The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, (1 and 2), by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

Max (advances to him). My General!

Wallenstein. That am I no longer, if
Thou styl'st thyself the Emperor's officer.

Max. Then thou wilt leave the army, General?

Wallenstein. I have renounced the service of the Emperor.

Max. And thou wilt leave the army?

Wallenstein. Rather hope I 5
To bind it nearer still and faster to me. [He seats himself.
Yes, Max, I have delayed to open it to thee,
Even till the hour of acting 'gins to strike.
Youth's fortunate feeling doth seize easily
The absolute right, yea, and a joy it is 10
To exercise the single apprehension
Where the sums square in proof;
But where it happens, that of two sure evils
One must be taken, where the heart not wholly
Brings itself back from out the strife of duties, 15
[707] There 'tis a blessing to have no election,
And blank necessity is grace and favour.
—This is now present: do not look behind thee.—
It can no more avail thee. Look thou forwards!
Think not! judge not! prepare thyself to act! 20
The Court—it hath determined on my ruin,
Therefore I will to be beforehand with them.
We'll join the Swedes—right gallant fellows are they,
And our good friends. [He stops himself, expecting Piccolomini's answer.
I have ta'en thee by surprise. Answer me not. 25
I grant thee time to recollect thyself.

[He rises, and retires at the back of the stage. Max remains for a long time motionless, in a trance of excessive anguish. At his first motion Wallenstein returns, and places himself before him.

Max. My General, this day thou makest me
Of age to speak in my own right and person,
For till this day I have been spared the trouble
To find out my own road. Thee have I followed 30
With most implicit unconditional faith,
Sure of the right path if I followed thee.
To-day, for the first time, dost thou refer
Me to myself, and forcest me to make
Election between thee and my own heart. 35

Wallenstein. Soft cradled thee thy Fortune till to-day;
Thy duties thou couldst exercise in sport,
Indulge all lovely instincts, act for ever
With undivided heart. It can remain
No longer thus. Like enemies, the roads 40
Start from each other. Duties strive with duties.
Thou must needs choose thy party in the war
Which is now kindling 'twixt thy friend and him
Who is thy Emperor.

Max. War! is that the name?
War is as frightful as heaven's pestilence. 45
Yet it is good, is it heaven's will as that is.
Is that a good war, which against the Emperor
Thou wagest with the Emperor's own army?
O God of heaven! what a change is this.
Beseems it me to offer such persuasion 50
To thee, who like the fixed star of the pole
Wert all I gazed at on life's trackless ocean?
[708] O! what a rent thou makest in my heart!
The ingrained instinct of old reverence.
The holy habit of obediency, 55
Must I pluck live asunder from thy name?
Nay, do not turn thy countenance upon me—
It always was as a god looking at me!
Duke Wallenstein, its power is not departed:
The senses still are in thy bonds, although, 60
Bleeding, the soul hath freed itself.

Wallenstein. Max, hear me.

Max. O! do it not, I pray thee, do it not!
There is a pure and noble soul within thee,
Knows not of this unblest, unlucky doing.
Thy will is chaste, it is thy fancy only 65
Which hath polluted thee—and innocence,
It will not let itself be driven away
From that world-awing aspect. Thou wilt not,
Thou canst not, end in this. It would reduce
All human creatures to disloyalty 70
Against the nobleness of their own nature.
'Twill justify the vulgar misbelief,
Which holdeth nothing noble in free will,
And trusts itself to impotence alone
Made powerful only in an unknown power. 75

Wallenstein. The world will judge me sternly, I expect it.
Already have I said to my own self
All thou canst say to me. Who but avoids
The extreme,—can he by going round avoid it?
But here there is no choice. Yes—I must use 80
Or suffer violence—so stands the case,
There remains nothing possible but that.

Max. O that is never possible for thee!
'Tis the last desperate resource of those
Cheap souls, to whom their honour, their good name 85
Is their poor saving, their last worthless keep,
Which having staked and lost, they stake themselves
In the mad rage of gaming. Thou art rich,
And glorious; with an unpolluted heart
Thou canst make conquest of whate'er seems highest! 90
But he, who once hath acted infamy,
Does nothing more in this world.

Wallenstein (grasps his hand). Calmly, Max!
[709] Much that is great and excellent will we
Perform together yet. And if we only
Stand on the height with dignity, 'tis soon 95
Forgotten, Max, by what road we ascended.
Believe me, many a crown shines spotless now,
That yet was deeply sullied in the winning.
To the evil spirit doth the earth belong,
Not to the good. All, that the powers divine 100
Send from above, are universal blessings:
Their light rejoices us, their air refreshes,
But never yet was man enriched by them:
In their eternal realm no property
Is to be struggled for—all there is general. 105
The jewel, the all-valued gold we win
From the deceiving Powers, depraved in nature,
That dwell beneath the day and blessed sun-light.
Not without sacrifices are they rendered
Propitious, and there lives no soul on earth 110
That e'er retired unsullied from their service.

Max. Whate'er is human, to the human being
Do I allow—and to the vehement
And striving spirit readily I pardon
The excess of action; but to thee, my General! 115
Above all others make I large concession.
For thou must move a world, and be the master—
He kills thee, who condemns thee to inaction.
So be it then! maintain thee in thy post
By violence. Resist the Emperor, 120
And if it must be, force with force repel:
I will not praise it, yet I can forgive it.
But not—not to the traitor—yes!—the word
Is spoken out——
Not to the traitor can I yield a pardon. 125
That is no mere excess! that is no error
Of human nature—that is wholly different,
O that is black, black as the pit of hell!
Thou canst not hear it nam'd, and wilt thou do it?
O turn back to thy duty. That thou canst, 130
I hold it certain. Send me to Vienna.
I'll make thy peace for thee with the Emperor.
[710] He knows thee not. But I do know thee. He
Shall see thee, Duke! with my unclouded eye,
And I bring back his confidence to thee. 135

Wallenstein. It is too late. Thou knowest not what has happened.

Max. Were it too late, and were things gone so far,
That a crime only could prevent thy fall,
Then—fall! fall honourably, even as thou stood'st.
Lose the command. Go from the stage of war. 140
Thou canst with splendour do it—do it too
With innocence. Thou hast liv'd much for others,
At length live thou for thy own self. I follow thee.
My destiny I never part from thine.

Wallenstein. It is too late! Even now, while thou art losing 145
Thy words, one after the other are the mile-stones
Left fast behind by my post couriers,
Who bear the order on to Prague and Egra.
Yield thyself to it. We act as we are forced.
I cannot give assent to my own shame 150
And ruin. Thou—no—thou canst not forsake me!
So let us do, what must be done, with dignity,
With a firm step. What am I doing worse
Than did famed Cæsar at the Rubicon,
When he the legions led against his country, 155
The which his country had delivered to him?
Had he thrown down the sword, he had been lost,
As I were, if I but disarmed myself.
I trace out something in me of his spirit.
Give me his luck, that other thing I'll bear. 160

[Max quits him abruptly. Wallenstein, startled and overpowered, continues looking after him, and is still in this posture when Tertsky enters.

LINENOTES:

Scene III

Tertsky. Max Piccolomini just left you?

Wallenstein. Where is Wrangel?

Tertsky. He is already gone.

[711]Wallenstein. In such a hurry?

Tertsky. It is as if the earth had swallowed him.
He had scarce left thee, when I went to seek him.
I wished some words with him—but he was gone. 5
How, when, and where, could no one tell me. Nay,
I half believe it was the devil himself;
A human creature could not so at once
Have vanished.

Illo (enters). Is it true that thou wilt send
Octavio?

Tertsky. How, Octavio! Whither send him? 10

Wallenstein. He goes to Frauenberg, and will lead hither
The Spanish and Italian regiments.

Illo. No!
Nay, Heaven forbid!

Wallenstein. And why should Heaven forbid?

Illo. Him!—that deceiver! Would'st thou trust to him
The soldiery? Him wilt thou let slip from thee, 15
Now, in the very instant that decides us——

Tertsky. Thou wilt not do this!—No! I pray thee, no!

Wallenstein. Ye are whimsical.

Illo. O but for this time, Duke,
Yield to our warning! Let him not depart.

Wallenstein. And why should I not trust him only this time, 20
Who have always trusted him? What, then, has happened,
That I should lose my good opinion of him?
In complaisance to your whims, not my own,
I must, forsooth, give up a rooted judgment.
Think not I am a woman. Having trusted him 25
E'en till to-day, to-day too will I trust him.

Tertsky. Must it be he—he only? Send another.

Wallenstein. It must be he, whom I myself have chosen;
He is well fitted for the business. Therefore
I gave it him.

Illo. Because he's an Italian— 30
Therefore is he well fitted for the business.

Wallenstein. I know you love them not—nor sire nor son—
Because that I esteem them, love them—visibly
Esteem them, love them more than you and others,
E'en as they merit. Therefore are they eye-blights, 35
Thorns in your foot-path. But your jealousies,
In what affect they me or my concerns?
[712] Are they the worse to me because you hate them?
Love or hate one another as you will,
I leave to each man his own moods and likings; 40
Yet know the worth of each of you to me.

Illo. Von Questenberg, while he was here, was always
Lurking about with this Octavio.

Wallenstein. It happened with my knowledge and permission.

Illo. I know that secret messengers came to him 45
From Galas——

Wallenstein. That's not true.

Illo. O thou art blind
With thy deep-seeing eyes.

Wallenstein. Thou wilt not shake
My faith for me—my faith, which founds itself
On the profoundest science. If 'tis false,
Then the whole science of the stars is false. 50
For know, I have a pledge from fate itself,
That he is the most faithful of my friends.

Illo. Hast thou a pledge, that this pledge is not false?

Wallenstein. There exist moments in the life of man,
When he is nearer the great soul of the world 55
Than is man's custom, and possesses freely
The power of questioning his destiny:
And such a moment 'twas, when in the night
Before the action in the plains of Lützen,
Leaning against a tree, thoughts crowding thoughts, 60
I looked out far upon the ominous plain.
My whole life, past and future, in this moment
Before my mind's eye glided in procession,
And to the destiny of the next morning
The spirit, filled with anxious presentiment, 65
Did knit the most removed futurity.
Then said I also to myself, 'So many
Dost thou command. They follow all thy stars,
And as on some great number set their All
Upon thy single head, and only man 70
The vessel of thy fortune. Yet a day
Will come, when destiny shall once more scatter
All these in many a several direction:
Few be they who will stand out faithful to thee.'
I yearn'd to know which one was faithfullest 75
[713] Of all, this camp included. Great Destiny,
Give me a sign! And he shall be the man,
Who, on the approaching morning, comes the first
To meet me with a token of his love:
And thinking this, I fell into a slumber. 80
Then midmost in the battle was I led
In spirit. Great the pressure and the tumult!
Then was my horse killed under me: I sank:
And over me away, all unconcernedly,
Drove horse and rider—and thus trod to pieces 85
I lay, and panted like a dying man.
Then seized me suddenly a saviour arm;
It was Octavio's—I awoke at once,
'Twas broad day, and Octavio stood before me.
'My brother,' said he,'do not ride to-day 90
The dapple, as you're wont; but mount the horse
Which I have chosen for thee. Do it, brother!
In love to me. A strong dream warned me so.'
It was the swiftness of this horse that snatched me
From the hot pursuit of Bannier's dragoons. 95
My cousin rode the dapple on that day.
And never more saw I or horse or rider.

Illo. That was a chance.

Wallenstein. There's no such thing as chance.
In brief, 'tis signed and sealed that this Octavio
Is my good angel—and now no word more. [He is retiring.

Tertsky. This is my comfort—Max remains our hostage. 100

Illo. And he shall never stir from here alive.

Wallenstein (stops and turns himself round). Are ye not like the women, who for ever
Only recur to their first word, although
One had been talking reason by the hour? 105
Know, that the human being's thoughts and deeds
Are not, like ocean billows, blindly moved.
The inner world, his microcosmus, is
The deep shaft, out of which they spring eternally.
They grow by certain laws, like the tree's fruit— 110
No juggling chance can metamorphose them.
Have I the human kernel first examined?
Then I know, too, the future will and action.

LINENOTES:

Scene IV

Isolani. Here am I—Well! who comes yet of the others?

Octavio. But, first, a word with you, Count Isolani.

Isolani. Will it explode, ha?—Is the Duke about
To make the attempt? In me, friend, you may place
Full confidence.—Nay, put me to the proof. 5

Octavio. That may happen.

Isolani. Noble brother, I am
Not one of those men who in words are valiant,
And when it comes to action skulk away.
The Duke has acted towards me as a friend.
God knows it is so; and I owe him all—— 10
He may rely on my fidelity.

Octavio. That will be seen hereafter.

Isolani. Be on your guard,
All think not as I think; and there are many
Who still hold with the Court—yes, and they say
That those stolen signatures bind them to nothing. 15

Octavio. I am rejoiced to hear it.

Isolani. You rejoice!

Octavio. That the Emperor has yet such gallant servants
And loving friends.

Isolani. Nay, jeer not, I entreat you.
They are no such worthless fellows, I assure you.

Octavio. I am assured already. God forbid 20
That I should jest!—In very serious earnest
I am rejoiced to see an honest cause
So strong.

Isolani. The Devil!—what!—why, what means this?
Are you not, then——For what, then, am I here?

Octavio. That you may make full declaration, whether 25
You will be called the friend or enemy
Of the Emperor.

Isolani. That declaration, friend,
I'll make to him in whom a right is placed
To put that question to me.

Octavio. Whether, Count, 30
That right is mine, this paper may instruct you.

[715]Isolani. Why,—why—what! This is the Emperor's hand and seal! [Reads.
'Whereas the officers collectively
Throughout our army will obey the orders
Of the Lieutenant-General Piccolomini 35
As from ourselves.'——Hem!—Yes! so!—Yes! yes!—
I—I give you joy, Lieutenant-General!

Octavio. And you submit you to the order?

Isolani. I——
But you have taken me so by surprise—
Time for reflection one must have——

Octavio. Two minutes. 40

Isolani. My God! But then the case is——

Octavio. Plain and simple.
You must declare you, whether you determine
To act a treason 'gainst your Lord and Sovereign,
Or whether you will serve him faithfully.

Isolani. Treason!—My God!—But who talks then of treason? 45

Octavio. That is the case. The Prince-Duke is a traitor—
Means to lead over to the enemy
The Emperor's army.—Now, Count!—brief and full—
Say, will you break your oath to the Emperor?
Sell yourself to the enemy?—Say, will you? 50

Isolani. What mean you? I—I break my oath, d'ye say,
To his Imperial Majesty?
Did I say so?—When, when have I said that?

Octavio. You have not said it yet—not yet. This instant
I wait to hear, Count, whether you will say it. 55

Isolani. Aye! that delights me now, that you yourself
Bear witness for me that I never said so.

Octavio. And you renounce the Duke then?

Isolani. If he's planning
Treason—why, treason breaks all bonds asunder.

Octavio. And are determined, too, to fight against him? 60

Isolani. He has done me service—but if he's a villain,
Perdition seize him!—All scores are rubbed off.

Octavio. I am rejoiced that you're so well disposed.
This night break off in the utmost secrecy
With all the light-armed troops—it must appear 65
As came the order from the Duke himself.
[716] At Frauenberg's the place of rendezvous;
There will Count Galas give you further orders.

Isolani. It shall be done. But you'll remember me
With the Emperor—how well disposed you found me. 70

Octavio. I will not fail to mention it honourably.
[Exit Isolani. A Servant enters.
What, Colonel Butler!—Shew him up.

Isolani (returning). Forgive me too my bearish ways, old father!
Lord God! how should I know, then, what a great
Person I had before me.

Octavio. No excuses! 75

Isolani. I am a merry lad, and if at time
A rash word might escape me 'gainst the court
Amidst my wine—You know no harm was meant. [Exit.

Octavio. You need not be uneasy on that score.
That has succeeded. Fortune favour us 80
With all the others only but as much!

ACT V

Scene I

LINENOTES:

Scene II

LINENOTES:

Scene III

LINENOTES:

Scene IV

LINENOTES: