Wal. From what?

But.

That courier

Wal. (with eager expectation.) Well?
But.

Is already here.

Ter. and Illo. (at the same time.) Already here?

Wal.

My courier?

Illo. (stamping with his foot.) Damnation!

At Budweiss, Tabor, Brannau, Konigingratz,

At Brun and Znaym, have forsaken you,

And ta'en the oaths of fealty anew

To the Emperor. Yourself, with Kinsky, Tertsky,

And Illo have been sentenced.

[Tertsky and Illo express alarm and fury. Wallenstein remains firm and collected.

Wal.

'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's 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 Tertsky (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.

Thek. (endeavoring to hold back the Duchess.) Dear mother do stay here!

Duch.

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?

Thek.

Nothing, dear mother!

Nothing:

Duch. (to the Countess.) Sister, I will know.

Coun. 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 collected, 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——————

Thek. (going to the Countess.) What? do you wish to kill

her?

Coun. The Duke is

Thek. (throwing her arms round her mother.) O stand firm! stand firm, my mother!

Coun. Revolted is the Duke, he is preparing

To join the enemy, the army leave him,

And all has failed.

While

[During these words the Duchess totters, and falls in a
fainting fit into the arms of her daughter.
Thekla is calling for help, the Curtain drops.

ACT II

SCENE I-A spacious room in the Duke of Friedland's palace

Wal. (in armor.) Thou hast gained thy point, Octavio! Once

more am I

Almost as friendless as at Regenspurg.

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, lo!

The plough, the work-shop 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 Tertsky enter. Courage, friends! Courage! We are still unvanquished ;

I feel my footing firm; five regiments, Tertsky,
Are still our own, and Butler's gallant troops;

And a 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 II-Wallenstein, Illo, Tertsky. (To them enter Neumann, who leads Tertsky aside, and talks with him.)

Ter. What do they want?

Wal.

Ter.

What now?

Ten Cuirassiers

From Pappenheim request leave to address you
In the name of the regiment.

Wal. (hastily to Neumann.) Let them enter.

This

[Exit Neumann.

May end in something. Mark you. They are still
Doubtful, and may be won.

SCENE III.-Wallenstein, Tertsky, Illo, ten Cuirassiers, (led by an Anspessade,* 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).

Ans. Halt Front! Present!

Wal. (after he has run through them with his eye, to the Anspessade.) I know thee well.

in Flanders:

Thy name is Mercy.

Thou art out of Brüggin

Wal. Thou wert cut off on the march, surrounded by the Hessians, and didst fight thy way with a hundred and eighty men through their thousand.

Wal. What reward hadst thou for this gallant exploit ?

Ans. That which I asked for the honor to serve in this corps. Wal. (turning to a second.) Thou wert among the volunteers that seized and made booty of the Swedish battery at Altenburg. 2d Cui. Yes, General!

Wal. I forget no one with whom I have exchanged words. (A pause.) Who sends you?

Ans. Your noble regiment, the Cuirassiers of Piccolomini. Wal. Why does not your colonel deliver in your request, according to the custom of service?

Ans. Because we would first know whom we serve.

Wal. Begin your address.

Ans. (giving the word of command.) Shoulder your arms! Wal. (turning to a third.) Thy name is Risbeck, Cologne is hy birth-place.

3d Cui. Risbeck of Cologne.

Wal. It was thou that broughtest in the Swedish colonel, Diebald, prisoner, in the camp at Nuremberg.

3d Cui It was not I, General!

Wal. Perfectly right! It was thy elder brother: thou hadst a younger brother too: Where did he stay?

*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.