ANSPESSADE.

'Tis then but mere appearances which thou Dost put on with the Swede! Thou'lt not betray The emperor? Wilt not turn us into Swedes?

This is the only thing which we desire To learn from thee.

WALLENSTEIN.

What care I for the Swedes?

I hate them as I hate the pit of h.e.l.l, And under Providence I trust right soon To chase them to their homes across their Baltic.

My cares are only for the whole: I have A heart--it bleeds within me for the miseries And piteous groanings of my fellow-Germans.

Ye are but common men, but yet ye think With minds not common; ye appear to me Worthy before all others, that I whisper thee A little word or two in confidence!

See now! already for full fifteen years, The war-torch has continued burning, yet No rest, no pause of conflict. Swede and German, Papist and Lutheran! neither will give way To the other; every hand's against the other.

Each one is party and no one a judge.

Where shall this end? Where's he that will unravel This tangle, ever tangling more and more It must be cut asunder.

I feel that I am the man of destiny, And trust, with your a.s.sistance, to accomplish it.

SCENE XVI.

To these enter BUTLER.

BUTLER (pa.s.sionately).

General! this is not right!

WALLENSTEIN.

What is not right?

BUTLER.

It must needs injure us with all honest men.

WALLENSTEIN.

But what?

BUTLER.

It is an open proclamation Of insurrection.

WALLENSTEIN.

Well, well--but what is it?

BUTLER.

Count Terzky's regiments tear the imperial eagle From off his banners, and instead of it Have reared aloft their arms.

ANSPESSADE (abruptly to the CUIRa.s.sIERS).

Right about! March!

WALLENSTEIN.

Cursed be this counsel, and accursed who gave it!

[To the CUIRa.s.sIERS, who are retiring.

Halt, children, halt! There's some mistake in this; Hark! I will punish it severely. Stop They do not hear. (To ILLO). Go after them, a.s.sure them, And bring them back to me, cost what it may.

[ILLO hurries out.

This hurls us headlong. Butler! Butler!

You are my evil genius, wherefore must you Announce it in their presence? It was all In a fair way. They were half won! those madmen With their improvident over-readiness-- A cruel game is Fortune playing with me.

The zeal of friends it is that razes me, And not the hate of enemies.

SCENE XVII.

To these enter the d.u.c.h.eSS, who rushes into the chamber; THEKLA and the COUNTESS follow her.

d.u.c.h.eSS.

O Albrecht!

What hast thou done?

WALLENSTEIN.

And now comes this beside.

COUNTESS.

Forgive me, brother! It was not in my power-- They know all.

d.u.c.h.eSS.

What hast thou done?

COUNTESS (to TERZKY).

Is there no hope? Is all lost utterly?

TERZKY.

All lost. No hope. Prague in the emperor's hands, The soldiery have taken their oaths anew.

COUNTESS.

That lurking hypocrite, Octavio!

Count Max. is off too.

TERZKY.

Where can he be? He's Gone over to the emperor with his father.

[THEKLA rushes out into the arms of her mother, hiding her face in her bosom.

d.u.c.h.eSS (enfolding her in her arms).

Unhappy child! and more unhappy mother!

WALLENSTEIN (aside to TERZKY).

Quick! Let a carriage stand in readiness In the court behind the palace. Scherfenberg, Be their attendant; he is faithful to us.

To Egra he'll conduct them, and we follow.

[To ILLO, who returns.

Thou hast not brought them back?

ILLO.