They intreat 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
C'erpower them in the narrow streets.
Let not their ardour 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 deliver'd 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!
Not yet! This rash and bloody deed has thrown them
Into a frenzy-fit-allow them time——
Away! too long already have I loiter'd.
They are embolden'd 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-fear'd 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
[Turns to MAX. To these rebellious forces, and at once
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 compell'd; for though an enemy,
Thy head is holy to me still.
my own conscience-and I must stand here
Like one abhorr'd, a hard inhuman being;
Yea, loaded with the curse of all I love!
Must see all whom I love in this sore anguish,
[Two reports of cannon. ILLO and TERTSKY hurry to 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. O, 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.
O 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--
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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 mightst 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.
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To thine own self, thou art faithful too to me:
If our fates part, our hearts remain united.
A bloody hatred will divide for ever
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:
'T is 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.
Nay! he was not once permitted Soon as he began,
With deafening noise of warlike instruments They drown'd his words. But here he comes.
To these enter WALLENSTEIN, accompanied by ILLO and
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 hadst chosen, thou wouldst still have acted
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!
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.
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.
resolute, and in apparent anguish. In the mean time the stage fills more and more; and the horns sound from below louder and louder, and each time after a shorter interval.
Blow, blow! O 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 chuse 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 back-ground, there ensues a sudden
and violent movement among the Cuirassiers;
they surround him, and carry him off in
wild tumult. WALLENSTEIN remains immov-
able. THEKLA 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 con-
tinues during the interval between the second
and third Act.
SCENE-The BURGOMASTER's House at Egra.
BUTLER (just arrived).
Here then he is, by his destiny conducted.
Here, Friedland! and no farther! From Bohemia
Thy meteor rose, traversed the sky awhile,
And here upon the horders of Bohemia
Must sink.
Thou hast foresworn the ancient colours,
Blind man! yet trustest to thy ancient fortunes.
Profaner of the altar and the hearth,
[The military music begins again. The stage fills Against thy Emperor and fellow-citizens
more and more with armed men.
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-
Thou mean'st to wage the war. Friedland, bewarc---
The evil spirit of revenge impels thee-
Beware thou, that revenge destroy thee not!
How my heart sinks! The Duke a fugitive traitor!
His princely head attainted! O my God!
[Casting suspicious looks on ILLO and BUTLER. You have received the letter which I sent you
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 cover'd pit-fall. The human being
May not be trusted to self-government.
The clear and written law, the deep trod foot-marks
Of ancient custom, are all necessary
To keep him in the road of faith and duty.
The authority entrusted to this man
Was unexampled and unnatural,
It placed him on a level with his Emperor,
Till the proud soul unlearn'd submission. Wo 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.
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 accomplish'd. This must not be! The Duke must never leave This strong-hold on free footing; for I have Pledged life and honour here to hold him prisoner, And your assistance 't is on which I calculate.
O that I had not lived to see this day!
From his hand I received this dignity,
He did himself entrust this strong-hold 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.
Say, then, will you fulfil the attainder on him?
GORDON (pauses reflecting-then as in deep dejection).
If it be so-if all be as you say-
If he 've betray'd the Emperor, his master,
Have sold the troops, have purposed to deliver
The strong-holds 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.
"T is 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 walk'd 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 splendour
His soul reveal'd itself, and he spake so
That we look'd round perplex'd upon each other,
Not knowing whether it were craziness,
Or whether it were a god that spoke in him.
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 distemper'd fancy.
Doubtless more self-enwrapt and melancholy;
He made himself a Catholic. Marvellously.
His marvellous preservation had transform'd him.
Thenceforth he held himself for an exempted
And privileged being, and, as if he were
Incapable of dizziness or fall,
With wonder and affright!
Strangely transform themselves to bloody daggers,
And only one, the middle moon, remain'd
Steady and clear.
We applied it to the Turks.
The Turks! That all?-I tell you, that two empires
Will set in blood, in the East and in the West,
To these enter WALLENSTEIN, in conversation with the And Luth'ranism alone remain.
There are some Protestants among you still?
[The BURGOMASTER hesitates.
Yes, yes; I know it. Many lie conceal'd
Within these walls-Confess now-you yourself-
[Fixes his eye on him. The BURGOMASTER alarmed.
Be not alarm'd. I hate the Jesuits.
Could my will have determined it, they had
Been long ago expell'd the empire. Trust me
Mass-book or bible-'t is all one to me.
Of that the world has had sufficient proof.
I built a church for the reform'd in Glogau
At my own instance. Harkye, Burgomaster!
What is your name?
Pachhalbel, may it please you.
[Observing GORDON and BUTLER.
I' faith,
'T was a smart cannonading that we heard
This evening, as we journey'd hitherward;
'T was on our left hand. Did you hear it here?
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.
Draw near to their fulfilment, Burgomaster!
The high will fall, the low will be exalted.
Harkye! 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 appear'd at once in the Heaven.
To these enter COUNT TERTSKY.
Joy, General; joy! I bring you welcome tidings.
There has been an engagement At Neustadt; the Swedes gain'd the victory.
From whence did you receive the intelligence?
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