—— Well, and the old Sesin, that ancient traderIn 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
To know my power; but whether I shall use it,
Of that, I should have thought that thou could’st speak 80
No wiselier than thy fellows.
Tertsky. So hast thou always played thy game with us.
[Enter ILLO.
SCENE XI
ILLO, WALLENSTEIN, TERTSKY.
Wallenstein. How stand affairs without? Are they prepared?
Illo. You’ll find them in the very mood you wish.
They know about the Emperor’s requisitions,
And are tumultuous.
Wallenstein. How hath Isolan
Declared himself?
Illo. He’s yours, both soul and body, 5
Since you built up again his Faro-bank.
Wallenstein. And which way doth Kolatto bend? Hast thou
Made sure of Tiefenbach and Deodate?
Illo. What Piccolomini does, that they do too.
Wallenstein. You mean then I may venture somewhat with them? 10
Illo. — If you are assured of the Piccolomini.
