The Death of Wallenstein

  What other angel seek I? To this heart,  To this unerring heart, will I submit it;  Will ask thy love, which has the power to bless  The happy man alone, averted ever  From the disquieted and guilty – canst thou  Still love me, if I stay? Say that thou canst,  And I am the duke's —COUNTESS           Think, niece —MAX                   Think nothing, Thekla!  Speak what thou feelest.COUNTESS               Think upon your father.MAX  I did not question thee, as Friedland's daughter.  Thee, the beloved and the unerring God  Within thy heart, I question. What's at stake?  Not whether diadem of royalty  Be to be won or not – that mightest thou think on.  Thy friend, and his soul's quiet are at stake:  The fortune of a thousand gallant men,  Who will all follow me; shall I forswear  My oath and duty to the emperor?  Say, shall I send into Octavio's camp  The parricidal ball? For when the ball  Has left its cannon, and is on its flight,  It is no longer a dead instrument!  It lives, a spirit passes into it;  The avenging furies seize possession of it,  And with sure malice, guide it the worst way.THEKLA  Oh! Max. —MAX. (interrupting her)        Nay, not precipitately either, Thekla.  I understand thee. To thy noble heart  The hardest duty might appear the highest.  The human, not the great part, would I act.  Even from my childhood to this present hour,  Think what the duke has done for me, how loved me  And think, too, how my father has repaid him.  Oh likewise the free lovely impulses  Of hospitality, the pious friend's  Faithful attachment, these, too, are a holy  Religion to the heart; and heavily  The shudderings of nature do avenge  Themselves on the barbarian that insults them.  Lay all upon the balance, all – then speak,  And let thy heart decide it.THEKLA                 Oh, thy own  Hath long ago decided. Follow thou  Thy heart's first feeling —COUNTESS                 Oh! ill-fated woman!THEKLA  Is it possible, that that can be the right,  The which thy tender heart did not at first  Detect and seize with instant impulse? Go,  Fulfil thy duty! I should ever love thee.  Whate'er thou hast chosen, thou wouldst still have acted  Nobly and worthy of thee – but repentance  Shall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace.MAX                        Then I  Must leave thee, must part from thee!THEKLA                      Being faithful  To thine own self, thou art faithful, too, to me:  If our fates part, our hearts remain united.  A bloody hatred will divide forever  The houses Piccolomini and Friedland;  But we belong not to our houses. Go!  Quick! quick! and separate thy righteous cause  From our unholy and unblessed one!  The curse of heaven lies upon our head:  'Tis dedicate to ruin. Even me  My father's guilt drags with it to perdition.  Mourn not for me:  My destiny will quickly be decided.

[MAX. clasps her in his arms in extreme emotion. There is heard from behind the scene a loud, wild, long-continued cry, Vivat Ferdinandus! accompanied by warlike instruments. MAX. and THEKLA remain without motion in each other's embraces.

SCENE XXII

To the above enter TERZKY.

COUNTESS (meeting him)  What meant that cry? What was it?TERZKY                    All is lost!COUNTESS  What! they regarded not his countenance?TERZKY  'Twas all in vain.DUCHESS            They shouted Vivat!TERZKY                       To the emperor.COUNTESS  The traitors?TERZKY          Nay! he was not permitted  Even to address them. Soon as he began,  With deafening noise of warlike instruments  They drowned his words. But here he comes.

SCENE XXIII

To these enter WALLENSTEIN, accompanied by ILLO and BUTLER.

WALLENSTEIN (as he enters)  Terzky!TERZKY       My general!WALLENSTEIN             Let our regiments hold themselves  In readiness to march; for we shall leave  Pilsen ere evening.

[Exit TERZKY.

             Butler!BUTLER                 Yes, my general.WALLENSTEIN  The Governor of Egra is your friend  And countryman. Write him instantly  By a post courier. He must be advised,  That we are with him early on the morrow.  You follow us yourself, your regiment with you.BUTLER  It shall be done, my general!WALLENSTEIN (steps between MAX. and THEKLA, who have remained during this time in each other's arms)                  Part!MAX                     O God!

[CUIRASSIERS enter with drawn swords, and assemble in the background. At the same time there are heard from below some spirited passages out of the Pappenheim March, which seem to address MAX.

WALLENSTEIN (to the CUIRASSIERS)  Here he is, he is at liberty: I keep him  No longer.

[He turns away, and stands so that MAX. cannot pass by him nor approach the PRINCESS.

MAX  Thou know'st that I have not yet learnt to live  Without thee! I go forth into a desert,  Leaving my all behind me. Oh, do not turn  Thine eyes away from me! Oh, once more show me  Thy ever dear and honored countenance.

[MAX. attempts to take his hand, but is repelled: he turns to the COUNTESS.

  Is there no eye that has a look of pity for me?

[The COUNTESS turns away from him; he turns to the DUCHESS.

  My mother!DUCHESS        Go where duty calls you. Haply  The time may come when you may prove to us  A true friend, a good angel at the throne  Of the emperor.MAX           You give me hope; you would not  Suffer me wholly to despair. No! no!  Mine is a certain misery. Thanks to heaven!  That offers me a means of ending it.

[The military music begins again. The stage fills more and more with armed men. MAX. sees BUTLER and addresses him.

  And you here, Colonel Butler – and will you  Not follow me? Well, then, remain more faithful  To your new lord, than you have proved yourself  To the emperor. Come, Butler! promise me.  Give me your hand upon it, that you'll be  The guardian of his life, its shield, its watchman.  He is attainted, and his princely head  Fair booty for each slave that trades in murder.  Now he doth need the faithful eye of friendship,  And those whom here I see —

[Casting suspicious looks on ILLO and BUTLER.

ILLO                 Go – seek for traitors  In Gallas', in your father's quarters. Here  Is only one. Away! away! and free us  From his detested sight! Away!

[MAX. attempts once more to approach THERLA. WALLENSTEIN prevents him. MAX. stands irresolute, and in apparent anguish, In the meantime the stage fills more and more; and the horns sound from below louder and louder, and each time after a shorter interval.

MAX  Blow, blow! Oh, were it but the Swedish trumpets,  And all the naked swords, which I see here,  Were plunged into my breast! What purpose you?  You come to tear me from this place! Beware,  Ye drive me not to desperation. Do it not!  Ye may repent it!

[The stage is entirely filled with armed men.

  Yet more! weight upon weight to drag me down  Think what ye're doing. It is not well done  To choose a man despairing for your leader;  You tear me from my happiness. Well, then,  I dedicate your souls to vengeance. Mark!  For your own ruin you have chosen me  Who goes with me must be prepared to perish.

[He turns to the background; there ensues a sudden and violent movement among the CUIRASSIERS; they surround him, and carry him off in wild tumult. WALLENSTEIN remains immovable. THERLA sinks into her mother's arms. The curtain falls. The music becomes loud and overpowering, and passes into a complete war-march – the orchestra joins it – and continues during the interval between the third and fourth acts.

ACT IV

SCENE I

The BURGOMASTER's house at Egra.

BUTLER (just arrived)  Here then he is by his destiny conducted.  Here, Friedland! and no further! From Bohemia  Thy meteor rose, traversed the sky awhile,  And here upon the borders of Bohemia  Must sink.        Thou hast forsworn the ancient colors,  Blind man! yet trustest to thy ancient fortunes.  Profaner of the altar and the hearth,  Against thy emperor and fellow-citizens  Thou meanest to wage the war. Friedland, beware —  The evil spirit of revenge impels thee —  Beware thou, that revenge destroy thee not!

SCENE II

BUTLER and GORDON.

GORDON                    Is it you?  How my heart sinks! The duke a fugitive traitor!  His princely head attainted! Oh, my God!  Tell me, general, I implore thee, tell me  In full, of all these sad events at Pilsen.BUTLER  You have received the letter which I sent you  By a post-courier?GORDON            Yes: and in obedience to it  Opened the stronghold to him without scruple,  For an imperial letter orders me  To follow your commands implicitly.  But yet forgive me! when even now I saw  The duke himself, my scruples recommenced.  For truly, not like an attainted man,  Into this town did Friedland make his entrance;  His wonted majesty beamed from his brow,  And calm, as in the days when all was right,  Did he receive from me the accounts of office.  'Tis said, that fallen pride learns condescension.  But sparing and with dignity the duke  Weighed every syllable of approbation,  As masters praise a servant who has done  His duty and no more.BUTLER              'Tis all precisely  As I related in my letter. Friedland  Has sold the army to the enemy,  And pledged himself to give up Prague and Egra.  On this report the regiments all forsook him,  The five excepted that belong to Terzky,  And which have followed him, as thou hast seen.  The sentence of attainder is passed on him,  And every loyal subject is required  To give him in to justice, dead or living.GORDON  A traitor to the emperor. Such a noble!  Of such high talents! What is human greatness?  I often said, this can't end happily.  His might, his greatness, and this obscure power  Are but a covered pitfall. The human being  May not be trusted to self-government.  The clear and written law, the deep-trod footmarks  Of ancient custom, are all necessary  To keep him in the road of faith and duty.  The authority intrusted to this man  Was unexampled and unnatural,  It placed him on a level with his emperor,  Till the proud soul unlearned submission. Woe is me!  I mourn for him! for where he fell, I deem  Might none stand firm. Alas! dear general,  We in our lucky mediocrity  Have ne'er experienced, cannot calculate,  What dangerous wishes such a height may breed  In the heart of such a man.BUTLER                 Spare your laments  Till he need sympathy; for at this present  He is still mighty, and still formidable.  The Swedes advance to Egra by forced marches,  And quickly will the junction be accomplished.  This must not be! The duke must never leave  This stronghold on free footing; for I have  Pledged life and honor here to hold him prisoner,  And your assistance 'tis on which I calculate.GORDON  O that I had not lived to see this day!  From his hand I received this dignity,  He did himself intrust this stronghold to me,  Which I am now required to make his dungeon.  We subalterns have no will of our own:  The free, the mighty man alone may listen  To the fair impulse of his human nature.  Ah! we are but the poor tools of the law,  Obedience the sole virtue we dare aim at!BUTLER  Nay! let it not afflict you, that your power  Is circumscribed. Much liberty, much error!  The narrow path of duty is securest.  And all then have deserted him you say?  He has built up the luck of many thousands  For kingly was his spirit: his full hand  Was ever open! Many a one from dust

[With a sly glance on BUTLER.

  Hath he selected, from the very dust  Hath raised him into dignity and honor.  And yet no friend, not one friend hath he purchased,  Whose heart beats true to him in the evil hour.BUTLER  Here's one, I see.GORDON            I have enjoyed from him  No grace or favor. I could almost doubt,  If ever in his greatness he once thought on  An old friend of his youth. For still my office  Kept me at distance from him; and when first  He to this citadel appointed me,  He was sincere and serious in his duty.  I do not then abuse his confidence,  If I preserve my fealty in that  Which to my fealty was first delivered.BUTLER  Say, then, will you fulfil the attainder on him,  And lend your aid to take him in arrest?  GORDON (pauses, reflecting – then as in deep dejection).  If it be so – if all be as you say —  If he've betrayed the emperor, his master,  Have sold the troops, have purposed to deliver  The strongholds of the country to the enemy —  Yea, truly! – there is no redemption for him!  Yet it is hard, that me the lot should destine  To be the instrument of his perdition;  For we were pages at the court of Bergau  At the same period; but I was the senior.BUTLER  I have heard so —GORDON            'Tis full thirty years since then,  A youth who scarce had seen his twentieth year  Was Wallenstein, when he and I were friends  Yet even then he had a daring soul:  His frame of mind was serious and severe  Beyond his years: his dreams were of great objects  He walked amidst us of a silent spirit,  Communing with himself; yet I have known him  Transported on a sudden into utterance  Of strange conceptions; kindling into splendor  His soul revealed itself, and he spake so  That we looked round perplexed upon each other,  Not knowing whether it were craziness,  Or whether it were a god that spoke in him.BUTLER  But was it where he fell two story high  From a window-ledge, on which he had fallen asleep  And rose up free from injury? From this day  (It is reported) he betrayed clear marks  Of a distempered fancy.GORDON               He became  Doubtless more self-enwrapped and melancholy;  He made himself a Catholic.7 Marvellously  His marvellous preservation had transformed him.  Thenceforth he held himself for an exempted  And privileged being, and, as if he were  Incapable of dizziness or fall,  He ran along the unsteady rope of life.  But now our destinies drove us asunder;  He paced with rapid step the way of greatness,  Was count, and prince, duke-regent, and dictator,  And now is all, all this too little for him;  He stretches forth his hands for a king's crown,  And plunges in unfathomable ruin.BUTLER  No more, he comes.

SCENE III

To these enter WALLENSTEIN, in conversation with the BURGOMASTER of Egra.

WALLENSTEIN  You were at one time a free town. I see  Ye bear the half eagle in your city arms.  Why the half eagle only?BURGOMASTER               We were free,  But for these last two hundred years has Egra  Remained in pledge to the Bohemian crown;  Therefore we bear the half eagle, the other half  Being cancelled till the empire ransom us,  If ever that should be.WALLENSTEIN               Ye merit freedom.  Only be firm and dauntless. Lend your ears  To no designing whispering court-minions.  What may your imposts be?BURGOMASTER                So heavy that  We totter under them. The garrison  Lives at our costs.WALLENSTEIN             I will relieve you. Tell me,  There are some Protestants among you still?

[The BURGOMASTER hesitates.

  Yes, yes; I know it. Many lie concealed  Within these walls. Confess now, you yourself —

[Fixes, his eye on him. The BURGOMASTER alarmed.

  Be not alarmed. I hate the Jesuits.  Could my will have determined it they had  Been long ago expelled the empire. Trust me —  Mass-book or Bible, 'tis all one to me.  Of that the world has had sufficient proof.  I built a church for the Reformed in Glogau  At my own instance. Hark ye, burgomaster!  What is your name?BURGOMASTER            Pachhalbel, may it please you.WALLENSTEIN  Hark ye! But let it go no further, what I now  Disclose to you in confidence.

[Laying his hand on the BURGOMASTER'S shoulder with a certain

     solemnity.                  The times  Draw near to their fulfilment, burgomaster!  The high will fall, the low will be exalted.  Hark ye! But keep it to yourself! The end  Approaches of the Spanish double monarchy —  A new arrangement is at hand. You saw  The three moons that appeared at once in the heaven?BURGOMASTER  With wonder and affright!WALLENSTEIN                Whereof did two  Strangely transform themselves to bloody daggers,  And only one, the middle moon, remained  Steady and clear.BURGOMASTER            We applied it to the Turks.WALLENSTEIN  The Turks! That all? I tell you that two empires  Will set in blood, in the East and in the West,  And Lutherism alone remain.

[Observing GORDON and BUTLER.

                 I'faith,  'Twas a smart cannonading that we heard  This evening, as we journeyed hitherward:  'Twas on our left hand. Did ye hear it here?GORDON  Distinctly. The wind brought it from the south.BUTLER  It seemed to come from Weiden or from Neustadt.WALLENSTEIN  'Tis likely. That's the route the Swedes are taking.  How strong is the garrison?GORDON                 Not quite two hundred  Competent men, the rest are invalids.WALLENSTEIN  Good! And how many in the vale of Jochim?GORDON  Two hundred arquebusiers have I sent thither  To fortify the posts against the Swedes.WALLENSTEIN  Good! I commend your foresight. At the works too  You have done somewhat?GORDON               Two additional batteries  I caused to be run up. They were needless;  The Rhinegrave presses hard upon us, general!WALLENSTEIN  You have been watchful in your emperor's service.  I am content with you, lieutenant-colonel.

[To BUTLER.

  Release the outposts in the vale of Jochim,  With all the stations in the enemy's route.

[To GORDON.

  Governor, in your faithful hands I leave  My wife, my daughter, and my sister. I  Shall make no stay here, and wait but the arrival  Of letters to take leave of you, together  With all the regiments.

SCENE IV

To these enter COUNT TERZKY.

TERZKY  Joy, general, joy! I bring you welcome tidings.WALLENSTEIN  And what may they be?TERZKY              There has been an engagement  At Neustadt; the Swedes gained the victory.WALLENSTEIN  From whence did you receive the intelligence?TERZKY  A countryman from Tirschenreut conveyed it.  Soon after sunrise did the fight begin  A troop of the imperialists from Tachau  Had forced their way into the Swedish camp;  The cannonade continued full two hours;  There were left dead upon the field a thousand  Imperialists, together with their colonel;  Further than this he did not know.WALLENSTEIN                    How came  Imperial troops at Neustadt? Altringer,  But yesterday, stood sixty miles from there.  Count Gallas' force collects at Frauenberg,  And have not the full complement. Is it possible  That Suys perchance had ventured so far onward?  It cannot be.TERZKY          We shall soon know the whole,  For here comes Illo, full of haste, and joyous.

SCENE V

To these enter ILLO.

ILLO (to WALLENSTEIN)  A courier, duke! he wishes to speak with thee.TERZKY (eagerly)  Does he bring confirmation of the victory?WALLENSTEIN (at the same time)  What does he bring? Whence comes he?ILLO                      From the Rhinegrave,  And what he brings I can announce to you  Beforehand. Seven leagues distant are the Swedes;  At Neustadt did Max. Piccolomini  Throw himself on them with the cavalry;  A murderous fight took place! o'erpowered by numbers  The Pappenheimers all, with Max. their leader,

[WALLENSTEIN shudders and turns pale.

  Were left dead on the field.WALLENSTEIN (after a pause, in a low voice)  Where is the messenger? Conduct me to him.

[WALLENSTEIN is going, when LADY NEUBRUNN rushes into the room.

Some servants follow her and run across the stage.

NEUBRUNN  Help! Help!ILLO and TERZKY (at the same time)         What now?NEUBRUNN               The princess!WALLENSTEIN and TERZKY                      Does she know it?NEUBRUNN (at the same time with them)  She is dying!

[Hurries off the stage, when WALLENSTEIN and TERZKY follow her.

SCENE VI

BUTLER and GORDON.

GORDON  What's this?BUTLER  She has lost the man she loved —  Young Piccolomini, who fell in the battle.GORDON  Unfortunate lady!BUTLER            You have heard what Illo  Reporteth, that the Swedes are conquerers,  And marching hitherward.GORDON               Too well I heard it.BUTLER  They are twelve regiments strong, and there are five  Close by us to protect the duke. We have  Only my single regiment; and the garrison  Is not two hundred strong.GORDON                'Tis even so.BUTLER  It is not possible with such small force  To hold in custody a man like him.GORDON  I grant it.BUTLER         Soon the numbers would disarm us,  And liberate him.GORDON            It were to be feared.BUTLER (after a pause)  Know, I am warranty for the event;  With my head have I pledged myself for his,  Must make my word good, cost it what it will,  And if alive we cannot hold him prisoner,  Why – death makes all things certain!GORDON                     Sutler! What?  Do I understand you? Gracious God! You could —BUTLER  He must not live.GORDON            And you can do the deed?BUTLER  Either you or I. This morning was his last.GORDON  You would assassinate him?BUTLER                'Tis my purpose.GORDON  Who leans with his whole confidence upon you!BUTLER  Such is his evil destiny!GORDON                Your general!  The sacred person of your general!BUTLER  My general he has been.GORDON               That 'tis only  An "has been" washes out no villany,  And without judgment passed.BUTLER                 The execution  Is here instead of judgment.GORDON                 This were murder,  Not justice. The most guilty should be heard.BUTLER  His guilt is clear, the emperor has passed judgment,  And we but execute his will.GORDON                 We should not  Hurry to realize a bloody sentence.  A word may be recalled, a life never can be.BUTLER  Despatch in service pleases sovereigns.GORDON  No honest man's ambitious to press forward  To the hangman's service.BUTLER                And no brave man loses  His color at a daring enterprise.GORDON  A brave man hazards life, but not his conscience.BUTLER  What then? Shall he go forth anew to kindle  The unextinguishable flame of war?GORDON  Seize him, and hold him prisoner – do not kill him.BUTLER  Had not the emperor's army been defeated  I might have done so. But 'tis now passed by.GORDON  Oh, wherefore opened I the stronghold to him?BUTLER  His destiny, and not the place destroys him.GORDON  Upon these ramparts, as beseemed a soldier —  I had fallen, defending the emperor's citadel!BUTLER  Yes! and a thousand gallant men have perished!GORDON  Doing their duty – that adorns the man!  But murder's a black deed, and nature curses it.  BUTLER (brings out a paper).  Here is the manifesto which commands us  To gain possession of his person. See —  It is addressed to you as well as me.  Are you content to take the consequences,  If through our fault he escape to the enemy?GORDON  I? Gracious God!BUTLER            Take it on yourself.  Come of it what may, on you I lay it.GORDON  Oh, God in heaven!BUTLER            Can you advise aught else  Wherewith to execute the emperor's purpose?  Say if you can. For I desire his fall,  Not his destruction.GORDON             Merciful heaven! what must be  I see as clear as you. Yet still the heart  Within my bosom beats with other feelings!BUTLER  Mine is of harder stuff! Necessity  In her rough school hath steeled me. And this Illo,  And Terzky likewise, they must not survive him.GORDON  I feel no pang for these. Their own bad hearts  Impelled them, not the influence of the stars.  'Twas they who strewed the seeds of evil passions  In his calm breast, and with officious villany  Watered and nursed the poisonous plants. May they  Receive their earnests to the uttermost mite!BUTLER  And their death shall precede his!  We meant to have taken them alive this evening  Amid the merrymaking of a feast,  And keep them prisoners in the citadel,  But this makes shorter work. I go this instant  To give the necessary orders.

SCENE VII

To these enter ILLO and TERZKY.

TERZKY  Our luck is on the turn. To-morrow come  The Swedes – twelve thousand gallant warriors, Illo!  Then straightwise for Vienna. Cheerily, friend!  What! meet such news with such a moody face?ILLO  It lies with us at present to prescribe  Laws, and take vengeance on those worthless traitors  Those skulking cowards that deserted us;  One has already done his bitter penance,  The Piccolomini: be his the fate  Of all who wish us evil! This flies sure  To the old man's heart; he has his whole life long  Fretted and toiled to raise his ancient house  From a count's title to the name of prince;  And now must seek a grave for his only son.BUTLER  'Twas pity, though! A youth of such heroic  And gentle temperament! The duke himself,  'Twas easily seen, how near it went to his heart.ILLO  Hark ye, old friend! That is the very point  That never pleased me in our general —  He ever gave the preference to the Italians.  Yea, at this very moment, by my soul!  He'd gladly see us all dead ten times over,  Could he thereby recall his friend to life.TERZKY  Hush, hush! Let the dead rest! This evening's business  Is, who can fairly drink the other down —  Your regiment, Illo! gives the entertainment.  Come! we will keep a merry carnival  The night for once be day, and 'mid full glasses  Will we expect the Swedish avant-garde.ILLO  Yes, let us be of good cheer for to-day,  For there's hot work before us, friends! This sword  Shall have no rest till it is bathed to the hilt  In Austrian blood.GORDON  Shame, shame! what talk is this,  My lord field-marshal? Wherefore foam you so  Against your emperor?BUTLER              Hope not too much  From this first victory. Bethink you, sirs!  How rapidly the wheel of fortune turns;  The emperor still is formidably strong.ILLO  The emperor has soldiers, no commander,  For this King Ferdinand of Hungary  Is but a tyro. Gallas? He's no luck,  And was of old the ruiner of armies.  And then this viper, this Octavio,  Is excellent at stabbing in the back,  But ne'er meets Friedland in the open field.TERZKY  Trust me, my friends, it cannot but succeed;  Fortune, we know, can ne'er forsake the duke! —  And only under Wallenstein can Austria  Be conqueror.ILLO  The duke will soon assemble  A mighty army: all come crowding, streaming  To banners, dedicate by destiny  To fame, and prosperous fortune. I behold  Old times come back again! he will become  Once more the mighty lord which he has been.  How will the fools, who've how deserted him,  Look then? I can't but laugh to think of them,  For lands will he present to all his friends,  And like a king and emperor reward  True services; but we've the nearest claims.

[To GORDON.