Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

And re-illume my soon extinguished being

In a proud line of princes.

I wronged my destiny. Here upon this head

So lovely in its maiden bloom will I 35

Let fall the garland of a life of war,

Nor deem it lost, if only I can wreath it

Transmitted to a regal ornament,

Around these beauteous brows.

[He clasps her in his arms as PICCOLOMINI enters.

[After 1] [Observing the countenance of the Duchess. 1800, 1828, 1829.

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Enter MAX PICCOLOMINI, and some time after COUNT TERTSKY, the others

remaining as before.

Countess. There comes the Paladin who protected us.

Wallenstein. Max! Welcome, ever welcome! Always wert thou

The morning star of my best joys!

Max. My General ——

Wallenstein. ‘Till now it was the Emperor who rewarded thee,

I but the instrument. This day thou hast bound 5

The father to thee, Max! the fortunate father,

And this debt Friedland’s self must pay.

Max. My prince!

You made no common hurry to transfer it.

I come with shame: yea, not without a pang!

For scarce have I arrived here, scarce delivered 10

The mother and the daughter to your arms,

But there is brought to me from your equerry

A splendid richly-plated hunting dress

So to remunerate me for my troubles ——

Yes, yes, remunerate me! Since a trouble 15

It must be, a mere office, not a favour

Which I leapt forward to receive, and which

I came already with full heart to thank you for.

No! ‘twas not so intended, that my business

Should be my highest best good fortune! 20

[TERTSKY enters, and delivers letters to the DUKE, which

he breaks open hurryingly.

Countess (to Max). Remunerate your trouble! For his joy

He makes you recompense. ‘Tis not unfitting

For you, Count Piccolomini, to feel

So tenderly — my brother it beseems

To shew himself for ever great and princely. 25

Thekla. Then I too must have scruples of his love:

For his munificent hands did ornament me

Ere yet the father’s heart had spoken to me.

Max. Yes; ‘tis his nature ever to be giving

And making happy.

How my heart pours out 30

Its all of thanks to him: O! how I seem

To utter all things in the dear name Friedland.

While I shall live, so long will I remain

The captive of this name: in it shall bloom

My every fortune, every lovely hope. 35

Inextricably as in some magic ring

In this name hath my destiny charm-bound me!

Countess. My brother wishes us to leave him. Come.

Wallenstein (turns himself round quick, collects himself, and

speaks with cheerfulness to the Duchess). Once more I

bid thee welcome to the camp,

Thou art the hostess of this court. You, Max, 40

Will now again administer your old office,

While we perform the sovereign’s business here.

[MAX PICCOLOMINI offers the DUCHESS his arm, the

COUNTESS accompanies the PRINCESS.

Tertsky (calling after him). Max, we depend on seeing you at the

meeting.

And making happy. [He grasps the hand of the DUCHESS with still

increasing warmth.

1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 38] Countess (who during this time has been anxiously watching

the Duke, and remarks that he is lost in thought over the letters).

1800, 1828, 1829.

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WALLENSTEIN, COUNT TERTSKY.

Wallenstein (to himself). She hath seen all things as they are — It

is so

And squares completely with my other notices.

They have determined finally in Vienna,

Have given me my successor already;

It is the king of Hungary, Ferdinand, 5

The Emperor’s delicate son! he’s now their saviour,

He’s the new star that’s rising now! Of us

They think themselves already fairly rid,

And as we were deceased, the heir already

Is entering on possession — Therefore — dispatch! 10

[As he turns round he observes TERTSKY, and gives him

a letter.

Count Altringer will have himself excused,

And Galas too — I like not this!

Tertsky. And if

Thou loiterest longer, all will fall away,

One following the other.

Wallenstein. Altringer

Is master of the Tyrole passes. I must forthwith 15

Send some one to him, that he let not in

The Spaniards on me from the Milanese.

—— Well, and the old Sesin, that ancient trader

In contraband negotiations, he

Has shewn himself again of late. What brings he 20

From the Count Thur?

Tertsky. The Count communicates,

He has found out the Swedish chancellor

At Halberstadt, where the convention’s held,

Who says, you’ve tired him out, and that he’ll have

No further dealings with you.

Wallenstein. And why so? 25

speeches,

That you decoy the Swedes — to make fools of them,

Will league yourself with Saxony against them,

And at last make yourself a riddance of them

With a paltry sum of money.

Wallenstein. So then, doubtless, 30

Yes, doubtless, this same modest Swede expects

That I shall yield him some fair German tract

For his prey and booty, that ourselves at last

On our own soil and native territory,

May be no longer our own lords and masters! 35

An excellent scheme! No, no! They must be off,

Off, off! away! we want no such neighbours.

Tertsky. Nay, yield them up that dot, that speck of land —

It goes not from your portion. If you win

The game what matters it to you who pays it? 40

Wallenstein. Off with them, off! Thou understand’st not this.

Never shall it be said of me, I parcelled

My native land away, dismembered Germany,

Betrayed it to a foreigner, in order

To come with stealthy tread, and filch away 45

My own share of the plunder — Never! never! —

No foreign power shall strike root in the empire,

And least of all, these Goths! these hunger-wolves!

Who send such envious, hot and greedy glances

T’wards the rich blessings of our German lands! 50

I’ll have their aid to cast and draw my nets,

But not a single fish of all the draught

Shall they come in for.

Tertsky. You will deal, however,

More fairly with the Saxons? They lose patience

While you shift ground and make so many curves. 55

Say, to what purpose all these masks? Your friends

Are plunged in doubts, baffled, and led astray in you.

There’s Oxenstirn, there’s Arnheim — neither knows

What he should think of your procrastinations.

And in the end I prove the liar: all 60

Passes through me. I have not even your handwriting.

Wallenstein. I never give my handwriting; thou knowest it.

Tertsky. But how can it be known that you’re in earnest,

If the act follows not upon the word?

You must yourself acknowledge, that in all 65

Your intercourses hitherto with the enemy

You might have done with safety all you have done,

Had you meant nothing further than to gull him

For the Emperor’s service.

Wallenstein (after a pause, during which he looks narrowly on

Tertsky). And from whence dost thou know

That I’m not gulling him for the Emperor’s service? 70

Whence knowest thou that I’m not gulling all of you?

Dost thou know me so well? When made I thee

The intendant of my secret purposes?

I am not conscious that I ever open’d

My inmost thoughts to thee. The Emperor, it is true, 75

Hath dealt with me amiss; and if I would,

I could repay him with usurious interest

For the evil he hath done me. It delights me