. +What shall we make of this? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Said I not so? +O my prophetic heart! he is still here. +He has not betrayed me--he could not betray me. +I never doubted of it. + +COUNTESS. + If he be +Still here, then all goes well; for I know what + [Embracing THEKLA. +Will keep him here forever. + +TERZKY. + It can't be. +His father has betrayed us, is gone over +To the emperor--the son could not have ventured +To stay behind. + +THEKLA (her eye fixed on the door). + There he is! + + + +SCENE XVIII. + + To these enter MAX. PICCOLOMINI. + +MAX. +Yes, here he is! I can endure no longer +To creep on tiptoe round this house, and lurk +In ambush for a favorable moment: +This loitering, this suspense exceeds my powers. + + [Advancing to THEKLA, who has thrown herself into her mother's arms. + +Turn not thine eyes away. O look upon me! +Confess it freely before all. Fear no one. +Let who will hear that we both love each other. +Wherefore continue to conceal it? Secrecy +Is for the happy--misery, hopeless misery, +Needeth no veil! Beneath a thousand suns +It dares act openly. + + [He observes the COUNTESS looking on THEKLA with expressions + of triumph. + + No, lady! No! +Expect not, hope it not. I am not come +To stay: to bid farewell, farewell forever. +For this I come! 'Tis over! I must leave thee! +Thekla, I must--must leave thee! Yet thy hatred +Let me not take with me. I pray thee, grant me +One look of sympathy, only one look. +Say that thou dost not hate me. Say it to me, Thekla! + + [Grasps her hand. + +O God! I cannot leave this spot--I cannot! +Cannot let go this hand. O tell me, Thekla! +That thou dost suffer with me, art convinced +That I cannot act otherwise. + + [THEKLA, avoiding his look, points with her hand to her father. + MAX. turns round to the DUKE, whom he had not till then perceived. + +Thou here? It was not thou whom here I sought. +I trusted never more to have beheld thee, +My business is with her alone. Here will I +Receive a full acquittal from this heart; +For any other I am no more concerned. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Think'st thou that, fool-like, I shall let thee go, +And act the mock-magnanimous with thee? +Thy father is become a villain to me; +I hold thee for his son, and nothing more +Nor to no purpose shalt thou have been given +Into my power. Think not, that I will honor +That ancient love, which so remorselessly +He mangled. They are now passed by, those hours +Of friendship and forgiveness. Hate and vengeance +Succeed--'tis now their turn--I too can throw +All feelings of the man aside--can prove +Myself as much a monster as thy father! + +MAX (calmly). +Thou wilt proceed with me as thou hast power. +Thou knowest I neither brave nor fear thy rage. +What has detained me here, that too thou knowest. + [Taking THEKLA by the hand. +See, duke! All--all would I have owed to thee, +Would have received from thy paternal hand +The lot of blessed spirits. That hast thou +Laid waste forever--that concerns not thee. +Indifferent thou tramplest in the dust +Their happiness who most are thine. The god +Whom thou dost serve is no benignant deity, +Like as the blind, irreconcilable, +Fierce element, incapable of compact. +Thy heart's wild impulse only dost thou follow. [5] + +WALLENSTEIN. +Thou art describing thy own father's heart. +The adder! Oh, the charms of hell o'erpowered me +He dwelt within me, to my inmost soul +Still to and fro he passed, suspected never. +On the wide ocean, in the starry heaven +Did mine eyes seek the enemy, whom I +In my heart's heart had folded! Had I been +To Ferdinand what Octavio was to me, +War had I ne'er denounced against him. +No, I never could have done it. The emperor was +My austere master only, not my friend. +There was already war 'twixt him and me +When he delivered the commander's staff +Into my hands; for there's a natural +Unceasing war twixt cunning and suspicion; +Peace exists only betwixt confidence +And faith. Who poisons confidence, he murders +The future generations. + +MAX. + I will not +Defend my father. Woe is me, I cannot! +Hard deeds and luckless have taken place; one crime +Drags after it the other in close link. +But we are innocent: how have we fallen +Into this circle of mishap and guilt? +To whom have we been faithless? Wherefore must +The evil deeds and guilt reciprocal +Of our two fathers twine like serpents round us? + Why must our fathers' +Unconquerable hate rend us asunder, +Who love each other? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Max., remain with me. +Go you not from me, Max.! Hark! I will tell thee---- +How when at Prague, our winter quarters, thou +Wert brought into my tent a tender boy, +Not yet accustomed to the German winters; +Thy hand was frozen to the heavy colors; +Thou wouldst not let them go. +At that time did I take thee in my arms, +And with my mantle did I cover thee; +I was thy nurse, no woman could have been +A kinder to thee; I was not ashamed +To do for thee all little offices, +However strange to me; I tended thee +Till life returned; and when thine eyes first opened, +I had thee in my arms. Since then, when have +Altered my feelings toward thee? Many thousands +Have I made rich, presented them with lands; +Rewarded them with dignities and honors; +Thee have I loved: my heart, my self, I gave +To thee; They all were aliens: thou wert +Our child and inmate. [6] Max.! Thou canst not leave me; +It cannot be; I may not, will not think +That Max. can leave me. + +MAX. + Ob, my God! + +WALLENSTEIN + I have +Held and sustained thee from thy tottering childhood. +What holy bond is there of natural love, +What human tie that does not knit thee to me? +I love thee, Max.! What did thy father for thee, +Which I too have not done, to the height of duty? +Go hence, forsake me, serve thy emperor; +He will reward thee with a pretty chain +Of gold; with his ram's fleece will he reward thee; +For that the friend, the father of thy youth, +For that the holiest feeling of humanity, +Was nothing worth to thee. + +MAX. + O God! how can I +Do otherwise. Am I not forced to do it, +My oath--my duty--my honor---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + How? Thy duty? +Duty to whom? Who art thou? Max.! bethink thee +What duties may'st thou have? If I am acting +A criminal part toward the emperor, +It is my crime, not thine. Dost thou belong +To thine own self? Art thou thine own commander? +Stand'st thou, like me, a freeman in the world, +That in thy actions thou shouldst plead free agency? +On me thou art planted, I am thy emperor; +To obey me, to belong to me, this is +Thy honor, this a law of nature to thee! +And if the planet on the which thou livest +And hast thy dwelling, from its orbit starts. +It is not in thy choice, whether or no +Thou'lt follow it. Unfelt it whirls thee onward +Together with his ring, and all his moons. +With little guilt steppest thou into this contest; +Thee will the world not censure, it will praise thee, +For that thou held'st thy friend more worth to thee +Than names and influences more removed +For justice is the virtue of the ruler, +Affection and fidelity the subject's. +Not every one doth it beseem to question +The far-off high Arcturus. Most securely +Wilt thou pursue the nearest duty: let +The pilot fix his eye upon the pole-star. + + + +SCENE XIX. + + To these enter NEUMANN. + +WALLENSTEIN. +What now? + +NEUMANN. + The Pappenheimers are dismounted, +And are advancing now on foot, determined +With sword in hand to storm the house, and free +The count, their colonel. + +WALLENSTEIN (to TERZKY). + Have the cannon planted. +I will receive them with chain-shot. + [Exit TERZKY. +Prescribe to me with sword in hand! Go, Neumann! +'Tis my command that they retreat this moment, +And in their ranks in silence wait my pleasure. + + [NEUMANN exit. ILLO steps to the window. + +COUNTESS. +Let him go, I entreat thee, let him go. + +ILLO (at the window). +Hell and perdition! + +WALLENSTEIN. + What is it? + +ILLO. +They scale the council-house, the roof's uncovered, +They level at this house the cannon---- + +MAX. + Madmen + +ILLO. +They are making preparations now to fire on us. + +DUCHESS and COUNTESS. +Merciful heaven! + +MAX. (to WALLENSTEIN). + Let me go to them! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Not a step! + +MAX. (pointing to THEKLA and the DUCHESS). +But their life! Thine! + +WALLENSTEIN. + What tidings bringest thou, Terzky? + + + +SCENE XX. + + To these TERZKY returning. + +TERZKY. +Message and greeting from our faithful regiments. +Their ardor may no longer be curbed in. +They entreat permission to commence the attack; +And if thou wouldst but give the word of onset +They could now charge the enemy in rear, +Into the city wedge them, and with ease +O'erpower them in the narrow streets. + +ILLO. + Oh come +Let not their ardor cool. The soldiery +Of Butler's corps stand by us faithfully; +We are the greater number. Let us charge them +And finish here in Pilsen the revolt. + +WALLENSTEIN. +What? shall this town become a field of slaughter, +And brother-killing discord, fire-eyed, +Be let loose through its streets to roam and rage? +Shall the decision be delivered over +To deaf remorseless rage, that hears no leader? +Here is not room for battle, only for butchery. +Well, let it be! I have long thought of it, +So let it burst then! + [Turns to MAX. + Well, how is it with thee? +Wilt thou attempt a heat with me. Away! +Thou art free to go. Oppose thyself to me, +Front against front, and lead them to the battle; +Thou'rt skilled in war, thou hast learned somewhat under me, +I need not be ashamed of my opponent, +And never hadst thou fairer opportunity +To pay me for thy schooling. + +COUNTESS. + Is it then, +Can it have come to this? What! Cousin, cousin! +Have you the heart? + +MAX. +The regiments that are trusted to my care +I have pledged my troth to bring away from Pilsen +True to the emperor; and this promise will I +Make good, or perish. More than this no duty +Requires of me. I will not fight against thee, +Unless compelled; for though an enemy, +Thy head is holy to me still, + + [Two reports of cannon. ILLO and TERZKY hurry to the window. + +WALLENSTEIN. +What's that? + +TERZBY. + He falls. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Falls! Who? + +ILLO. + Tiefenbach's corps +Discharged the ordnance. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Upon whom? + +ILLO. + On--Neumann, +Your messenger. + +WALLENSTEIN (starting up). + Ha! Death and hell! I will---- + +TERZKY. +Expose thyself to their blind frenzy? + +DUCHESS and COUNTESS. + No! +For God's sake, no! + +ILLO. + Not yet, my general! +Oh, hold him! hold him! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Leave me---- + +MAX. + Do it not; +Not yet! This rash and bloody deed has thrown them +Into a frenzy-fit--allow them time---- + +WALLENSTEIN. +Away! too long already have I loitered. +They are emboldened to these outrages, +Beholding not my face. They shall behold +My countenance, shall hear my voice-- +Are they not my troops? Am I not their general, +And their long-feared commander! Let me see, +Whether indeed they do no longer know +That countenance which was their sun in battle! +From the balcony (mark!) I show myself +To these rebellious forces, and at once +Revolt is mounded, and the high-swollen current +Shrinks back into the old bed of obedience. + + [Exit WALLENSTEIN; ILLO, TERZKY, and BUTLER follow. + + + +SCENE XXI. + + COUNTESS, DUCHESS, MAX., and THEKLA. + +COUNTESS (to the DUCHESS). +Let them but see him--there is hope still, sister. + +DUCHESS. +Hope! I have none! + +MAX. (who during the last scene has been standing at a distance, in a +visible struggle of feelings advances). + This can I not endure. +With most determined soul did I come hither; +My purposed action seemed unblamable +To my own conscience--and I must stand here +Like one abhorred, a hard, inhuman being: +Yea, loaded with the curse of all I love! +Must see all whom I love in this sore anguish, +Whom I with one word can make happy--O! +My heart revolts within me, and two voices +Make themselves audible within my bosom. +My soul's benighted; I no longer can +Distinguish the right track. Oh, well and truly +Didst thou say, father, I relied too much +On my own heart. My mind moves to and fro-- +I know not what to do. + +COUNTESS. + What! you know not? +Does not your own heart tell you? Oh! then I +Will tell it you. Your father is a traitor, +A frightful traitor to us--he has plotted +Against our general's life, has plunged us all +In misery--and you're his son! 'Tis yours +To make the amends. Make you the son's fidelity +Outweigh the father's treason, that the name +Of Piccolomini be not a proverb +Of infamy, a common form of cursing +To the posterity of Wallenstein. + +MAX. +Where is that voice of truth which I dare follow! +It speaks no longer in my heart. We all +But utter what our passionate wishes dictate: +Oh that an angel would descend from heaven, +And scoop for me the right, the uncorrupted, +With a pure hand from the pure Fount of light. + [His eyes glance on THEKLA. +What other angel seek I? To this heart, +To this unerring heart, will I submit it; +Will ask thy love, which has the power to bless +The happy man alone, averted ever +From the disquieted and guilty--canst thou +Still love me, if I stay? Say that thou canst, +And I am the duke's---- + +COUNTESS. + Think, niece---- + +MAX. + Think nothing, Thekla! +Speak what thou feelest. + +COUNTESS. + Think upon your father. + +MAX. +I did not question thee, as Friedland's daughter. +Thee, the beloved and the unerring God +Within thy heart, I question. What's at stake? +Not whether diadem of royalty +Be to be won or not--that mightest thou think on. +Thy friend, and his soul's quiet are at stake: +The fortune of a thousand gallant men, +Who will all follow me; shall I forswear +My oath and duty to the emperor? +Say, shall I send into Octavio's camp +The parricidal ball? For when the ball +Has left its cannon, and is on its flight, +It is no longer a dead instrument! +It lives, a spirit passes into it; +The avenging furies seize possession of it, +And with sure malice, guide it the worst way. + +THEKLA. +Oh! Max.---- + +MAX. (interrupting her). + Nay, not precipitately either, Thekla. +I understand thee. To thy noble heart +The hardest duty might appear the highest. +The human, not the great part, would I act. +Even from my childhood to this present hour, +Think what the duke has done for me, how loved me +And think, too, how my father has repaid him. +Oh likewise the free lovely impulses +Of hospitality, the pious friend's +Faithful attachment, these, too, are a holy +Religion to the heart; and heavily +The shudderings of nature do avenge +Themselves on the barbarian that insults them. +Lay all upon the balance, all--then speak, +And let thy heart decide it. + +THEKLA. + Oh, thy own +Hath long ago decided. Follow thou +Thy heart's first feeling---- + +COUNTESS. + Oh! ill-fated woman! + +THEKLA. +Is it possible, that that can be the right, +The which thy tender heart did not at first +Detect and seize with instant impulse? Go, +Fulfil thy duty! I should ever love thee. +Whate'er thou hast chosen, thou wouldst still have acted +Nobly and worthy of thee--but repentance +Shall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace. + +MAX. + Then I +Must leave thee, must part from thee! + +THEKLA. + Being faithful +To thine own self, thou art faithful, too, to me: +If our fates part, our hearts remain united. +A bloody hatred will divide forever +The houses Piccolomini and Friedland; +But we belong not to our houses. Go! +Quick! quick! and separate thy righteous cause +From our unholy and unblessed one! +The curse of heaven lies upon our head: +'Tis dedicate to ruin. Even me +My father's guilt drags with it to perdition. +Mourn not for me: +My destiny will quickly be decided. + + [MAX. clasps her in his arms in extreme emotion. There is heard + from behind the scene a loud, wild, long-continued cry, Vivat + Ferdinandus! accompanied by warlike instruments. MAX. and THEKLA + remain without motion in each other's embraces. + + + +SCENE XXII. + + To the above enter TERZKY. + +COUNTESS (meeting him). +What meant that cry? What was it? + +TERZKY. + All is lost! + +COUNTESS. +What! they regarded not his countenance? + +TERZKY. +'Twas all in vain. + +DUCHESS. + They shouted Vivat! + +TERZKY. + To the emperor. + +COUNTESS. +The traitors? + +TERZKY. + Nay! he was not permitted +Even to address them. Soon as he began, +With deafening noise of warlike instruments +They drowned his words. But here he comes. + + + +SCENE XXIII. + + To these enter WALLENSTEIN, accompanied by ILLO and BUTLER. + +WALLENSTEIN (as he enters). +Terzky! + +TERZKY. + My general! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Let our regiments hold themselves +In readiness to march; for we shall leave +Pilsen ere evening. + [Exit TERZKY. + Butler! + +BUTLER. + Yes, my general. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The Governor of Egra is your friend +And countryman. Write him instantly +By a post courier. He must be advised, +That we are with him early on the morrow. +You follow us yourself, your regiment with you. + +BUTLER. +It shall be done, my general! + +WALLENSTEIN (steps between MAX. and THEKLA, who have remained during this +time in each other's arms). + Part! + +MAX. + O God! + + [CUIRASSIERS enter with drawn swords, and assemble in the + background. At the same time there are heard from below some + spirited passages out of the Pappenheim March, which seem to + address MAX. + +WALLENSTEIN (to the CUIRASSIERS). +Here he is, he is at liberty: I keep him +No longer. + + [He turns away, and stands so that MAX. cannot pass by him + nor approach the PRINCESS. + +MAX. +Thou know'st that I have not yet learnt to live +Without thee! I go forth into a desert, +Leaving my all behind me. Oh, do not turn +Thine eyes away from me! Oh, once more show me +Thy ever dear and honored countenance. + + [MAX. attempts to take his hand, but is repelled: he + turns to the COUNTESS. + +Is there no eye that has a look of pity for me? + + [The COUNTESS turns away from him; he turns to the DUCHESS. + +My mother! + +DUCHESS. + + Go where duty calls you. Haply +The time may come when you may prove to us +A true friend, a good angel at the throne +Of the emperor. + +MAX. + You give me hope; you would not +Suffer me wholly to despair. No! no! +Mine is a certain misery. Thanks to heaven! +That offers me a means of ending it. + + [The military music begins again. The stage fills more and more + with armed men. MAX. sees BUTLER and addresses him. + +And you here, Colonel Butler--and will you +Not follow me? Well, then, remain more faithful +To your new lord, than you have proved yourself +To the emperor. Come, Butler! promise me. +Give me your hand upon it, that you'll be +The guardian of his life, its shield, its watchman. +He is attainted, and his princely head +Fair booty for each slave that trades in murder. +Now he doth need the faithful eye of friendship, +And those whom here I see---- + + [Casting suspicious looks on ILLO and BUTLER. + +ILLO. + Go--seek for traitors +In Gallas', in your father's quarters. Here +Is only one. Away! away! and free us +From his detested sight! Away! + + [MAX. attempts once more to approach THERLA. WALLENSTEIN prevents + him. MAX. stands irresolute, and in apparent anguish, In the + meantime the stage fills more and more; and the horns sound from + below louder and louder, and each time after a shorter interval. + +MAX. +Blow, blow! Oh, were it but the Swedish trumpets, +And all the naked swords, which I see here, +Were plunged into my breast! What purpose you? +You come to tear me from this place! Beware, +Ye drive me not to desperation. Do it not! +Ye may repent it! + + [The stage is entirely filled with armed men. + +Yet more! weight upon weight to drag me down +Think what ye're doing. It is not well done +To choose a man despairing for your leader; +You tear me from my happiness. Well, then, +I dedicate your souls to vengeance. Mark! +For your own ruin you have chosen me +Who goes with me must be prepared to perish. + + [He turns to the background; there ensues a sudden and violent + movement among the CUIRASSIERS; they surround him, and carry him + off in wild tumult. WALLENSTEIN remains immovable. THERLA sinks + into her mother's arms. The curtain falls. The music becomes + loud and overpowering, and passes into a complete war-march--the + orchestra joins it--and continues during the interval between the + second and third acts. + + + + +ACT IV. + +SCENE I. + + The BURGOMASTER's house at Egra. + +BUTLER (just arrived). +Here then he is by his destiny conducted. +Here, Friedland! and no further! From Bohemia +Thy meteor rose, traversed the sky awhile, +And here upon the borders of Bohemia +Must sink. + Thou hast forsworn the ancient colors, +Blind man! yet trustest to thy ancient fortunes. +Profaner of the altar and the hearth, +Against thy emperor and fellow-citizens +Thou meanest to wage the war. Friedland, beware-- +The evil spirit of revenge impels thee-- +Beware thou, that revenge destroy thee not! + + + +SCENE II. + + BUTLER and GORDON. + +GORDON. + Is it you? +How my heart sinks! The duke a fugitive traitor! +His princely head attainted! Oh, my God! +Tell me, general, I implore thee, tell me +In full, of all these sad events at Pilsen. + +BUTLER. +You have received the letter which I sent you +By a post-courier? + +GORDON. + Yes: and in obedience to it +Opened the stronghold to him without scruple, +For an imperial letter orders me +To follow your commands implicitly. +But yet forgive me! when even now I saw +The duke himself, my scruples recommenced. +For truly, not like an attainted man, +Into this town did Friedland make his entrance; +His wonted majesty beamed from his brow, +And calm, as in the days when all was right, +Did he receive from me the accounts of office. +'Tis said, that fallen pride learns condescension. +But sparing and with dignity the duke +Weighed every syllable of approbation, +As masters praise a servant who has done +His duty and no more. + +BUTLER. + 'Tis all precisely +As I related in my letter. Friedland +Has sold the army to the enemy, +And pledged himself to give up Prague and Egra. +On this report the regiments all forsook him, +The five excepted that belong to Terzky, +And which have followed him, as thou hast seen. +The sentence of attainder is passed on him, +And every loyal subject is required +To give him in to justice, dead or living. + +GORDON. +A traitor to the emperor. Such a noble! +Of such high talents! What is human greatness? +I often said, this can't end happily. +His might, his greatness, and this obscure power +Are but a covered pitfall. The human being +May not be trusted to self-government. +The clear and written law, the deep-trod footmarks +Of ancient custom, are all necessary +To keep him in the road of faith and duty. +The authority intrusted to this man +Was unexampled and unnatural, +It placed him on a level with his emperor, +Till the proud soul unlearned submission. Woe is me! +I mourn for him! for where he fell, I deem +Might none stand firm. Alas! dear general, +We in our lucky mediocrity +Have ne'er experienced, cannot calculate, +What dangerous wishes such a height may breed +In the heart of such a man. + +BUTLER. + Spare your laments +Till he need sympathy; for at this present +He is still mighty, and still formidable. +The Swedes advance to Egra by forced marches, +And quickly will the junction be accomplished. +This must not be! The duke must never leave +This stronghold on free footing; for I have +Pledged life and honor here to hold him prisoner, +And your assistance 'tis on which I calculate. + +GORDON. +O that I had not lived to see this day! +From his hand I received this dignity, +He did himself intrust this stronghold to me, +Which I am now required to make his dungeon. +We subalterns have no will of our own: +The free, the mighty man alone may listen +To the fair impulse of his human nature. +Ah! we are but the poor tools of the law, +Obedience the sole virtue we dare aim at! + +BUTLER. +Nay! let it not afflict you, that your power +Is circumscribed. Much liberty, much error! +The narrow path of duty is securest. +And all then have deserted him you say? +He has built up the luck of many thousands +For kingly was his spirit: his full hand +Was ever open! Many a one from dust + [With a sly glance on BUTLER. +Hath he selected, from the very dust +Hath raised him into dignity and honor. +And yet no friend, not one friend hath he purchased, +Whose heart beats true to him in the evil hour. + +BUTLER. +Here's one, I see. + +GORDON. + I have enjoyed from him +No grace or favor. I could almost doubt, +If ever in his greatness he once thought on +An old friend of his youth. For still my office +Kept me at distance from him; and when first +He to this citadel appointed me, +He was sincere and serious in his duty. +I do not then abuse his confidence, +If I preserve my fealty in that +Which to my fealty was first delivered. + +BUTLER. +Say, then, will you fulfil the attainder on him, +And lend your aid to take him in arrest? + +GORDON (pauses, reflecting--then as in deep dejection). +If it be so--if all be as you say-- +If he've betrayed the emperor, his master, +Have sold the troops, have purposed to deliver +The strongholds of the country to the enemy-- +Yea, truly!--there is no redemption for him! +Yet it is hard, that me the lot should destine +To be the instrument of his perdition; +For we were pages at the court of Bergau +At the same period; but I was the senior. + +BUTLER. +I have heard so---- + +GORDON. + 'Tis full thirty years since then, +A youth who scarce had seen his twentieth year +Was Wallenstein, when he and I were friends +Yet even then he had a daring soul: +His frame of mind was serious and severe +Beyond his years: his dreams were of great objects +He walked amidst us of a silent spirit, +Communing with himself; yet I have known him +Transported on a sudden into utterance +Of strange conceptions; kindling into splendor +His soul revealed itself, and he spake so +That we looked round perplexed upon each other, +Not knowing whether it were craziness, +Or whether it were a god that spoke in him. + +BUTLER. +But was it where he fell two story high +From a window-ledge, on which he had fallen asleep +And rose up free from injury? From this day +(It is reported) he betrayed clear marks +Of a distempered fancy. + +GORDON. + He became +Doubtless more self-enwrapped and melancholy; +He made himself a Catholic. [7] Marvellously +His marvellous preservation had transformed him. +Thenceforth he held himself for an exempted +And privileged being, and, as if he were +Incapable of dizziness or fall, +He ran along the unsteady rope of life. +But now our destinies drove us asunder; +He paced with rapid step the way of greatness, +Was count, and prince, duke-regent, and dictator, +And now is all, all this too little for him; +He stretches forth his hands for a king's crown, +And plunges in unfathomable ruin. + +BUTLER. +No more, he comes. + + + +SCENE III. + + To these enter WALLENSTEIN, in conversation with the + BURGOMASTER of Egra. + +WALLENSTEIN. +You were at one time a free town. I see +Ye bear the half eagle in your city arms. +Why the half eagle only? + +BURGOMASTER. + We were free, +But for these last two hundred years has Egra +Remained in pledge to the Bohemian crown; +Therefore we bear the half eagle, the other half +Being cancelled till the empire ransom us, +If ever that should be. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Ye merit freedom. +Only be firm and dauntless. Lend your ears +To no designing whispering court-minions. +What may your imposts be? + +BURGOMASTER. + So heavy that +We totter under them. The garrison +Lives at our costs. + +WALLENSTEIN. + I will relieve you. Tell me, +There are some Protestants among you still? + [The BURGOMASTER hesitates. +Yes, yes; I know it. Many lie concealed +Within these walls. Confess now, you yourself---- + [Fixes, his eye on him. The BURGOMASTER alarmed. +Be not alarmed. I hate the Jesuits. +Could my will have determined it they had +Been long ago expelled the empire. Trust me-- +Mass-book or Bible, 'tis all one to me. +Of that the world has had sufficient proof. +I built a church for the Reformed in Glogau +At my own instance. Hark ye, burgomaster! +What is your name? + +BURGOMASTER. + Pachhalbel, my it please you. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Hark ye! But let it go no further, what I now +Disclose to you in confidence. + [Laying his hand on the BURGOMASTER'S shoulder with a certain + solemnity. + The times +Draw near to their fulfilment, burgomaster! +The high will fall, the low will be exalted. +Hark ye! But keep it to yourself! The end +Approaches of the Spanish double monarchy-- +A new arrangement is at hand. You saw +The three moons that appeared at once in the heaven? + +BURGOMASTER. +With wonder and affright! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Whereof did two +Strangely transform themselves to bloody daggers, +And only one, the middle moon, remained +Steady and clear. + +BURGOMASTER. + We applied it to the Turks. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The Turks! That all? I tell you that two empires +Will set in blood, in the East and in the West, +And Lutherism alone remain. + [Observing GORDON and BUTLER. + I'faith, +'Twas a smart cannonading that we heard +This evening, as we journeyed hitherward: +'Twas on our left hand. Did ye hear it here? + +GORDON. +Distinctly. The wind brought it from the south. + +BUTLER. +It seemed to come from Weiden or from Neustadt. + +WALLENSTEIN. +'Tis likely. That's the route the Swedes are taking. +How strong is the garrison? + +GORDON. + Not quite two hundred +Competent men, the rest are invalids. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Good! And how many in the vale of Jochim? + +GORDON. +Two hundred arquebusiers have I sent thither +To fortify the posts against the Swedes. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Good! I commend your foresight. At the works too +You have done somewhat? + +GORDON. + Two additional batteries +I caused to be run up. They were needless; +The Rhinegrave presses hard upon us, general! + +WALLENSTEIN. +You have been watchful in your emperor's service. +I am content with you, lieutenant-colonel. + [To BUTLER. +Release the outposts in the vale of Jochim, +With all the stations in the enemy's route. + [To GORDON. +Governor, in your faithful hands I leave +My wife, my daughter, and my sister. I +Shall make no stay here, and wait but the arrival +Of letters to take leave of you, together +With all the regiments. + + + +SCENE IV. + + To these enter COUNT TERZKY. + +TERZKY. +Joy, general, joy! I bring you welcome tidings. + +WALLENSTEIN. +And what may they be? + +TERZKY. + There has been an engagement +At Neustadt; the Swedes gained the victory. + +WALLENSTEIN. +From whence did you receive the intelligence? + +TERZKY. +A countryman from Tirschenreut conveyed it. +Soon after sunrise did the fight begin +A troop of the imperialists from Tachau +Had forced their way into the Swedish camp; +The cannonade continued full two hours; +There were left dead upon the field a thousand +Imperialists, together with their colonel; +Further than this he did not know. + +WALLENSTEIN. + How came +Imperial troops at Neustadt? Altringer, +But yesterday, stood sixty miles from there. +Count Gallas' force collects at Frauenberg, +And have not the full complement. Is it possible +That Suys perchance had ventured so far onward? +It cannot be. + +TERZKY. + We shall soon know the whole, +For here comes Illo, full of haste, and joyous. + + + +SCENE V. + + To these enter ILLO. + +ILLO (to WALLENSTEIN). +A courier, duke! he wishes to speak with thee. + +TERZKY (eagerly). +Does he bring confirmation of the victory? + +WALLENSTEIN (at the same time). +What does he bring? Whence comes he? + +ILLO. + From the Rhinegrave, +And what he brings I can announce to you +Beforehand. Seven leagues distant are the Swedes; +At Neustadt did Max. Piccolomini +Throw himself on them with the cavalry; +A murderous fight took place! o'erpowered by numbers +The Pappenheimers all, with Max. their leader, + [WALLENSTEIN shudders and turns pale. +Were left dead on the field. + +WALLENSTEIN (after a pause, in a low voice). +Where is the messenger? Conduct me to him. + + [WALLENSTEIN is going, when LADY NEUBRUNN rushes into the room. + Some servants follow her and run across the stage. + +NEUBRUNN. +Help! Help! + +ILLO and TERZKY (at the same time). + What now? + +NEUBRUNN. + The princess! + +WALLENSTEIN and TERZKY. + Does she know it? + +NEUBRUNN (at the same time with them). +She is dying! + + [Hurries off the stage, when WALLENSTEIN and TERZKY follow her. + + + +SCENE VI. + + BUTLER and GORDON. + +GORDON. +What's this? + +BUTLER. +She has lost the man she loved-- +Young Piccolomini, who fell in the battle. + +GORDON. +Unfortunate lady! + +BUTLER. + You have heard what Illo +Reporteth, that the Swedes are conquerers, +And marching hitherward. + +GORDON. + Too well I heard it. + +BUTLER. +They are twelve regiments strong, and there are five +Close by us to protect the duke. We have +Only my single regiment; and the garrison +Is not two hundred strong. + +GORDON. + 'Tis even so. + +BUTLER. +It is not possible with such small force +To hold in custody a man like him. + +GORDON. +I grant it. + +BUTLER. + Soon the numbers would disarm us, +And liberate him. + +GORDON. + It were to be feared. + +BUTLER (after a pause). +Know, I am warranty for the event; +With my head have I pledged myself for his, +Must make my word good, cost it what it will, +And if alive we cannot hold him prisoner, +Why--death makes all things certain! + +GORDON. + Sutler! What? +Do I understand you? Gracious God! You could---- + +BUTLER. +He must not live. + +GORDON. + And you can do the deed? + +BUTLER. +Either you or I. This morning was his last. + +GORDON. +You would assassinate him? + +BUTLER. + 'Tis my purpose. + +GORDON. +Who leans with his whole confidence upon you! + +BUTLER. +Such is his evil destiny! + +GORDON. + Your general! +The sacred person of your general! + +BUTLER. +My general he has been. + +GORDON. + That 'tis only +An "has been" washes out no villany, +And without judgment passed. + +BUTLER. + The execution +Is here instead of judgment. + +GORDON. + This were murder, +Not justice. The most guilty should be heard. + +BUTLER. +His guilt is clear, the emperor has passed judgment, +And we but execute his will. + +GORDON. + We should not +Hurry to realize a bloody sentence. +A word may be recalled, a life never can be. + +BUTLER. +Despatch in service pleases sovereigns. + +GORDON. +No honest man's ambitious to press forward +To the hangman's service. + +BUTLER. + And no brave man loses +His color at a daring enterprise. + +GORDON. +A brave man hazards life, but not his conscience. + +BUTLER. +What then? Shall he go forth anew to kindle +The unextinguishable flame of war? + +GORDON. +Seize him, and hold him prisoner--do not kill him. + +BUTLER. +Had not the emperor's army been defeated +I might have done so. But 'tis now passed by. + +GORDON. +Oh, wherefore opened I the stronghold to him? + +BUTLER. +His destiny, and not the place destroys him. + +GORDON. +Upon these ramparts, as beseemed a soldier-- +I had fallen, defending the emperor's citadel! + +BUTLER. +Yes! and a thousand gallant men have perished! + +GORDON. +Doing their duty--that adorns the man! +But murder's a black deed, and nature curses it. + +BUTLER (brings out a paper). +Here is the manifesto which commands us +To gain possession of his person. See-- +It is addressed to you as well as me. +Are you content to take the consequences, +If through our fault he escape to the enemy? + +GORDON. +I? Gracious God! + +BUTLER. + Take it on yourself. +Come of it what may, on you I lay it. + +GORDON. +Oh, God in heaven! + +BUTLER. + Can you advise aught else +Wherewith to execute the emperor's purpose? +Say if you can. For I desire his fall, +Not his destruction. + +GORDON. + Merciful heaven! what must be +I see as clear as you. Yet still the heart +Within my bosom beats with other feelings! + +BUTLER. +Mine is of harder stuff! Necessity +In her rough school hath steeled me. And this Illo, +And Terzky likewise, they must not survive him. + +GORDON. +I feel no pang for these. Their own bad hearts +Impelled them, not the influence of the stars. +'Twas they who strewed the seeds of evil passions +In his calm breast, and with officious villany +Watered and nursed the poisonous plants. May they +Receive their earnests to the uttermost mite! + +BUTLER. +And their death shall precede his! +We meant to have taken them alive this evening +Amid the merrymaking of a feast, +And keep them prisoners in the citadel, +But this makes shorter work. I go this instant +To give the necessary orders. + + + +SCENE VII. + + To these enter ILLO and TERZKY. + +TERZKY. +Our luck is on the turn. To-morrow come +The Swedes--twelve thousand gallant warriors, Illo! +Then straightwise for Vienna. Cheerily, friend! +What! meet such news with such a moody face? + +ILLO. +It lies with us at present to prescribe +Laws, and take vengeance on those worthless traitors +Those skulking cowards that deserted us; +One has already done his bitter penance, +The Piccolomini: be his the fate +Of all who wish us evil! This flies sure +To the old man's heart; he has his whole life long +Fretted and toiled to raise his ancient house +From a count's title to the name of prince; +And now must seek a grave for his only son. + +BUTLER. +'Twas pity, though! A youth of such heroic +And gentle temperament! The duke himself, +'Twas easily seen, how near it went to his heart. + +ILLO. +Hark ye, old friend! That is the very point +That never pleased me in our general-- +He ever gave the preference to the Italians. +Yea, at this very moment, by my soul! +He'd gladly see us all dead ten times over, +Could he thereby recall his friend to life. + +TERZKY. +Hush, hush! Let the dead rest! This evening's business +Is, who can fairly drink the other down-- +Your regiment, Illo! gives the entertainment. +Come! we will keep a merry carnival +The night for once be day, and 'mid full glasses +Will we expect the Swedish avant-garde. + +ILLO. +Yes, let us be of good cheer for to-day, +For there's hot work before us, friends! This sword +Shall have no rest till it is bathed to the hilt +In Austrian blood. + +GORDON. +Shame, shame! what talk is this, +My lord field-marshal? Wherefore foam you so +Against your emperor? + +BUTLER. + Hope not too much +From this first victory. Bethink you, sirs! +How rapidly the wheel of fortune turns; +The emperor still is formidably strong. + +ILLO. +The emperor has soldiers, no commander, +For this King Ferdinand of Hungary +Is but a tyro. Gallas? He's no luck, +And was of old the ruiner of armies. +And then this viper, this Octavio, +Is excellent at stabbing in the back, +But ne'er meets Friedland in the open field. + +TERZKY. +Trust me, my friends, it cannot but succeed; +Fortune, we know, can ne'er forsake the duke!-- +And only under Wallenstein can Austria +Be conqueror. + +ILLO. +The duke will soon assemble +A mighty army: all come crowding, streaming +To banners, dedicate by destiny +To fame, and prosperous fortune. I behold +Old times come back again! he will become +Once more the mighty lord which he has been. +How will the fools, who've how deserted him, +Look then? I can't but laugh to think of them, +For lands will he present to all his friends, +And like a king and emperor reward +True services; but we've the nearest claims. + [To GORDON. +You will not be forgotten, governor! +He'll take from you this nest, and bid you shine +In higher station: your fidelity +Well merits it. + +GORDON. + I am content already, +And wish to climb no higher; where great height is, +The fall must needy be great. "Great height, great depth." + +ILLO. +Here you have no more business, for to-morrow +The Swedes will take possession of the citadel. +Come, Terzky, it is supper-time. What think you? +Nay, shall we have the town illuminated +In honor of the Swede? And who refuses +To do it is a Spaniard and a traitor. + +TERZKY. +Nay! nay! not that, it will not please the duke---- + +ILLO. +What; we are masters here; no soul shall dare +Avow himself imperial where we've the rule. +Gordon! good-night, and for the last time take +A fair leave of the place. Send out patrols +To make secure, the watchword may be altered. +At the stroke of ten deliver in the keys +To the duke himself, and then you've quit forever +Your wardship of the gates, for on to-morrow +The Swedes will take possession of the citadel. + +TERZKY (as he is going, to BUTLER). +You come, though, to the castle? + +BUTLER. + At the right time. + + [Exeunt TERZKY and ILLO. + + + +SCENE VIII. + + GORDON and BUTLER. + +GORDON (looking after them). +Unhappy men! How free from all foreboding +They rush into the outspread net of murder +In the blind drunkenness of victory; +I have no pity for their fate. This Illo, +This overflowing and foolhardy villain, +That would fain bathe himself in his emperor's blood. + +BUTLER. +Do as he ordered you. Send round patrols, +Take measures for the citadel's security; +When they are within I close the castle-gate +That nothing may transpire. + +GORDON (with earnest anxiety). + Oh! haste not so! +Nay, stop; first tell me---- + +BUTLER. + You have heard already, +To-morrow to the Swedes belongs. This night +Alone is ours. They make good expedition. +But we will make still greater. Fare you well. + +GORDON. +Ah! your looks tell me nothing good. Nay, Butler, +I pray you promise me! + +BUTLER. + The sun has set; +A fateful evening doth descend upon us, +And brings on their long night! Their evil stars +Deliver them unarmed into our hands, +And from their drunken dream of golden fortunes +The dagger at their hearts shall rouse them. Well, +The duke was ever a great calculator; +His fellow-men were figures on his chess-board +To move and station, as his game required. +Other men's honor, dignity, good name, +Did he shift like pawns, and made no conscience of +Still calculating, calculating still; +And yet at last his calculation proves +Erroneous; the whole game is lost; and low! +His own life will be found among the forfeits. + +GORDON. +Oh, think not of his errors now! remember +His greatness, his munificence; think on all +The lovely features of his character, +On all the noble exploits of his life, +And let them, like an angel's arm, unseen, +Arrest the lifted sword. + +BUTLER. + It is too late. +I suffer not myself to feel compassion, +Dark thoughts and bloody are my duty now. + [Grasping GORDON's hand. +Gordon! 'tis not my hatred (I pretend not +To love the duke, and have no cause to love him). +Yet 'tis not now my hatred that impels me +To be his murderer. 'Tis his evil fate. +Hostile occurrences of many events +Control and subjugate me to the office. +In vain the human being meditates +Free action. He is but the wire-worked [8] puppet +Of the blind Power, which, out of its own choice, +Creates for him a dread necessity. +What too would it avail him if there were +A something pleading for him in my heart-- +Still I must kill him. + +GORDON. + If your heart speak to you +Follow its impulse. 'Tis the voice of God. +Think you your fortunes will grow prosperous +Bedewed with blood--his blood? Believe it not! + +BUTLER. +You know not. Ask not! Wherefore should it happen +That the Swedes gained the victory, and hasten +With such forced marches hitherwards? Fain would I +Have given him to the emperor's mercy. Gordon! +I do not wish his blood,--but I must ransom +The honor of my word,--it lies in pledge-- +And he must die, or---- + [Passionately grasping GORDON's hand. + Listen, then, and know +I am dishonored if the duke escape us. + +GORDON. +Oh! to save such a man---- + +BUTLER. + What! + +GORDON. + It is worth +A sacrifice. Come, friend! Be noble-minded! +Our own heart, and not other men's opinions, +Forms our true honor. + +BUTLER (with a cold and haughty air). + He is a great lord, +This duke, and I am of but mean importance. +This is what you would say! Wherein concerns it +The world at large, you mean to hint to me, +Whether the man of low extraction keeps +Or blemishes his honor-- +So that the man of princely rank be saved? +We all do stamp our value on ourselves: +The price we challenge for ourselves is given us. +There does not live on earth the man so stationed +That I despise myself compared with him. +Man is made great or little by his own will; +Because I am true to mine therefore he dies! + +GORDON. +I am endeavoring to move a rock. +Thou hadst a mother, yet no human feelings. +I cannot hinder you, but may some God +Rescue him from you! + + [Exit GORDON. +BUTLER [9] (alone). +I treasured my good name all my life long; +The duke has cheated me of life's best jewel, +So that I blush before this poor weak Gordon! +He prizes above all his fealty; +His conscious soul accuses him of nothing; +In opposition to his own soft heart +He subjugates himself to an iron duty. +Me in a weaker moment passion warped; +I stand beside him, and must feel myself +The worst man of the two. What though the world +Is ignorant of my purposed treason, yet +One man does know it, and can prove it, too-- +High-minded Piccolomini! +There lives the man who can dishonor me! +This ignominy blood alone can cleanse! +Duke Friedland, thou or I. Into my own hands +Fortune delivers me. The dearest thing a man has is himself. + + + +SCENE IX. + + [A gothic and gloomy apartment at the DUCHESS FRIEDLAND's. + THEKLA on a seat, pale, her eyes closed. The DUCHESS and LADY + NEUBRUNN busied about her. WALLENSTEIN and the COUNTESS in + conversation. + +WALLENSTEIN. +How knew she it so soon? + +COUNTESS. + She seems to have +Foreboded some misfortune. The report +Of an engagement, in which had fallen +A colonel of the imperial army, frightened her. +I saw it instantly. She flew to meet +The Swedish courier, and with sudden questioning, +Soon wrested from him the disastrous secret. +Too late we missed her, hastened after her, +We found her lying in his arms, all pale, +And in a swoon. + +WALLENSTEIN. + A heavy, heavy blow! +And she so unprepared! Poor child! how is it? + [Turning to the DUCHESS. +Is she coming to herself? + +DUCHESS. + Her eyes are opening---- + +COUNTESS. +She lives! + +THEKLA (looking around her). + Where am I? + +WALLENSTEIN (steps to her, raising her up in his arms). +Come, cheerly, Thekla! be my own brave girl! +See, there's thy loving mother. Thou art in +Thy father's arms. + +THEKLA (standing up). + Where is he? Is he gone? + +DUCHESS. +Who gone, my daughter? + +THEKLA. + He--the man who uttered +That word of misery. + +DUCHESS. + Oh, think not of it! +My Thekla! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Give her sorrow leave to talk! +Let her complain--mingle your tears with hers, +For she hath suffered a deep anguish; but +She'll rise superior to it, for my Thekla +Hath all her father's unsubdued heart. + +THEKLA. +I am not ill. See, I have power to stand. +Why does my mother weep? Have I alarmed her? +It is gone by--I recollect myself. + [She casts her eyes round the room, as seeking some one. +Where is he? Please you, do not hide him from me. +You see I have strength enough: now I will hear him. + +DUCHESS. +No; never shall this messenger of evil +Enter again into thy presence, Thekla! + +THEKLA. +My father---- + +WALLENSTEIN. + Dearest daughter! + +THEKLA. + I'm not weak. +Shortly I shall be quite myself again. +You'll grant me one request? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Name it, my daughter. + +THEKLA. +Permit the stranger to be called to me, +And grant me leave, that by myself I may +Hear his report and question him. + +DUCHESS. + No, never! + +COUNTESS. +'Tis not advisable--assent not to it. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Hush! Wherefore wouldst thou speak with him, my daughter? + +THEKLA. +Knowing the whole, I shall be more collected; +I will not be deceived. My mother wishes +Only to spare me. I will not be spared-- +The worst is said already: I can hear +Nothing of deeper anguish! + +COUNTESS and DUCHESS. + Do it not. + +THEKLA. +The horror overpowered me by surprise, +My heart betrayed me in the stranger's presence: +He was a witness of my weakness, yea, +I sank into his arms; and that has shamed me. +I must replace myself in his esteem, +And I must speak with him, perforce, that he, +The stranger, may not think ungently of me. + +WALLENSTEIN. +I see she is in the right, and am inclined +To grant her this request of hers. Go, call him. + + [LADY NEUBRUNN goes to call him. + +DUCHESS. +But I, thy mother, will be present---- + +THEKLA. + 'Twere +More pleasing to me if alone I saw him; +Trust me, I shall behave myself the more +Collectedly. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Permit her her own will. +Leave her alone with him: for there are sorrows, +Where of necessity the soul must be +Its own support. A strong heart will rely +On its own strength alone. In her own bosom, +Not in her mother's arms, must she collect +The strength to rise superior to this blow. +It is mine own brave girl. I'll have her treated +Not as the woman, but the heroine. + + [Going. + +COUNTESS (detaining him). +Where art thou going? I heard Terzky say +That 'tis thy purpose to depart from hence +To-morrow early, but to leave us here. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Yes, ye stay here, placed under the protection +Of gallant men. + +COUNTESS. + Oh, take us with you, brother. +Leave us not in this gloomy solitude. +To brood o'er anxious thoughts. The mists of doubt +Magnify evils to a shape of horror. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Who speaks of evil? I entreat you, sister, +Use words of better omen. + +COUNTESS. + Then take us with you. +Oh leave us not behind you in a place +That forces us to such sad omens. Heavy +And sick within me is my heart-- +These walls breathe on me like a churchyard vault. +I cannot tell you, brother, how this place +Doth go against my nature. Take us with you. +Come, sister, join you your entreaty! Niece, +Yours too. We all entreat you, take us with you! + +WALLENSTEIN. +The place's evil omens will I change, +Making it that which shields and shelters for me +My best beloved. + +LADY NEUBRUNN (returning). + The Swedish officer. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Leave her alone with me. + +DUCHESS (to THEKLA, who starts and shivers). +There--pale as death! Child, 'tis impossible +That thou shouldst speak with him. Follow thy mother. + +THEKLA. +The Lady Neubrunn then may stay with me. + + [Exeunt DUCHESS and COUNTESS. + + + +SCENE X. + + THEKLA, THE SWEDISH CAPTAIN, LADY NEUBRUNN. + +CAPTAIN (respectfully approaching her). +Princess--I must entreat your gentle pardon-- +My inconsiderate rash speech. How could!---- + +THEKLA (with dignity). +You have beheld me in my agony. +A most distressful accident occasioned +You from a stranger to become at once +My confidant. + +CAPTAIN. + I fear you hate my presence, +For my tongue spake a melancholy word. + +THEKLA. +The fault is mine. Myself did wrest it from you. +The horror which came o'er me interrupted +Your tale at its commencement. May it please you, +Continue it to the end. + +CAPTAIN. + Princess, 'twill +Renew your anguish. + +THEKLA. + I am firm,-- +I will be firm. Well--how began the engagement? + +CAPTAIN. +We lay, expecting no attack, at Neustadt, +Intrenched but insecurely in our camp, +When towards evening rose a cloud of dust +From the wood thitherward; our vanguard fled +Into the camp, and sounded the alarm. +Scarce had we mounted ere the Pappenheimers, +Their horses at full speed, broke through the lines, +And leaped the trenches; but their heedless courage +Had borne them onward far before the others-- +The infantry were still at distance, only +The Pappenheimers followed daringly +Their daring leader---- + + [THEKLA betrays agitation in her gestures. The officer pauses + till she makes a sign to him to proceed. + +CAPTAIN. + Both in van and flanks +With our whole cavalry we now received them; +Back to the trenches drove them, where the foot +Stretched out a solid ridge of pikes to meet them. +They neither could advance, nor yet retreat; +And as they stood on every side wedged in, +The Rhinegrave to their leader called aloud, +Inviting a surrender; but their leader, +Young Piccolomini---- + [THEKLA, as giddy, grasps a chair. + Known by his plume, +And his long hair, gave signal for the trenches; +Himself leaped first: the regiment all plunged after. +His charger, by a halbert gored, reared up, +Flung him with violence off, and over him +The horses, now no longer to be curbed,---- + + [THEKLA, who has accompanied the last speech with all + the marks of increasing agony, trembles through her whole + frame and is falling. The LADY NEUBRUNN runs to her, and + receives her in her arms. + +NEUBRUNN. +My dearest lady! + +CAPTAIN. + I retire. + +THERLA. + 'Tis over. +Proceed to the conclusion. + +CAPTAIN. + Wild despair +Inspired the troops with frenzy when they saw +Their leader perish; every thought of rescue +Was spurned; they fought like wounded tigers; their +Frantic resistance roused our soldiery; +A murderous fight took place, nor was the contest +Finished before their last man fell. + +THEKLA (faltering). + And where-- +Where is--you have not told me all. + +CAPTAIN (after a pause). + This morning +We buried him. Twelve youths of noblest birth +Did bear him to interment; the whole army +Followed the bier. A laurel decked his coffin; +The sword of the deceased was placed upon it, +In mark of honor by the Rhinegrave's self, +Nor tears were wanting; for there are among us +Many, who had themselves experienced +The greatness of his mind and gentle manners; +All were affected at his fate. The Rhinegrave +Would willingly have saved him; but himself +Made vain the attempt--'tis said he wished to die. + +NEUBRUNN (to THEKLA, who has hidden her countenance). +Look up, my dearest lady---- + +THEKLA. + Where is his grave? + +CAPTAIN. +At Neustadt, lady; in a cloister church +Are his remains deposited, until +We can receive directions from his father. + +THEKLA. +What is the cloister's name? + +CAPTAIN. + Saint Catherine's. + +THEKLA. +And how far is it thither? + +CAPTAIN. + Near twelve leagues. + +THEKLA. +And which the way? + +CAPTAIN. + You go by Tirschenreut +And Falkenberg, through our advanced posts. + +THEKLA + Who +Is their commander? + +CAPTAIN. + Colonel Seckendorf. + + [THEKLA steps to the table, and takes a ring from a casket. + +THEKLA. +You have beheld me in my agony, +And shown a feeling heart. Please you, accept + [Giving him the ring. +A small memorial of this hour. Now go! + +CAPTAIN (confusedly). +Princess---- + + [THEKLA silently makes signs to him to go, and turns from him. + The captain lingers, and is about to speak. LADY NEUBRUNN repeats + the signal, and he retires. + + + +SCENE XI. + + THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN. + +THEKLA (falls on LADY NEUBRUNN's neck). +Now gentle Neubrunn, show me the affection +Which thou hast ever promised--prove thyself +My own true friend and faithful fellow-pilgrim. +This night we must away! + +NEUBRUNN. + Away! and whither? + +THEKLA. +Whither! There is but one place in the world. +Thither, where he lies buried! To his coffin! + +NEUBRUNN. +What would you do there? + +THEKLA. + What do there? +That wouldst thou not have asked, hadst thou e'er loved. +There, that is all that still remains of him! +That single spot is the whole earth to me. + +NEUBRUNN. +That place of death---- + +THEKLA. + Is now the only place +Where life yet dwells for me: detain me not! +Come and make preparations; let us think +Of means to fly from hence. + +NEUBRUNN. + Your father's rage + +THEKLA. +That time is past-- +And now I fear no human being's rage. + +NEUBRUNN. +The sentence of the world! The tongue of calumny! + +THEKLA. +Whom am I seeking? Him who is no more. +Am I then hastening to the arms--O God! +I haste--but to the grave of the beloved. + +NEUBRUNN. +And we alone, two helpless, feeble women? + +THEKLA. +We will take weapons: my arm shall protect thee. + +NEUBRUNN. +In the dark night-time? + +THEKLA. + Darkness will conceal us. + +NEUBRUNN. +This rough tempestuous night---- + +THEKLA. + Had he a soft bed +Under the hoofs of his war-horses? + +NEUBRUNN. + Heaven! +And then the many posts of the enemy! + +THEKLA. +They are human beings. Misery travels free +Through the whole earth. + +NEUBRUNN. + The journey's weary length---- + +THEKLA. +The pilgrim, travelling to a distant shrine +Of hope and healing doth not count the leagues. + +NEUBRUNN. +How can we pass the gates? + +THEKLA. + Gold opens them. +Go, do but go. + +NEUBRUNN. + Should we be recognized---- + +THEKLA. +In a despairing woman, a poor fugitive, +Will no one seek the daughter of Duke Friedland. + +NEUBRUNN. +And where procure we horses for our flight? + +THEKLA. +My equerry procures them. Go and fetch him. + +NEUBRUNN. +Dares he, without the knowledge of his lord? + +THEKLA. +He will. Go, only go. Delay no longer. + +NEUBRUNN. +Dear lady! and your mother? + +THEKLA. + Oh! my mother! + +NEUBRUNN. +So much as she has suffered too already; +Your tender mother. Ah! how ill prepared +For this last anguish! + +THEKLA. + Woe is me! My mother! + [Pauses. +Go instantly. + +NEUBRUNN. + But think what you are doing! + +THEKLA. +What can be thought, already has been thought. + +NEUBRUNN. +And being there, what purpose you to do? + +THEKLA. +There a divinity will prompt my soul. + +NEUBRUNN. +Your heart, dear lady, is disquieted! +And this is not the way that leads to quiet. + +THEKLA. +To a deep quiet, such as he has found, +It draws me on, I know not what to name it, +Resistless does it draw me to his grave. +There will my heart be eased, my tears will flow. +Oh hasten, make no further questioning! +There is no rest for me till I have left +These walls--they fall in on me--a dim power +Drives me from hence--oh mercy! What a feeling! +What pale and hollow forms are those! They fill, +They crowd the place! I have no longer room here! +Mercy! Still more! More still! The hideous swarm, +They press on me; they chase me from these walls-- +Those hollow, bodiless forms of living men! + +NEUBRUNN. +You frighten me so, lady, that no longer +I dare stay here myself. I go and call +Rosenberg instantly. + + [Exit LADY NEUBRUNN. + + + +SCENE XII. + +THEKLA. +His spirit 'tis that calls me: 'tis the troop +Of his true followers, who offered up +Themselves to avenge his death: and they accuse me +Of an ignoble loitering--they would not +Forsake their leader even in his death; they died for him, +And shall I live? +For me too was that laurel garland twined +That decks his bier. Life is an empty casket: +I throw it from me. Oh, my only hope; +To die beneath the hoofs of trampling steeds-- +That is a lot of heroes upon earth! + + [Exit THEKLA. [10] + + (The Curtain drops.) + + + +SCENE XIII. + + THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN, and ROSENBERG. + +NEUBRUNN. +He is here, lady, and he will procure them. + +THEKLA. +Wilt thou provide us horses, Rosenberg? + +ROSENBERG. +I will, my lady. + +THEKLA. + And go with us as well? + +ROSENBERG. +To the world's end, my lady. + +THEKLA. + But consider, +Thou never canst return unto the duke. + +ROSENBERG. +I will remain with thee. + +THEKLA. + I will reward thee. +And will commend thee to another master. +Canst thou unseen conduct us from the castle? + +ROSENBERG. +I can. + +THEKLA. + When can I go? + +ROSENBERG. + This very hour. +But whither would you, lady? + +THEKLA. + To--Tell him, Neubrunn. + +NEUBRUNN. +To Neustadt. + +ROSENBERG. + So; I leave you to get ready. + + [Exit. + +NEUBRUNN. +Oh, see, your mother comes. + +THEKLA. + Indeed! O Heaven! + + + +SCENE XIV. + + THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN, the DUCHESS. + +DUCHESS. +He's gone! I find thee more composed, my child. + +THEKLA. +I am so, mother; let me only now +Retire to rest, and Neubrunn here be with me. +I want repose. + +DUCHESS. + My Thekla, thou shalt have it. +I leave thee now consoled, since I can calm +Thy father's heart. + +THEKLA. + Good night, beloved mother! + + (Falling on her neck and embracing her with deep emotion). + +DUCHESS. +Thou scarcely art composed e'en now, my daughter. +Thou tremblest strongly, and I feel thy heart +Beat audibly on mine. + +THEKLA. + Sleep will appease +Its beating: now good-night, good-night, dear mother. + + (As she withdraws from her mother's arms the curtain falls). + + + + +ACT V. + +SCENE I. + + Butler's Chamber. + + BUTLER, and MAJOR GERALDIN. + +BUTLER. +Find me twelve strong dragoons, arm them with pikes +For there must be no firing-- +Conceal them somewhere near the banquet-room, +And soon as the dessert is served up, rush all in +And cry--"Who is loyal to the emperor?" +I will overturn the table--while you attack +Illo and Terzky, and despatch them both. +The castle-palace is well barred and guarded, +That no intelligence of this proceeding +May make its way to the duke. Go instantly; +Have you yet sent for Captain Devereux +And the Macdonald? + +GERALDIN. + They'll be here anon. + + [Exit GERALDIN. + +BUTLER. +Here's no room for delay. The citizens +Declare for him--a dizzy drunken spirit +Possesses the whole town. They see in the duke +A prince of peace, a founder of new ages +And golden times. Arms, too, have been given out +By the town-council, and a hundred citizens +Have volunteered themselves to stand on guard. +Despatch! then, be the word; for enemies +Threaten us from without and from within. + + + +SCENE II. + + BUTLER, CAPTAIN DEVEREUX, and MACDONALD. + +MACDONALD. +Here we are, general. + +DEVEREUX. + What's to be the watchword? + +BUTLER. +Long live the emperor! + +BOTH (recoiling). + How? + +BUTLER. + Live the house of Austria. + +DEVEREUX. +Have we not sworn fidelity to Friedland? + +MACDONALD. +Have we not marched to this place to protect him? + +BUTLER. +Protect a traitor and his country's enemy? + +DEVEREUX. +Why, yes! in his name you administered +Our oath. + +MACDONALD. + And followed him yourself to Egra. + +BUTLER. +I did it the more surely to destroy him. + +DEVEREUX. +So then! + +MACDONALD. + An altered case! + +BUTLER (to DEVEREU%). + Thou wretched man +So easily leavest thou thy oath and colors? + +DEVEREUX. +The devil! I but followed your example; +If you could prove a villain, why not we? + +MACDONALD. +We've naught to do with thinking--that's your business. +You are our general, and give out the orders; +We follow you, though the track lead to hell. + +BUTLER (appeased). +Good, then! we know each other. + +MACDONALD. + I should hope so. + +DEVEREUX. +Soldiers of fortune are we--who bids most +He has us. + +MACDONALD. + 'Tis e'en so! + +BUTLER. + Well, for the present +You must remain honest and faithful soldiers. + +DEVEREUX. +We wish no other. + +BUTLER. + Ay, and make your fortunes. + +MACDONALD. +That is still better. + +BUTLER. + Listen! + +BOTH. + We attend. + +BUTLER. +It is the emperor's will and ordinance +To seize the person of the Prince-Duke Friedland +Alive or dead. + +DEVEREUX. + It runs so in the letter. + +MACDONALD. +Alive or dead--these were the very words. + +BUTLER. +And he shall be rewarded from the state +In land and gold who proffers aid thereto. + +DEVEREUX. +Ay! that sounds well. The words sound always well +That travel hither from the court. Yes! yes! +We know already what court-words import. +A golden chain perhaps in sign of favor, +Or an old charger, or a parchment-patent, +And such like. The prince-duke pays better. + +MACDONALD. + Yes, +The duke's a splendid paymaster. + +BUTLER. + All over +With that, my friends. His lucky stars are set. + +MACDONALD. +And is that certain? + +BUTLER. + You have my word for it. + +DEVEREUX. +His lucky fortune's all passed by? + +BUTLER. + Forever. +He is as poor as we. + +MACDONALD. + As poor as we? + +DEVEREUX. +Macdonald, we'll desert him. + +BUTLER. + We'll desert him? +Full twenty thousand have done that already; +We must do more, my countrymen! In short-- +We--we must kill him. + +BOTH (starting back) + Kill him! + +BUTLER. + Yes, must kill him; +And for that purpose have I chosen you. + +BOTH. + Us! + +BUTLER. +You, Captain Devereux, and thee, Macdonald. + +DEVEREUX (after a pause). +Choose you some other. + +BUTLER. + What! art dastardly? +Thou, with full thirty lives to answer for-- +Thou conscientious of a sudden? + +DEVEREUX. + Nay +To assassinate our lord and general---- + +MACDONALD. +To whom we swore a soldier's oath---- + +BUTLER. + The oath +Is null, for Friedland is a traitor. + +DEVEREUX. +No, no! it is too bad! + +MACDONALD. + Yes, by my soul! +It is too bad. One has a conscience too---- + +DEVEREUX. +If it were not our chieftain, who so long +Has issued the commands, and claimed our duty---- + +BUTLER. +Is that the objection? + +DEVEREUX. + Were it my own father, +And the emperor's service should demand it of me, +It might be done perhaps--but we are soldiers, +And to assassinate our chief commander, +That is a sin, a foul abomination, +From which no monk or confessor absolves us. + +BUTLER. +I am your pope, and give you absolution. +Determine quickly! + +DEVEREUX. + 'Twill not do. + +MACDONALD. + 'Twont do! + +BUTLER. +Well, off then! and--send Pestalutz to me. + +DEVEREUX (hesitates). +The Pestalutz---- + +MACDONALD. + What may you want with him? + +BUTLER. +If you reject it, we can find enough---- + +DEVEREUX. +Nay, if he must fall, we may earn the bounty +As well as any other. What think you, +Brother Macdonald? + +MACDONALD. + Why, if he must fall, +And will fall, and it can't be otherwise, +One would not give place to this Pestalutz. + +DEVEREUX (after some reflection). +When do you purpose he should fall? + +BUTLER. + This night. +To-morrow will the Swedes be at our gates. + +DEVEREUX. +You take upon you all the consequences? + +BUTLER. +I take the whole upon me. + +DEVEREUX. + And it is +The emperor's will, his express absolute will? +For we have instances that folks may like +The murder, and yet hang the murderer. + +BUTLER. +The manifesto says--"alive or dead." +Alive--'tis not possible--you see it is not. + +DEVEREUX. +Well, dead then! dead! But bow can we come at him. +The town is filled with Terzky's soldiery. + +MACDONALD. +Ay! and then Terzky still remains, and Illo---- + +BUTLER. +With these you shall begin--you understand me? + +DEVEREUX. +How! And must they too perish? + +BUTLER. + They the first. + +MACDONALD. +Hear, Devereux! A bloody evening this. + +DEVEREUX. +Have you a man for that? Commission me---- + +BUTLER. +'Tis given in trust to Major Geraldin; +This is a carnival night, and there's a feast +Given at the castle--there we shall surprise them, +And hew them down. The Pestalutz and Lesley +Have that commission. Soon as that is finished---- + +DEVEREUX. +Hear, general! It will be all one to you-- +Hark ye, let me exchange with Geraldin. + +BUTLER. +'Twill be the lesser danger with the duke. + +DEVEREUX. +Danger! The devil! What do you think me, general, +'Tis the duke's eye, and not his sword, I fear. + +BUTLER. +What can his eye do to thee? + +DEVEREUX. + Death and hell! +Thou knowest that I'm no milksop, general! +But 'tis not eight days since the duke did send me +Twenty gold pieces for this good warm coat +Which I have on! and then for him to see me +Standing before him with the pike, his murderer. +That eye of his looking upon this coat-- +Why--why--the devil fetch me! I'm no milksop! + +BUTLER. +The duke presented thee this good warm coat, +And thou, a needy wight, hast pangs of conscience +To run him through the body in return, +A coat that is far better and far warmer +Did the emperor give to him, the prince's mantle. +How doth he thank the emperor? With revolt +And treason. + +DEVEREUX. + That is true. The devil take +Such thankers! I'll despatch him. + +BUTLER. + And would'st quiet +Thy conscience, thou hast naught to do but simply +Pull off the coat; so canst thou do the deed +With light heart and good spirits. + +DEVEREUX. + You are right, +That did not strike me. I'll pull off the coat-- +So there's an end of it. + +MACDONALD. + Yes, but there's another +Point to be thought of. + +BUTLER. + And what's that, Macdonald? + +MACDONALD. +What avails sword or dagger against him? +He is not to be wounded--he is---- + +BUTLER (starting up). + What! + +MACDONALD. +Safe against shot, and stab, and flash! Hard frozen. +Secured and warranted by the black art +His body is impenetrable, I tell you. + +DEVEREUX. +In Ingolstadt there was just such another: +His whole skin was the same as steel; at last +We were obliged to beat him down with gunstocks. + +MACDONALD. +Hear what I'll do. + +DEVEREUX. + Well. + +MACDONALD. + In the cloister here +There's a Dominican, my countryman. +I'll make him dip my sword and pike for me +In holy water, and say over them +One of his strongest blessings. That's probatum! +Nothing can stand 'gainst that. + +BUTLER. + So do, Macdonald! +But now go and select from out the regiment +Twenty or thirty able-bodied fellows, +And let them take the oaths to the emperor. +Then when it strikes eleven, when the first rounds +Are passed, conduct them silently as may be +To the house. I will myself be not far off. + +DEVEREUX. +But how do we get through Hartschier and Gordon, +That stand on guard there in the inner chamber? + +BUTLER. +I have made myself acquainted with the place, +I lead you through a back door that's defended +By one man only. Me my rank and office +Give access to the duke at every hour. +I'll go before you--with one poinard-stroke +Cut Hartschier's windpipe, and make way for you. + +DEVEREUX. +And when we are there, by what means shall we gain +The duke's bed-chamber, without his alarming +The servants of the court? for he has here +A numerous company of followers. + +BUTLER. +The attendants fills the right wing: he hates bustle, +And lodges in the left wing quite alone. + +DEVEREUX. +Were it well over--hey, Macdonald! I +Feel queerly on the occasion, devil knows. + +MACDONALD. +And I, too. 'Tis too great a personage. +People will hold us for a brace of villains. + +BUTLER. +In plenty, honor, splendor--you may safely +Laugh at the people's babble. + +DEVEREUX. + If the business +Squares with one's honor--if that be quite certain. + +BUTLER. +Set your hearts quite at ease. Ye save for Ferdinand +His crown and empire. The reward can be +No small one. + +DEVEREUX. +And 'tis his purpose to dethrone the emperor? + +BUTLER. +Yes! Yes! to rob him of his crown and life. + +DEVEREUX. +And must he fall by the executioner's hands, +Should we deliver him up to the emperor +Alive? + +BUTLER. + It were his certain destiny. + +DEVEREUX. +Well! Well! Come then, Macdonald, he shall not +Lie long in pain. + + [Exeunt BUTLER through one door, MACDONALD and DEVEREUX + through the other. + + + +SCENE III. + + A saloon, terminated by a gallery, which extends far + into the background. + + WALLENSTIN sitting at a table. The SWEDISH CAPTAIN + standing before him. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Commend me to your lord. I sympathize +In his good fortune; and if you have seen me +Deficient in the expressions of that joy, +Which such a victory might well demand, +Attribute it to no lack of good-will, +For henceforth are our fortunes one. Farewell, +And for your trouble take my thanks. To-morrow +The citadel shall be surrendered to you +On your arrival. + + [The SWEDISH CAPTAIN retires. WALLENSTEIN sits lost in thought, + his eyes fixed vacantly, and his head sustained by his hand. The + COUNTESS TERZKY enters, stands before him for awhile, unobserved + by him; at length he starts, sees her and recollects himself. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Comest thou from her? Is she restored? How is she? + +COUNTESS. +My sister tells me she was more collected +After her conversation with the Swede. +She has now retired to rest. + +WALLENSTEIN. + The pang will soften +She will shed tears. + +COUNTESS. + I find thee altered, too, +My brother! After such a victory +I had expected to have found in thee +A cheerful spirit. Oh, remain thou firm! +Sustain, uphold us! For our light thou art, +Our sun. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Be quiet. I ail nothing. Where's +Thy husband? + +COUNTESS. + At a banquet--he and Illo. + +WALLENSTEIN (rises and strides across the saloon). +The night's far spent. Betake thee to thy chamber. + +COUNTESS. +Bid me not go, oh, let me stay with thee! + +WALLENSTEIN (moves to the window). +There is a busy motion in the heaven, +The wind doth chase the flag upon the tower, +Fast sweep the clouds, the sickle [11] of the moon, +Struggling, darts snatches of uncertain light. +No form of star is visible! That one +White stain of light, that single glimmering yonder, +Is from Cassiopeia, and therein +Is Jupiter. (A pause.) But now +The blackness of the troubled element hides him! + + [He sinks into profound melancholy, and looks vacantly + into the distance. + +COUNTESS (looks on him mournfully, then grasps his hand). +What art thou brooding on? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Methinks +If I but saw him, 'twould be well with me. +He is the star of my nativity, +And often marvellously hath his aspect +Shot strength into my heart. + +COUNTESS. +Thou'lt see him again. + +WALLENSTEIN (remains for awhile with absent mind, then assumes a livelier +manner, and turning suddenly to the COUNTESS). +See him again? Oh, never, never again! + +COUNTESS. +How? + +WALLENSTEIN. + He is gone--is dust. + +COUNTESS. + Whom meanest thou, then? + +WALLENSTEIN. +He, the more fortunate! yea, he hath finished! +For him there is no longer any future, +His life is bright--bright without spot it was, +And cannot cease to be. No ominous hour +Knocks at his door with tidings of mishap, +Far off is he, above desire and fear; +No more submitted to the change and chance +Of the unsteady planets. Oh, 'tis well +With him! but who knows what the coming hour +Veiled in thick darkness brings us? + +COUNTESS. +Thou speakest of Piccolomini. What was his death? +The courier had just left thee as I came. + + [WALLENSTEIN by a motion of his hand makes signs to her + to be silent. + +Turn not thine eyes upon the backward view, +Let us look forward into sunny days, +Welcome with joyous heart the victory, +Forget what it has cost thee. Not to-day, +For the first time, thy friend was to thee dead; +To thee he died when first he parted from thee. + +WALLENSTEIN. +This anguish will be wearied down [12], I know; +What pang is permanent with man? From the highest, +As from the vilest thing of every day, +He learns to wean himself: for the strong hours +Conquer him. Yet I feel what I have lost +In him. The bloom is vanished from my life, +For oh, he stood beside me, like my youth, +Transformed for me the real to a dream, +Clothing the palpable and the familiar +With golden exhalations of the dawn, +Whatever fortunes wait my future toils, +The beautiful is vanished--and returns not. + +COUNTESS. +Oh, be not treacherous to thy own power. +Thy heart is rich enough to vivify +Itself. Thou lovest and prizest virtues in him, +The which thyself didst plant, thyself unfold. + +WALLENSTEIN (stepping to the door). +Who interrupts us now at this late hour? +It is the governor. He brings the keys +Of the citadel. 'Tis midnight. Leave me, sister! + +COUNTESS. +Oh, 'tis so hard to me this night to leave thee; +A boding fear possesses me! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Fear! Wherefore? + +COUNTESS. +Shouldst thou depart this night, and we at waking +Never more find thee! + +WALLENSTEIN. + Fancies! + +COUNTESS. + Ob, my soul +Has long been weighed down by these dark forebodings, +And if I combat and repel them waking, +They still crush down upon my heart in dreams, +I saw thee, yesternight with thy first wife +Sit at a banquet, gorgeously attired. + +WALLENSTHIN. +This was a dream of favorable omen, +That marriage being the founder of my fortunes. + +COUNTESS. +To-day I dreamed that I was seeking thee +In thy own chamber. As I entered, lo! +It was no more a chamber: the Chartreuse +At Gitschin 'twas, which thou thyself hast founded, +And where it is thy will that thou shouldst be +Interred. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Thy soul is busy with these thoughts. + +COUNTESS. +What! dost thou not believe that oft in dreams +A voice of warning speaks prophetic to us? + +WALLENSTEIN. +There is no doubt that there exist such voices, +Yet I would not call them +Voices of warning that announce to us +Only the inevitable. As the sun, +Ere it is risen, sometimes paints its image +In the atmosphere, so often do the spirits +Of great events stride on before the events, +And in to-day already walks to-morrow. +That which we read of the fourth Henry's death +Did ever vex and haunt me like a tale +Of my own future destiny. The king +Felt in his breast the phantom of the knife +Long ere Ravaillac armed himself therewith. +His quiet mind forsook him; the phantasma +Started him in his Louvre, chased him forth +Into the open air; like funeral knells +Sounded that coronation festival; +And still with boding sense he heard the tread +Of those feet that even then were seeking him +Throughout the streets of Paris. + +COUNTESS. + And to thee +The voice within thy soul bodes nothing? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Nothing. +Be wholly tranquil. + +COUNTESS. + And another time +I hastened after thee, and thou rann'st from me +Through a long suite, through many a spacious hall. +There seemed no end of it; doors creaked and clapped; +I followed panting, but could not overtake thee; +When on a sudden did I feel myself +Grasped from behind,--the hand was cold that grasped me; +'Twas thou, and thou didst kiss me, and there seemed +A crimson covering to envelop us. + +WALLENSTEIN. +That is the crimson tapestry of my chamber. + +COUNTESS (gazing on him). +If it should come to that--if I should see thee, +Who standest now before me in the fulness +Of life---- + + [She falls on his breast and weeps. + +WALLENSTEIN. +The emperor's proclamation weighs upon thee-- +Alphabets wound not--and he finds no hands. + +COUNTESS. +If he should find them, my resolve is taken-- +I bear about me my support and refuge. + + [Exit COUNTESS. + + + +SCENE V. + + WALLENSTEIN, GORDON. + +WALLENSTEIN. +All quiet in the town? + +GORDON. + The town is quiet. + +WALLENSTEIN. +I hear a boisterous music! and the castle +Is lighted up. Who are the revellers? + +GORDON. +There is a banquet given at the castle +To the Count Terzky and Field-Marshal Illo. + +WALLENSTEIN. +In honor of the victory--this tribe +Can show their joy in nothing else but feasting. + [Rings. The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER enters. +Unrobe me. I will lay me down to sleep. + [WALLENSTEIN takes the keys from GORDON. +So we are guarded from all enemies, +And shut in with sure friends. +For all must cheat me, or a face like this + [Fixing his eyes on GORDON. +Was ne'er a hypocrite's mask. + + [The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER takes off his mantle, collar, and scarf. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Take care--what is that? + +GROOM OF THE CHAMBER. + The golden chain is snapped in two. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Well, it has lasted long enough. Here--give it. + [He takes and looks at the chain. +'Twas the first present of the emperor. +He hung it round me in the war of Friule, +He being then archduke; and I have worn it +Till now from habit-- +From superstition, if you will. Belike, +It was to be a talisman to me; +And while I wore it on my neck in faith, +It was to chain to me all my life-long +The volatile fortune, whose first pledge it was. +Well, be it so! Henceforward a new fortune +Must spring up for me; for the potency +Of this charm is dissolved. + + [GROOM OF THE CHAMBER retires with the vestments. WALLENSTEIN + rises, takes a stride across the room, and stands at last before + GORDON in a posture of meditation. + +How the old time returns upon me! I +Behold myself once more at Burgau, where +We two were pages of the court together. +We oftentimes disputed: thy intention +Was ever good; but thou were wont to play +The moralist and preacher, and wouldst rail at me-- +That I strove after things too high for me, +Giving my faith to bold, unlawful dreams, +And still extol to me the golden mean. +Thy wisdom hath been proved a thriftless friend +To thy own self. See, it has made thee early +A superannuated man, and (but +That my munificent stars will intervene) +Would let thee in some miserable corner +Go out like an untended lamp. + +GORDON. + My prince +With light heart the poor fisher moors his boat, +And watches from the shore the lofty ship +Stranded amid the storm. + +WALLENSTEIN. + Art thou already +In harbor, then, old man? Well! I am not. +The unconquered spirit drives me o'er life's billows; +My planks still firm, my canvas swelling proudly. +Hope is my goddess still, and youth my inmate; +And while we stand thus front to front almost, +I might presume to say, that the swift years +Have passed by powerless o'er my unblanched hair. + + [He moves with long strides across the saloon, and remains + on the opposite side over against GORDON. + +Who now persists in calling fortune false? +To me she has proved faithful; with fond love +Took me from out the common ranks of men, +And like a mother goddess, with strong arm +Carried me swiftly up the steps of life. +Nothing is common in my destiny, +Nor in the furrows of my hand. Who dares +Interpret then my life for me as 'twere +One of the undistinguishable many? +True, in this present moment I appear +Fallen low indeed; but I shall rise again. +The high flood will soon follow on this ebb; +The fountain of my fortune, which now stops, +Repressed and bound by some malicious star, +Will soon in joy play forth from all its pipes. + +GORDON. +And yet remember I the good old proverb, +"Let the night come before we praise the day." +I would be slow from long-continued fortune +To gather hope: for hope is the companion +Given to the unfortunate by pitying heaven. +Fear hovers round the head of prosperous men, +For still unsteady are the scales of fate. + +WALLENSTEIN (smiling). +I hear the very Gordon that of old +Was wont to preach, now once more preaching; +I know well, that all sublunary things +Are still the vassals of vicissitude. +The unpropitious gods demand their tribute. +This long ago the ancient pagans knew +And therefore of their own accord they offered +To themselves injuries, so to atone +The jealousy of their divinities +And human sacrifices bled to Typhon. + [After a pause, serious, and in a more subdued manner. +I too have sacrificed to him--for me +There fell the dearest friend, and through my fault +He fell! No joy from favorable fortune +Can overweigh the anguish of this stroke. +The envy of my destiny is glutted: +Life pays for life. On his pure head the lightning +Was drawn off which would else have shattered me. + + + +SCENE V. + + To these enter SENI. + +WALLENSTEIN. +Is not that Seni! and beside himself, +If one can trust his looks? What brings thee hither +At this late hour, Baptista? + +SENI. + Terror, duke! +On thy account. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What now? + +SENI. + Flee ere the day break! +Trust not thy person to the Swedes! + +WALLENSTEIN. + What now +Is in thy thoughts? + +SENI (with louder voice). +Trust not thy person to the Swedes. + +WALLENSTEIN. + What is it, then? + +SENI (still more urgently). +Oh, wait not the arrival of these Swedes! +An evil near at hand is threatening thee +From false friends. All the signs stand full of horror! +Near, near at hand the net-work of perdition-- +Yea, even now 'tis being cast around thee! + +WALLENSTEIN. +Baptista, thou art dreaming!--fear befools thee. + +SENI. +Believe not that an empty fear deludes me. +Come, read it in the planetary aspects; +Read it thyself, that ruin threatens thee +From false friends. + +WALLENSTEIN. + From the falseness of my friends +Has risen the whole of my unprosperous fortunes. +The warning should have come before! At present +I need no revelation from the stars +To know that. + +SENI. + Come and see! trust thine own eyes. +A fearful sign stands in the house of life-- +An enemy; a fiend lurks close behind +The radiance of thy planet. Oh, be warned! +Deliver not up thyself to these heathens, +To wage a war against our holy church. + +WALLENSTEIN (laughing gently). +The oracle rails that way! Yes, yes! Now +I recollect. This junction with the Swedes +Did never please thee--lay thyself to sleep, +Baptista! Signs like these I do not fear. + +GORDON (who during the whole of this dialogue has shown marks + of extreme agitation, and now turns to WALLENSTEIN). +My duke and general! May I dare presume? + +WALLENSTEIN. +Speak freely. + +GORDON. + What if 'twere no mere creation +Of fear, if God's high providence vouchsafed +To interpose its aid for your deliverance, +And made that mouth its organ? + +WALLENSTEIN. + Ye're both feverish! +How can mishap come to me from the Swedes? +They sought this junction with me--'tis their interest. + +GORDON (with difficulty suppressing his emotion). +But what if the arrival of these Swedes-- +What if this were the very thing that winged +The ruin that is flying to your temples? + + [Flings himself at his feet. + +There is yet time, my prince. + +SENI. + Oh hear him! hear him! + +GORDON (rises). +The Rhinegrave's still far off. Give but the orders, +This citadel shall close its gates upon him. +If then he will besiege us, let him try it. +But this I say; he'll find his own destruction, +With his whole force before these ramparts, sooner +Than weary down the valor of our spirit. +He shall experience what a band of heroes, +Inspirited by an heroic leader, +Is able to perform. And if indeed +It be thy serious wish to make amend +For that which thou hast done amiss,--this, this +Will touch and reconcile the emperor, +Who gladly turns his heart to thoughts of mercy; +And Friedland, who returns repentant to him, +Will stand yet higher in his emperor's favor +Then e'er he stood when he had never fallen. + +WALLENSTEIN (contemplates him with surprise, remains silent a while, + betraying strong emotion). +Gordon--your zeal and fervor lead you far. +Well, well--an old friend has a privilege. +Blood, Gordon, has been flowing. Never, never +Can the emperor pardon me: and if he could, +Yet I--I ne'er could let myself be pardoned. +Had I foreknown what now has taken place, +That he, my dearest friend, would fall for me, +My first death offering; and had the heart +Spoken to me, as now it has done--Gordon, +It may be, I might have bethought myself. +It may be too, I might not. Might or might not +Is now an idle question. All too seriously +Has it begun to end in nothing, Gordon! +Let it then have its course. + [Stepping to the window. +All dark and silent--at the castle too +All is now hushed. Light me, chamberlain? + + [The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER, who had entered during the last dialogue, + and had been standing at a distance and listening to it with visible + expressions of the deepest interest, advances in extreme agitation + and throws himself at the DUKE's feet. + +And thou too! But I know why thou dost wish +My reconcilement with the emperor. +Poor man! he hath a small estate in Carinthia, +And fears it will be forfeited because +He's in my service. Am I then so poor +That I no longer can indemnify +My servants? Well! to no one I employ +Means of compulsion. If 'tis thy belief +That fortune has fled from me, go! forsake me. +This night for the last time mayst thou unrobe me, +And then go over to the emperor. +Gordon, good-night! I think to make a long +Sleep of it: for the struggle and the turmoil +Of this last day or two was great. May't please you +Take care that they awake me not too early. + + [Exit WALLENSTEIN, the GROOM OF THE CHAMBER lighting him. SENI + follows, GORDON remains on the darkened stage, following the DUKE + with his eye, till he disappears at the further end of the gallery: + then by his gestures the old man expresses the depth of his anguish, + and stands leaning against a pillar. + + + +SCENE VI. + + GORDON, BUTLER (at first behind the scenes). + +BUTLER (not yet come into view of the stage). +Here stand in silence till I give the signal. + +GORDON (starts up). +'Tis he! he has already brought the murderers. + +BUTLER. +The lights are out. All lies in profound sleep. + +GORDON. +What shall I do, shall I attempt to save him? +Shall I call up the house? alarm the guards? + +BUTLER (appears, but scarcely on the stage). +A light gleams hither from the corridor. +It leads directly to the duke's bed-chamber. + +GORDON. +But then I break my oath to the emperor; +If he escape and strengthen the enemy, +Do I not hereby call down on my head +All the dread consequences. + +BUTLER (stepping forward). + Hark! Who speaks there? + +GORDON. +'Tis better, I resign it to the hands +Of Providence. For what am I, that I +Should take upon myself so great a deed? +I have not murdered him, if he be murdered; +But all his rescue were my act and deed; +Mine--and whatever be the consequences +I must sustain them. + +BUTLER (advances). + I should know that voice. + +GORDON. +Butler! + +BUTLER. + 'Tis Gordon. What do you want here? +Was it so late, then, when the duke dismissed you? + +GORDON. +Your hand bound up and in a scarf? + +BUTLER. + 'Tis wounded. +That Illo fought as he were frantic, till +At last we threw him on the ground. + +GORDON (shuddering). + Both dead? + +BUTLER. +Is he in bed? + +GORDON. + Ah, Butler! + +BUTLER. + Is he? speak. + +GORDON. +He shall not perish! Not through you! The heaven +Refuses your arm. See--'tis wounded! + +BUTLER. +There is no need of my arm. + +GORDON. + The most guilty +Have perished, and enough is given to justice. + + [The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER advances from the gallery with his finger + on his mouth commanding silence. + +GORDON. +He sleeps! Oh, murder not the holy sleep! + +BUTLER. +No! he shall die awake. + [Is going. + +GORDON. +His heart still cleaves +To earthly things: he's not prepared to step +Into the presence of his God! + +BUTLER (going). + God's merciful! + +GORDON (holds him). +Grant him but this night's respite. + +BUTLER (hurrying of). + The next moment +May ruin all. + +GORDON (holds him still). + One hour! + +BUTLER. + Unhold me! What +Can that short respite profit him? + +GORDON. + Oh, time +Works miracles. In one hour many thousands +Of grains of sand run out; and quick as they +Thought follows thought within the human soul. +Only one hour! Your heart may change its purpose, +His heart may change its purpose--some new tidings +May come; some fortunate event, decisive, +May fall from heaven and rescue him. Oh, what +May not one hour achieve! + +BUTLER. + You but remind me +How precious every minute is! + + [He stamps on the floor. + + + +SCENE VII. + + To these enter MACDONALD and DEVEREUX, with the HALBERDIERS. + +GORDON (throwing himself between him and them). + No, monster! +First over my dead body thou shalt tread. I will +Hot live to see the accursed deed! + +BUTLER (forcing him out of the way). +Weak-hearted dotard! + + [Trumpets are heard in the distance. + +DEVEREUX and MACDONALD. + Hark! The Swedish trumpets! +The Swedes before the ramparts! Let us hasten! + +GORDON (rushes out). +Oh, God of mercy! + +BUTLER (calling after him). + Governor, to your post! + +GROOM OF THE CHAMBER (hurries in). +Who dares make larum here? Hush! The duke sleeps. + +DEVEREUX (with loud, harsh voice). +Friend, it is time now to make larum. + +GROOM OF THE CHAMBER. + Help! +Murder! + +BUTLER. + Down with him! + +GROOM OF THE CHAMBER (run through the body by DEVEREUX, falls at + the entrance of the gallery). + Jesus Maria! + +BUTLER. +Burst the doors open. + + [They rush over the body into the gallery--two doors are heard to + crash one after the other. Voices, deadened by the distance--clash + of arms--then all at once a profound silence: + + + +SCENE VIII. + +COUNTESS TERZKY (with a light). +Her bedchamber is empty; she herself +Is nowhere to be found! The Neubrunn too, +Who watched by her, is missing. If she should +Be flown--but whither flown? We must call up +Every soul in the house. How will the duke +Bear up against these worst bad tidings? Oh, +If that my husband now were but returned +Home from the banquet! Hark! I wonder whether +The duke is still awake! I thought I heard +Voices and tread of feet here! I will go +And listen at the door. Hark! what is that? +'Tis hastening up the steps! + + + +SCENE IX. + + COUNTESS, GORDON. + +GORDON (rushes in out of breath) + 'Tis a mistake! +'Tis not the Swedes; ye must proceed no further-- +Butler! Oh, God! where is he? + [Observing the COUNTESS. + Countess! Say---- + +COUNTESS. +You're come then from the castle? Where's my husband? + +GORDON (in an agony of affright). +Your husband! Ask not! To the duke---- + +COUNTESS. + Not till +You have discovered to me---- + +GORDON. + On this moment +Does the world hang. For God's sake! to the duke. +While we are speaking---- + [Calling loudly. + Butler! Butler! God! + +COUNTESS. +Why, he is at the castle with my husband. + + [BUTLER comes from the gallery. + +GORDON. +'Twas a mistake. 'Tis not the Swedes--it is +The imperialists' lieutenant-general +Has sent me hither--will be here himself +Instantly. You must not proceed. + +BUTLER. + He comes +Too late. + + [GORDON dashes himself against the wall. + +GORDON. + Oh, God of mercy! + +COUNTESS. + What, too late? +Who will be here himself? Octavio +In Egra? Treason! Treason! Where's the duke? + + [She rushes to the gallery. + + + +SCENE X. + + Servants run across the stage full of terror. The whole scene + must be spoken entirely without pauses. + +SENI (from the gallery). +Oh, bloody, frightful deed! + +COUNTESS. + What is it, Seni? + +PAGE (from the gallery). +Oh, piteous sight! + + [Other servants hasten in with torches. + +COUNTESS. +What is it? For God's sake! + +SENI. + And do you ask? +Within the duke lies murdered--and your husband +Assassinated at the castle. + + [The COUNTESS stands motionless. + +FEMALE SERVANT (rushing across the stage). +Help! help! the duchess! + +BURGOMASTER (enters). + What mean these confused +Loud cries that wake the sleepers of this house? + +GORDON. +Your house is cursed to all eternity. +In your house doth the duke lie murdered! + +BURGOMASTER (rushing out) + Heaven forbid! + +FIRST SERVANT. +Fly! fly! they murder us all! + +SECOND SERVANT (carrying silver-plate). + That way! the lower +Passages are blocked up. + +VOICE (from behind the scene). +Make room for the lieutenant-general! + + [At these words the COUNTESS starts from her stupor, collects + herself, and retires suddenly. + +VOICE (from behind the scene). +Keep back the people! Guard the door! + + + +SCENE XI. + + To these enter OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI with all his train. At the same + time DEVEREUX and MACDONALD enter from out the corridor with the + Halberdiers. WALLENSTEIN's dead body is carried over the back part + of the stage, wrapped in a piece of crimson tapestry. + +OCTAVIO (entering abruptly). +It must not be! It is not possible! +Butler! Gordon! +I'll not believe it. Say no! + + [GORDON, without answering, points with his hand to the body of + WALLENSTEIN as it is carried over the back of the stage. OCTAVIO + looks that way, and stands overpowered with horror. + +DEVEREUX (to BUTLER). +Here is the golden fleece--the duke's sword---- + +MACDONALD. +Is it your order---- + +BUTLER (pointing to OCTAVIO). + Here stands he who now +Hath the sole power to issue orders. + + [DEVEREUX and MACDONALD retire with marks of obeisance. One drops + away after the other, till only BUTLER, OCTAVIO, and GORDON remain + on the stage. + +OCTAVIO (turning to BUTLER). +Was that my purpose, Butler, when we parted? +Oh, God of Justice! +To thee I lift my hand! I am not guilty +Of this foul deed. + +BUTLER. + Your hand is pure. You have +Availed yourself of mine. + +OCTAVIO. + Merciless man! +Thus to abuse the orders of thy lord-- +And stain thy emperor's holy name with murder, +With bloody, most accursed assassination! + +BUTLER (calmly). +I've but fulfilled the emperor's own sentence. + +OCTAVIO. +Oh, curse of kings, +Infusing a dread life into their words, +And linking to the sudden, transient thought +The unchanging, irrevocable deed. +Was there necessity for such an eager +Despatch? Couldst thou not grant the merciful +A time for mercy? Time is man's good angel. +To leave no interval between the sentence, +And the fulfilment of it, doth beseem +God only, the immutable! + +BUTLER. + For what +Rail you against me? What is my offence? +The empire from a fearful enemy +Have I delivered, and expect reward. +The single difference betwixt you and me +Is this: you placed the arrow in the bow; +I pulled the string. You sowed blood, and yet stand +Astonished that blood is come up. I always +Knew what I did, and therefore no result +Hath power to frighten or surprise my spirit. +Have you aught else to order; for this instant +I make my best speed to Vienna; place +My bleeding sword before my emperor's throne, +And hope to gain the applause which undelaying +And punctual obedience may demand +From a just judge. + + [Exit BUTLER. + + + +SCENE XII. + + To these enter the COUNTESS TERZKY, pale and disordered. + Her utterance is slow and feeble, and unimpassioned. + +OCTAVIO (meeting her). +Oh, Countess Terzky! These are the results +Of luckless, unblest deeds. + +COUNTESS. + They are the fruits +Of your contrivances. The duke is dead, +My husband too is dead, the duchess struggles +In the pangs of death, my niece has disappeared; +This house of splendor, and of princely glory, +Doth now stand desolated: the affrighted servants +Rush forth through all its doors. I am the last +Therein; I shut it up, and here deliver +The keys. + +OCTAVIO (with a deep anguish). + Oh, countess! my house, too, is desolate. + +COUNTESS. +Who next is to be murdered? Who is next +To be maltreated? Lo! the duke is dead. +The emperor's vengeance may be pacified! +Spare the old servants; let not their fidelity +Be imputed to the faithful as a crime-- +The evil destiny surprised my brother +Too suddenly: he could not think on them. + +OCTAVIO. +Speak not of vengeance! Speak not of maltreatment! +The emperor is appeased; the heavy fault +Hath heavily been expiated--nothing +Descended from the father to the daughter, +Except his glory and his services. +The empress honors your adversity, +Takes part in your afflictions, opens to you +Her motherly arms. Therefore no further fears. +Yield yourself up in hope and confidence +To the imperial grace! + +COUNTESS (with her eye raised to heaven) +To the grace and mercy of a greater master +Do I yield up myself. Where shall the body +Of the duke have its place of final rest? +In the Chartreuse, which he himself did found +At Gitschin, rests the Countess Wallenstein; +And by her side, to whom he was indebted +For his first fortunes, gratefully he wished +He might sometime repose in death! Oh, let him +Be buried there. And likewise, for my husband's +Remains I ask the like grace. The emperor +Is now the proprietor of all our castles; +This sure may well be granted us--one sepulchre +Beside the sepulchres of our forefathers! + +OCTAVIO. +Countess, you tremble, you turn pale! + +COUNTESS (reassembles all her powers, and speaks with energy and + dignity). + You think +More worthily of me than to believe +I would survive the downfall of my house. +We did not hold ourselves too mean to grasp +After a monarch's crown--the crown did fate +Deny, but not the feeling and the spirit +That to the crown belong! We deem a +Courageous death more worthy of our free station +Than a dishonored life. I have taken poison. + +OCTAVIO. +Help! Help! Support her! + +COUNTESS. + Nay, it is too late. +In a few moments is my fate accomplished. + + [Exit COUNTESS. + +GORDON. +Oh, house of death and horrors! + + [An OFFICER enters, and brings a letter with the great seal. + GORDON steps forward and meets him. + + What is this +It is the imperial seal. + + [He reads the address, and delivers the letter to OCTAVIO with + a look of reproach, and with an emphasis on the word. + +To the Prince Piccolomini. + + [OCTAVIO, with his whole frame expressive of sudden anguish, + raises his eyes to heaven. + + The Curtain drops. + + + +FOOTNOTES. + + +[1] A great stone near Luetzen, since called the Swede's Stone, the body + of their great king having been found at the foot of it, after the + battle in which he lost his life. + +[2] Could I have hazarded such a Germanism as the use of the word + afterworld for posterity,--"Es spreche Welt und Nachwelt meinen + Namen"--might have been rendered with more literal fidelity: Let + world and afterworld speak out my name, etc. + +[3] I have not ventured to affront the fastidious delicacy of our age + with a literal translation of this line, + + werth + Die Eingeweide schaudernd aufzuregen. + +[4] Anspessade, in German, Gefreiter, a soldier inferior to a corporal, + but above the sentinels. The German name implies that he is exempt + from mounting guard. + +[5] I have here ventured to omit a considerable number of lines. I fear + that I should not have done amiss had I taken this liberty more + frequently. It is, however, incumbent on me to give the original, + with a literal translation. + + "Weh denen, die auf Dich vertraun, an Dich + Die sichre Huette ihres Glueckes lehnen, + Gelockt von deiner geistlichen Gestalt. + Schnell unverhofft, bei naechtlich stiller Weile, + Gaehrts in dem tueckschen Feuerschlunde, ladet, + Sich aus mit tobender Gewalt, und weg + Treibt ueber alle Pflanzungen der Menschen + Der wilde Strom in grausender Zerstoerung." + + WALLENSTEIN. + "Du schilderst deines Vaters Herz. Wie Du's + Beschreibst, so ist's in seinem Eingeweide, + In dieser schwarzen Heuchlers Brust gestaltet. + Oh, mich hat Hoellenkunst getaeuscht! Mir sandte + Der Abgrund den verflecktesten der Geister, + Den Luegenkundigsten herauf, und stellt' ihn + Als Freund an meiner Seite. Wer vermag + Der Hoelle Macht zu widersthn! Ich zog + Den Basilisken auf an meinem Busen, + Mit meinem Herzblut naehrt' ich ihn, er sog + Sich schwelgend voll an meiner Liebe Bruesten, + Ich hatte nimmer Arges gegen ihn, + Weit offen liess ich des Gedankens Thore, + Und warf die Schluessel weiser Vorsicht weg, + Am Sternenhimmel," etc. + + LITERAL TRANSLATION. + + "Alas! for those who place their confidence on thee, against thee + lean their secure hut of their fortune, allured by thy hospitable + form. Suddenly, unexpectedly, in a moment still as night, there is + a fermentation in the treacherous gulf of fire; it discharges + itself with raging force, and away over all the plantations of men + drives the wild stream in frightful devastation." + + WALLENSTEIN.--"Thou art portraying thy father's heart; as thou + describest, even so is it shaped in its entrails, in this black + hypocrite's breast. Oh, the art of hell has deceived me! The abyss + sent up to me the most the most spotted of the spirits, the most + skilful in lies, and placed him as a friend by my side. Who may + withstand the power of hell? I took the basilisk to my bosom, with + my heart's blood I nourished him; he sucked himself glutfull at the + breasts of my love. I never harbored evil towards him; wide open + did I leave the door of my thoughts; I threw away the key of wise + foresight. In the starry heaven, etc." We find a difficulty in + believing this to have been written by Schiller. + +[6] This is a poor and inadequate translation of the affectionate + simplicity of the original-- + + Sie alle waren Fremdlinge, Du warst + Das Kind des Hauses. + + Indeed the whole speech is in the best style of Massinger. + O si sic omnia! + +[7] It appears that the account of his conversion being caused by + such a fall, and other stories of his juvenile character, are not + well authenticated. + +[8] We doubt the propriety of putting so blasphemous a statement in the + mouth of any character.--T. + +[9] [This soliloquy, which, according to the former arrangement, + constituted the whole of scene ix., and concluded the fourth act, + is omitted in all the printed German editions. It seems probable + that it existed in the original manuscript from which Mr. Coleridge + translated.--ED.] + +[10] The soliloquy of Thekla consists in the original of six-and-twenty + lines twenty of which are in rhymes of irregular recurrence. I + thought it prudent to abridge it. Indeed the whole scene between + Thekla and Lady Neubrunn might, perhaps, have been omitted without + injury to the play.--C. + +[11] These four lines are expressed in the original with exquisite + felicity:-- + + Am Himmel ist geschaeftige Bewegung. + Des Thurmes Fahne jagt der Wind, schnell geht + Der Wolken Zug, die Mondessichel wankt + Und durch die Nacht zuckt ungewisse Helle. + + The word "moon-sickle" reminds me of a passage in Harris, as quoted + by Johnson, under the word "falcated." "The enlightened part of the + moon appears in the form of a sickle or reaping-hook, which is while + she is moving from the conjunction to the opposition, or from the + new moon to the full: but from full to a new again the enlightened + part appears gibbous, and the dark falcated." + + The words "wanken" and "schweben" are not easily translated. The + English words, by which we attempt to render them, are either vulgar + or antic, or not of sufficiently general application. So "der + Wolken Zug"--The Draft, the Procession of Clouds. The Masses of the + Clouds sweep onward in swift stream. + +[12] A very inadequate translation of the original:-- + + Verschmerzen werd' ich diesen Schlag, das weiss ich, + Denn was verschmerzte nicht der Mensch! + + LITERALLY. + + I shall grieve down this blow, of that I'm conscious: + What does not man grieve down? + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEATH OF WALLENSTEIN *** + +******* This file should be named fs27w10.txt or fs27w10.zip ****** + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, fs27w11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, fs27w10a.txt + +This eBook was produced by Tapio Riikonen +and David Widger, widger@cecomet.net + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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