LINENOTES:

Wallenstein.What's that?Tertsky.He falls.Wallenstein.Falls! Who?Illo.Tiefenbach's corpsDischarged the ordnance.Wallenstein.Upon whom?Illo.On Neumann,Your messenger.Wallenstein (starting up).Ha! Death and hell! I will—Tertsky.Expose thyself to their blind frenzy?Duchess and Countess.No!For God's sake, no!Illo.Not yet, my General!40Countess.O, hold him! hold him!Wallenstein.Leave me——Max.Do it notNot yet! This rash and bloody deed has thrown themInto a frenzy-fit—allow them time——

Wallenstein.What's that?

Tertsky.He falls.

Wallenstein.Falls! Who?

Illo.Tiefenbach's corpsDischarged the ordnance.

Wallenstein.Upon whom?

Illo.On Neumann,Your messenger.

Wallenstein (starting up).Ha! Death and hell! I will—

Tertsky.Expose thyself to their blind frenzy?

Duchess and Countess.No!For God's sake, no!

Illo.Not yet, my General!40

Countess.O, hold him! hold him!

Wallenstein.Leave me——

Max.Do it notNot yet! This rash and bloody deed has thrown themInto a frenzy-fit—allow them time——

Wallenstein.Away! too long already have I loitered.They are emboldened to these outrages,45Beholding not my face. They shall beholdMy 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 know50That countenance, which was their sun in battle!From the balcony (mark!) I shew myselfTo these rebellious forces, and at onceRevolt is mounded, and the high-swoln currentShrinks back into the old bed of obedience.55

[ExitWallenstein;Illo, Tertsky, andButlerfollow.

[48]my1800,1828,1829.

my1800,1828,1829.

Countess, Duchess, Max, andThekla.

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,advances).This can I not endure.With most determined soul did I come hither,My purposed action seemed unblameableTo my own conscience—and I must stand here5Like 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 voices10Make themselves audible within my bosom.My soul's benighted; I no longer canDistinguish the right track. O, well and trulyDidst thou say, father, I relied too muchOn my own heart. My mind moves to and fro—15I know not what to do.Countess.What! you know not?Does not your own heart tell you? O! then IWill tell it you. Your father is a traitor,[760]A frightful traitor to us—he has plottedAgainst our General's life, has plunged us all20In misery—and you're his son! 'Tis yoursTo make the amends—Make you the son's fidelityOutweigh the father's treason, that the nameOf Piccolomini be not a proverbOf infamy, a common form of cursing25To the posterity of Wallenstein.Max.Where is that voice of truth which I dare follow?It speaks no longer in my heart. We allBut utter what our passionate wishes dictate:O that an angel would descend from Heaven,30And scoop for me the right, the uncorrupted,With a pure hand from the pure Fount of Light.[His eyes glance onThekla.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 bless35The happy man alone, averted everFrom the disquieted and guilty—canst thouStill 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.40Max.I did not question thee, as Friedland's daughter.Thee, the beloved and the unerring godWithin thy heart, I question. What's at stake?Not whether diadem of royaltyBe to be won or not—that might'st thou think on.45Thy friend, and his soul's quiet, are at stake;The fortune of a thousand gallant men,Who will all follow me; shall I forswearMy oath and duty to the Emperor?Say, shall I send into Octavio's camp50The parricidal ball? For when the ballHas left its cannon, and is on its flight,It is no longer a dead instrument!It lives, a spirit passes into it,[761]The avenging furies seize possession of it,55And with sure malice guide it the worst way.Thekla.O! Max——Max.Nay, not precipitately either, Thekla.I understand thee. To thy noble heartThe hardest duty might appear the highest.The human, not the great part, would I act.60Ev'n 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.O likewise the free lovely impulsesOf hospitality, the pious friend's65Faithful attachment, these too are a holyReligion to the heart; and heavilyThe shudderings of nature do avengeThemselves on the barbarian that insults them.Lay all upon the balance, all—then speak,70And let thy heart decide it.Thekla.O, thy ownHath long ago decided. Follow thouThy 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 first75Detect and seize with instant impulse? Go,Fulfil thy duty! I should ever love thee.Whate'er thou had'st chosen, thou would'st still have actedNobly and worthy of thee—but repentanceShall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace.Max.Then I80Must leave thee, must part from thee!Thekla.Being faithfulTo thine own self, thou art faithful too to me:If our fates part, our hearts remain united.A bloody hatred will divide for everThe houses Piccolomini and Friedland;85But we belong not to our houses—Go!Quick! quick! and separate thy righteous causeFrom our unholy and unblessed one!The curse of heaven lies upon our head:'Tis dedicate to ruin. Even me90My father's guilt drags with it to perdition.Mourn not for me:[762]My destiny will quickly be decided.

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,advances).This can I not endure.With most determined soul did I come hither,My purposed action seemed unblameableTo my own conscience—and I must stand here5Like 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 voices10Make themselves audible within my bosom.My soul's benighted; I no longer canDistinguish the right track. O, well and trulyDidst thou say, father, I relied too muchOn my own heart. My mind moves to and fro—15I know not what to do.

Countess.What! you know not?Does not your own heart tell you? O! then IWill tell it you. Your father is a traitor,[760]A frightful traitor to us—he has plottedAgainst our General's life, has plunged us all20In misery—and you're his son! 'Tis yoursTo make the amends—Make you the son's fidelityOutweigh the father's treason, that the nameOf Piccolomini be not a proverbOf infamy, a common form of cursing25To the posterity of Wallenstein.

Max.Where is that voice of truth which I dare follow?It speaks no longer in my heart. We allBut utter what our passionate wishes dictate:O that an angel would descend from Heaven,30And scoop for me the right, the uncorrupted,With a pure hand from the pure Fount of Light.[His eyes glance onThekla.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 bless35The happy man alone, averted everFrom the disquieted and guilty—canst thouStill 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.40

Max.I did not question thee, as Friedland's daughter.Thee, the beloved and the unerring godWithin thy heart, I question. What's at stake?Not whether diadem of royaltyBe to be won or not—that might'st thou think on.45Thy friend, and his soul's quiet, are at stake;The fortune of a thousand gallant men,Who will all follow me; shall I forswearMy oath and duty to the Emperor?Say, shall I send into Octavio's camp50The parricidal ball? For when the ballHas left its cannon, and is on its flight,It is no longer a dead instrument!It lives, a spirit passes into it,[761]The avenging furies seize possession of it,55And with sure malice guide it the worst way.

Thekla.O! Max——

Max.Nay, not precipitately either, Thekla.I understand thee. To thy noble heartThe hardest duty might appear the highest.The human, not the great part, would I act.60Ev'n 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.O likewise the free lovely impulsesOf hospitality, the pious friend's65Faithful attachment, these too are a holyReligion to the heart; and heavilyThe shudderings of nature do avengeThemselves on the barbarian that insults them.Lay all upon the balance, all—then speak,70And let thy heart decide it.

Thekla.O, thy ownHath long ago decided. Follow thouThy 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 first75Detect and seize with instant impulse? Go,Fulfil thy duty! I should ever love thee.Whate'er thou had'st chosen, thou would'st still have actedNobly and worthy of thee—but repentanceShall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace.

Max.Then I80Must leave thee, must part from thee!

Thekla.Being faithfulTo thine own self, thou art faithful too to me:If our fates part, our hearts remain united.A bloody hatred will divide for everThe houses Piccolomini and Friedland;85But we belong not to our houses—Go!Quick! quick! and separate thy righteous causeFrom our unholy and unblessed one!The curse of heaven lies upon our head:'Tis dedicate to ruin. Even me90My father's guilt drags with it to perdition.Mourn not for me:[762]My destiny will quickly be decided.

[Maxclasps her in his arms. There is heard from behind the Scene a loud, wild, long continued cry, 'Vivat Ferdinandus,' accompanied by warlike instruments.

Before3Max (who . . . distance in a visible struggle of feelings, advances).1800,1828,1829.

[22]amends1800,1828,1829.

amends1800,1828,1829.

[23]Outweigh1800,1828,1829.

Outweigh1800,1828,1829.

[28]my1800,1828,1829.

my1800,1828,1829.

[37]can'st1800,1828,1829.

can'st1800,1828,1829.

[40]feelest1800,1828,1829.

feelest1800,1828,1829.

[45]think1800,1828,1829.

think1800,1828,1829.

[46]his1800.

his1800.

[57]Max (interrupting her).Nay, &c.1800,1828,1829.

Max (interrupting her).Nay, &c.1800,1828,1829.

After92[Max. . . in extreme emotion. There is . . . instruments.MaxandTheklaremain without motion in each other's embraces.1800,1828,1829.

To these enterTertsky.

Countess (meeting him).What meant that cry? What was it?Tertsky.All is lost!Countess.What! they regarded not his countenance?Tertsky.'Twas all in vain.Duchess.They shouted Vivat!Tertsky.To the Emperor.Countess.The traitors!Tertsky.Nay! he was not once permittedEven to address them. Soon as he began,5With deafening noise of warlike instrumentsThey drowned his words. But here he comes.

Countess (meeting him).What meant that cry? What was it?

Tertsky.All is lost!

Countess.What! they regarded not his countenance?

Tertsky.'Twas all in vain.

Duchess.They shouted Vivat!

Tertsky.To the Emperor.

Countess.The traitors!

Tertsky.Nay! he was not once permittedEven to address them. Soon as he began,5With deafening noise of warlike instrumentsThey drowned his words. But here he comes.

To these enterWallenstein, accompanied byIlloandButler.

Wallenstein (as he enters).Tertsky!Tertsky.My General?Wallenstein.Let our regiments hold themselvesIn readiness to march; for we shall leavePilsen ere evening.[ExitTertsky.Butler!Butler.Yes, my General.Wallenstein.The Governor at Egra is your friend5And countryman. Write to him instantlyBy 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).Part!Max.O God!10

Wallenstein (as he enters).Tertsky!

Tertsky.My General?

Wallenstein.Let our regiments hold themselvesIn readiness to march; for we shall leavePilsen ere evening.[ExitTertsky.Butler!

Butler.Yes, my General.

Wallenstein.The Governor at Egra is your friend5And countryman. Write to him instantlyBy 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).Part!

Max.O God!10

[Cuirassiersenter with drawn swords, and assemble inthe back-ground. At the same time there are heard from below some spirited passages out of the Pappenheim March, which seem to addressMax.

Wallenstein (to the Cuirassiers).Here he is, he is at liberty: I keep himNo longer.

[He turns away, and stands so thatMaxcannot pass by him nor approach thePrincess.

Max.Thou know'st that I have not yet learnt to liveWithout thee! I go forth into a desert,Leaving my all behind me. O do not turn15Thine eyes away from me! O once more shew meThy ever dear and honoured countenance.[Maxattempts to take his hand, but is repelled; he turns to theCountess.Is there no eye that has a look of pity for me?[TheCountessturns away from him; he turns to theDuchess.My mother!Duchess.Go where duty calls you. HaplyThe time may come, when you may prove to us20A true friend, a good angel at the throneOf the Emperor.Max.You give me hope; you would notSuffer me wholly to despair. No! No!Mine is a certain misery—Thanks to heavenThat offers me a means of ending it.25

Duchess.Go where duty calls you. HaplyThe time may come, when you may prove to us20A true friend, a good angel at the throneOf the Emperor.

Max.You give me hope; you would notSuffer me wholly to despair. No! No!Mine is a certain misery—Thanks to heavenThat offers me a means of ending it.25

[The military music begins again. The stage fills more and more with armed men.MaxseesButler, and addresses him.

And you here, Colonel Butler—and will youNot follow me? Well, then! remain more faithfulTo your new lord, than you have proved yourselfTo the Emperor. Come, Butler! promise me,Give me your hand upon it, that you'll be30The guardian of his life, its shield, its watchman.He is attainted, and his princely headFair 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 onIlloandButler.Illo.Go—seek for traitors35In Galas', in your father's quarters. Here[764]Is only one. Away! away! and free usFrom his detested sight! Away!

Illo.Go—seek for traitors35In Galas', in your father's quarters. Here[764]Is only one. Away! away! and free usFrom his detested sight! Away!

[Maxattempts once more to approachThekla.Wallensteinprevents him.Maxstands irresolute, 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.

Max.Blow, blow! O were it but the Swedish Trumpets,And all the naked swords, which I see here,40Were plunged into my breast! What purpose you?You come to tear me from this place! Beware,Ye drive me not in 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!45Think what ye're doing. It is not well doneTo 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:50Who goes with me, must be prepared to perish.

[He turns to the background, there ensues a sudden and violent movement among theCuirassiers;they surround him, and carry him off in wild tumult.Wallensteinremains immovable.Theklasinks 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 Act.

[10]Wallenstein (steps between Max and Thekla, who have remained during this time in each others arms).1800,1828,1829.

Wallenstein (steps between Max and Thekla, who have remained during this time in each others arms).1800,1828,1829.

TheBurgomaster'sHouse at Egra.

Butler.

Butler.Here then he is, by his destiny conducted.Here, Friedland! and no farther! From BohemiaThy meteor rose, traversed the sky awhile,And here upon the borders of BohemiaMust sink.Thou hast forsworn the ancient colours,5Blind man! yet trustest to thy ancient fortunes.[765]Profaner of the altar and the hearth,Against thy Emperor and fellow-citizensThou mean'st to wage the war. Friedland, beware—The evil spirit of revenge impels thee—10Beware thou, that revenge destroy thee not!

Before1Butler (just arrived).1800,1828,1829.

ButlerandGordon.

Gordon.Is it you?How my heart sinks! The Duke a fugitive traitor!His princely head attainted! O my God!Butler.You have received the letter which I sent youBy a post-courier?Gordon.Yes! and in obedience to it5Opened the strong hold to him without scruple.For an imperial letter orders meTo follow your commands implicitly.But yet forgive me; when even now I sawThe Duke himself, my scruples recommenced.10For 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;15'Tis said, that fallen pride learns condescension:But sparing and with dignity the DukeWeighed every syllable of approbation,As masters praise a servant who has doneHis duty, and no more.Butler.'Tis all precisely20As I related in my letter. FriedlandHas 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 Tertsky,25And which have followed him, as thou hast seen.The sentence of attainder is passed on him,And every loyal subject is requiredTo give him in to justice, dead or living.Gordon.A traitor to the Emperor—Such a noble!30Of such high talents! What is human greatness!I often said, this can't end happily.His might, his greatness, and this obscure power[766]Are but a covered pit-fall. The human beingMay not be trusted to self-government.35The clear and written law, the deep trod foot-marksOf ancient custom, are all necessaryTo keep him in the road of faith and duty.The authority entrusted to this manWas unexampled and unnatural40It placed him on a level with his Emperor,Till the proud soul unlearned submission. Wo is me;I mourn for him! for where he fell, I deemMight none stand firm. Alas! dear General,We in our lucky mediocrity45Have ne'er experienced, cannot calculate,What dangerous wishes such a height may breedIn the heart of such a man.Butler.Spare your lamentsTill he need sympathy; for at this presentHe is still mighty, and still formidable.50The Swedes advance to Egra by forced marches,And quickly will the junction be accomplished.This must not be! The Duke must never leaveThis strong hold on free footing; for I havePledged life and honour here to hold him prisoner,55And 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 entrust this strong hold to me,Which I am now required to make his dungeon.60We subalterns have no will of our own:The free, the mighty man alone may listenTo 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!65Butler.Nay, let it not afflict you, that your powerIs circumscribed. Much liberty, much error!The narrow path of duty is securest.Gordon.And all then have deserted him, you say?He has built up the luck of many thousands;70For kingly was his spirit: his full handWas ever open! Many a one from dustHath he selected, from the very dustHath raised him into dignity and honour.[767]And yet no friend, not one friend hath he purchased,75Whose heart beats true to him in the evil hour.Butler.Here's one, I see.Gordon.I have enjoyed from himNo grace or favour. I could almost doubt,If ever in his greatness he once thought onAn old friend of his youth. For still my office80Kept me at distance from him; and when firstHe 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 that85Which to my fealty was first delivered.Butler.Say, then, will you fulfil the attainder on him?Gordon.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 deliver90The 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 destineTo be the instrument of his perdition;For we were pages at the court of Bergau95At 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 yearWas Wallenstein, when he and I were friends:Yet even then he had a daring soul:100His frame of mind was serious and severeBeyond his years: his dreams were of great objects.He walked amidst us of a silent spirit,Communing with himself: yet I have known himTransported on a sudden into utterance105Of strange conceptions; kindling into splendourHis soul revealed itself, and he spake soThat we looked round perplexed upon each other,Not knowing whether it were craziness,Or whether it were a god that spoke in him.110Butler.But was it where he fell two story highFrom 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[768]Of a distempered fancy.Gordon.He became115Doubtless more self-enwrapt and melancholy;He made himself a Catholic. MarvellouslyHis marvellous preservation had transformed him.Thenceforth he held himself for an exemptedAnd privileged being, and, as if he were120Incapable 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.125And 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.

Gordon.Is it you?How my heart sinks! The Duke a fugitive traitor!His princely head attainted! O my God!

Butler.You have received the letter which I sent youBy a post-courier?

Gordon.Yes! and in obedience to it5Opened the strong hold to him without scruple.For an imperial letter orders meTo follow your commands implicitly.But yet forgive me; when even now I sawThe Duke himself, my scruples recommenced.10For 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;15'Tis said, that fallen pride learns condescension:But sparing and with dignity the DukeWeighed every syllable of approbation,As masters praise a servant who has doneHis duty, and no more.

Butler.'Tis all precisely20As I related in my letter. FriedlandHas 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 Tertsky,25And which have followed him, as thou hast seen.The sentence of attainder is passed on him,And every loyal subject is requiredTo give him in to justice, dead or living.

Gordon.A traitor to the Emperor—Such a noble!30Of such high talents! What is human greatness!I often said, this can't end happily.His might, his greatness, and this obscure power[766]Are but a covered pit-fall. The human beingMay not be trusted to self-government.35The clear and written law, the deep trod foot-marksOf ancient custom, are all necessaryTo keep him in the road of faith and duty.The authority entrusted to this manWas unexampled and unnatural40It placed him on a level with his Emperor,Till the proud soul unlearned submission. Wo is me;I mourn for him! for where he fell, I deemMight none stand firm. Alas! dear General,We in our lucky mediocrity45Have ne'er experienced, cannot calculate,What dangerous wishes such a height may breedIn the heart of such a man.

Butler.Spare your lamentsTill he need sympathy; for at this presentHe is still mighty, and still formidable.50The Swedes advance to Egra by forced marches,And quickly will the junction be accomplished.This must not be! The Duke must never leaveThis strong hold on free footing; for I havePledged life and honour here to hold him prisoner,55And 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 entrust this strong hold to me,Which I am now required to make his dungeon.60We subalterns have no will of our own:The free, the mighty man alone may listenTo 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!65

Butler.Nay, let it not afflict you, that your powerIs circumscribed. Much liberty, much error!The narrow path of duty is securest.

Gordon.And all then have deserted him, you say?He has built up the luck of many thousands;70For kingly was his spirit: his full handWas ever open! Many a one from dustHath he selected, from the very dustHath raised him into dignity and honour.[767]And yet no friend, not one friend hath he purchased,75Whose heart beats true to him in the evil hour.

Butler.Here's one, I see.

Gordon.I have enjoyed from himNo grace or favour. I could almost doubt,If ever in his greatness he once thought onAn old friend of his youth. For still my office80Kept me at distance from him; and when firstHe 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 that85Which to my fealty was first delivered.

Butler.Say, then, will you fulfil the attainder on him?

Gordon.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 deliver90The 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 destineTo be the instrument of his perdition;For we were pages at the court of Bergau95At 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 yearWas Wallenstein, when he and I were friends:Yet even then he had a daring soul:100His frame of mind was serious and severeBeyond his years: his dreams were of great objects.He walked amidst us of a silent spirit,Communing with himself: yet I have known himTransported on a sudden into utterance105Of strange conceptions; kindling into splendourHis soul revealed itself, and he spake soThat we looked round perplexed upon each other,Not knowing whether it were craziness,Or whether it were a god that spoke in him.110

Butler.But was it where he fell two story highFrom 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[768]Of a distempered fancy.

Gordon.He became115Doubtless more self-enwrapt and melancholy;He made himself a Catholic. MarvellouslyHis marvellous preservation had transformed him.Thenceforth he held himself for an exemptedAnd privileged being, and, as if he were120Incapable 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.125And 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.

After72[With a sly glance onButler.1800,1828,1829.

Before88Gordon (pauses reflecting—then as in deep dejection).1800,1828,1829.

To these enterWallenstein, in conversation with theBurgomasterof 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 EgraRemained in pledge to the Bohemian crown,5Therefore we bear the half eagle, the other halfBeing cancelled till the empire ransom us,If ever that should be.Wallenstein.Ye merit freedom.Only be firm and dauntless. Lend your earsTo no designing whispering court-minions.10What may your imposts be?Burgomaster.So heavy thatWe totter under them. The garrisonLives at our costs.Wallenstein.I will relieve you. Tell me,There are some Protestants among you still?[TheBurgomasterhesitates.Yes, yes; I know it. Many lie concealed15[769]Within these walls—Confess now—you yourself—Be not alarmed. I hate the Jesuits.Could my will have determined it, they hadBeen long ago expelled the empire. Trust me—Mass-book or Bible—'tis all one to me.20Of that the world has had sufficient proof.I built a church for the reformed in GloganAt my own instance. Hark'e, Burgomaster!What is your name?Burgomaster.Pachhälbel, may it please you.Wallenstein.Hark'e!——25But let it go no further, what I nowDisclose to you in confidence.[Laying his hand on theBurgomaster'sshoulder.The timesDraw near to their fulfilment, Burgomaster!The high will fall, the low will be exalted.Hark'e! But keep it to yourself! The end30Approaches of the Spanish double monarchy—A new arrangement is at hand. You sawThe three moons that appeared at once in the Heaven.Burgomaster.With wonder and affright!Wallenstein.Whereof did twoStrangely transform themselves to bloody daggers.35And only one, the middle moon, remainedSteady and clear.Burgomaster.We applied it to the Turks.Wallenstein.The Turks! That all?—I tell you, that two empiresWill set in blood, in the East and in the West,And Luth'ranism alone remain.[ObservingGordonandButler.I'faith,40'Twas a smart cannonading that we heardThis evening, as we journeyed hitherward;'Twas on our left hand. Did you hear it here?Gordon.Distinctly. The wind brought it from the South.Butler.It seemed to come from Weiden or from Neustadt.45Wallenstein.Tis likely. That's the route the Swedes are taking.[770]How strong is the garrison?Gordon.Not quite two hundredCompetent men, the rest are invalids.Wallenstein.Good! And how many in the vale of Jochim?Gordon.Two hundred arquebussiers have I sent thither50To fortify the posts against the Swedes.Wallenstein.Good! I commend your foresight. At the works tooYou have done somewhat?Gordon.Two additional batteriesI caused to be run up. They were needless.The Rhinegrave presses hard upon us, General!55Wallenstein.You have been watchful in your Emperor's service.I am content with you, Lieutenant-Colonel.[ToButler.Release the outposts in the vale of JochimWith all the stations in the enemy's route.[ToGordon.Governor, in your faithful hands I leave60My wife, my daughter, and my sister. IShall make no stay here, and wait but the arrivalOf letters, to take leave of you, togetherWith all the regiments.

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 EgraRemained in pledge to the Bohemian crown,5Therefore we bear the half eagle, the other halfBeing cancelled till the empire ransom us,If ever that should be.

Wallenstein.Ye merit freedom.Only be firm and dauntless. Lend your earsTo no designing whispering court-minions.10What may your imposts be?

Burgomaster.So heavy thatWe totter under them. The garrisonLives at our costs.

Wallenstein.I will relieve you. Tell me,There are some Protestants among you still?[TheBurgomasterhesitates.Yes, yes; I know it. Many lie concealed15[769]Within these walls—Confess now—you yourself—Be not alarmed. I hate the Jesuits.Could my will have determined it, they hadBeen long ago expelled the empire. Trust me—Mass-book or Bible—'tis all one to me.20Of that the world has had sufficient proof.I built a church for the reformed in GloganAt my own instance. Hark'e, Burgomaster!What is your name?

Burgomaster.Pachhälbel, may it please you.

Wallenstein.Hark'e!——25But let it go no further, what I nowDisclose to you in confidence.[Laying his hand on theBurgomaster'sshoulder.The timesDraw near to their fulfilment, Burgomaster!The high will fall, the low will be exalted.Hark'e! But keep it to yourself! The end30Approaches of the Spanish double monarchy—A new arrangement is at hand. You sawThe three moons that appeared at once in the Heaven.

Burgomaster.With wonder and affright!

Wallenstein.Whereof did twoStrangely transform themselves to bloody daggers.35And only one, the middle moon, remainedSteady and clear.

Burgomaster.We applied it to the Turks.

Wallenstein.The Turks! That all?—I tell you, that two empiresWill set in blood, in the East and in the West,And Luth'ranism alone remain.[ObservingGordonandButler.I'faith,40'Twas a smart cannonading that we heardThis evening, as we journeyed hitherward;'Twas on our left hand. Did you hear it here?

Gordon.Distinctly. The wind brought it from the South.

Butler.It seemed to come from Weiden or from Neustadt.45

Wallenstein.Tis likely. That's the route the Swedes are taking.[770]How strong is the garrison?

Gordon.Not quite two hundredCompetent men, the rest are invalids.

Wallenstein.Good! And how many in the vale of Jochim?

Gordon.Two hundred arquebussiers have I sent thither50To fortify the posts against the Swedes.

Wallenstein.Good! I commend your foresight. At the works tooYou have done somewhat?

Gordon.Two additional batteriesI caused to be run up. They were needless.The Rhinegrave presses hard upon us, General!55

Wallenstein.You have been watchful in your Emperor's service.I am content with you, Lieutenant-Colonel.[ToButler.Release the outposts in the vale of JochimWith all the stations in the enemy's route.[ToGordon.Governor, in your faithful hands I leave60My wife, my daughter, and my sister. IShall make no stay here, and wait but the arrivalOf letters, to take leave of you, togetherWith all the regiments.

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