Now that a miracle of heaven had guarded My secret purpose even to this hour, And laid to sleep suspicion's piercing eyes, My toilsome labors and state policy. Max. Ay-this state policy! O how I curse it! You close up every outlet, hem him in Narrower and narrower, till at length ye force him— To set fire to his prison. Father Father! That never can end well-it can not-will not! And let it be decided as it may, I see with boding heart the near approach Of an ill-starred, unblest catastrophe. All us, who're fixed and mortised to his fortune. [During his exit the curtain drops. ACT IV. 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 a 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 drwn up wholly or in part.] Wallenstein at a black table, on which a Speculum Astrologicum is described with chalk. through a window. Seni is taking observations Wal. 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's now rising: Wal. She is at present in her perigee, And shoots down now her strongest influences. [Contemplating the figure on the table Auspicious aspect! fateful in conjunction, 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. Wal. And sun and moon, too, in the Sextile aspect, The soft light with the veh'ment—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. Wal. The empire of Saturnus is gone by: And his are all things that eschew the light. Parts o'er my head, and takes once more its flight; For the heavens journey still, and sojourn not. [There are knocks at the door. There's some one knocking there. See who it is. Tertsky. (from without.) Open, and let me in. Wal. Ay-'tis Tertsky. What is there of such urgence? We are busy. Ter. (from without.) Lay all aside at present, I entreat you. It suffers no delaying. Wal. Open, Seni! [While Seni opens the doors for Tertsky, Wallenstein draws the curtain over the figures. Ter. (enters.) Hast thou already heard it? He is taken. Galas has given him up to the Emperor. [Seni draws off the black table and exit. SCENE II-Wallenstein, Count Tertsky. Wal. (to Tertsky.) Who has been taken ?-Who is given up? Ter. The man who knows our secrets, who knows every Negotiation with the Swede and Saxon, Through whose hands all and every thing has passed Wal. (drawing back.) Nay, not Sesina?-Say, No! I entreat thee. Ter. All on his road for Regenspurg to the Swede SCENE III. To them enters Illo. Illo. (to Tertsky.) Has he heard it? Illo. (to Wallenstein.) Thinkest thou still What thou hast wished; then forwards thou must press! Ter. They have documents against us, and in hands, I punish for thy lies. Illo. And thou believest, That what this man, that what thy sister's husband, And not with those that hate thee at Vienna. Ter. In writing thou gav'st nothing-But bethink thee, If he can save himself by yielding up Illo. Thyself dost not conceive it possible; Keep thy command; and beyond hope of rescue Wal. In the army Lies my security. The army will not The power is mine, and they must gulp it down- They must be satisfied, at least appear so. Illo. The army, Duke, is thine now-for this moment- One after th' other Wal. 'Tis a cursed accident! Illo. O, I will call it a most blessed one, Hurry thee on to action-to decision. Wal. What his commission is Illo. He's arrived! Know'st thou To thee alone Yes, yes, Will he intrust the purpose of his coming. 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 Wal. (lost in thought.) Their confidence is lost-irreparably! And I may act what way I will, I shall A traitor to my country. How sincerely It will no longer help me |