WALLENSTEIN.

And which way doth Kolatto bend? Hast thou Made sure of Tiefenbach and Deodati?

ILLO.

What Piccolomini does that they do too.

WALLENSTEIN.

You mean, then, I may venture somewhat with them?

ILLO.

If you are a.s.sured of the Piccolomini.

WALLENSTEIN.

Not more a.s.sured of mine own self.

TERZKY.

And yet I would you trusted not so much to Octavio, The fox!

WALLENSTEIN.

Thou teachest me to know my man?

Sixteen campaigns I have made with that old warrior.

Besides, I have his horoscope; We both are born beneath like stars--in short, [With an air of mystery.

To this belongs its own peculiar aspect, If therefore thou canst warrant me the rest----

ILLO.

There is among them all but this one voice, You must not lay down the command. I hear They mean to send a deputation to you.

WALLENSTEIN.

If I'm in aught to bind myself to them They too must bind themselves to me.

ILLO.

Of course.

WALLENSTEIN.

Their words of honor they must give, their oaths, Give them in writing to me, promising Devotion to my service unconditional.

ILLO.

Why not?

TERZKY.

Devotion unconditional?

The exception of their duties towards Austria They'll always place among the premises.

With this reserve----

WALLENSTEIN (shaking his head).

All unconditional; No premises, no reserves.

ILLO.

A thought has struck me.

Does not Count Terzky give us a set banquet This evening?

TERZKY.

Yes; and all the generals Have been invited.

ILLO (to WALLENSTEIN).

Say, will you here fully Commission me to use my own discretion?

I'll gain for you the generals' word of honor, Even as you wish.

WALLENSTEIN.

Gain me their signatures!

How you come by them that is your concern.

ILLO.

And if I bring it to you in black on white, That all the leaders who are present here Give themselves up to you, without condition; Say, will you then--then will you show yourself In earnest, and with some decisive action Try your fortune.

WALLENSTEIN.

Get but the signatures!

ILLO.

Think what thou dost, thou canst not execute The emperor's orders, nor reduce thine army, Nor send the regiments to the Spaniards' aid, Unless thou wouldst resign thy power forever.

Think on the other hand--thou canst not spurn The emperor's high commands and solemn orders, Nor longer temporize, nor seek evasion, Wouldst thou avoid a rupture with the court.

Resolve then! Wilt thou now by one bold act Antic.i.p.ate their ends, or, doubting still, Await the extremity?

WALLENSTEIN.

There's time before The extremity arrives.

ILLO.

Seize, seize the hour, Ere it slips from you. Seldom comes the moment In life, which is indeed sublime and weighty.

To make a great decision possible, O! many things, all transient and all rapid, Must meet at once: and, haply, they thus met May by that confluence be enforced to pause Time long-enough for wisdom, though too short, Far, far too short a time for doubt and scruple!

This is that moment. See, our army chieftains, Our best, our n.o.blest, are a.s.sembled round you, Their king-like leader! On your nod they wait.

The single threads, which here your prosperous fortune Hath woven together in one potent web Instinct with destiny, O! let them not Unravel of themselves. If you permit These chiefs to separate, so unanimous Bring you them not a second time together.

'Tis the high tide that heaves the stranded ship, And every individual's spirit waxes In the great stream of mult.i.tudes. Behold They are still here, here still! But soon the war Bursts them once more asunder, and in small Particular anxieties and interests Scatters their spirit, and the sympathy Of each man with the whole. He who to-day Forgets himself, forced onward with the stream, Will become sober, seeing but himself.

Feel only his own weakness, and with speed Will face about, and march on in the old High road of duty, the old broad-trodden road, And seek but to make shelter in good plight.

WALLENSTEIN.

The time is not yet come.

TERZKY.

So you say always.

But when will it be time?

WALLENSTEIN.

When I shall say it.

ILLO.

You'll wait upon the stars, and on their hours, Till the earthly hour escapes you. Oh, believe me, In your own bosom are your destiny's stars.

Confidence in yourself, prompt resolution, This is your Venus! and the sole malignant, The only one that harmeth you is doubt.

WALLENSTEIN.