What is there of such urgence? We are busy.
Tertsky (from without). Lay all aside at present, I entreat you.
It suffers no delaying.
Wallenstein. Open, Seni!
[While SENI opens the doors for TERTSKY, WALLENSTEIN
draws the curtain over the figures.
Tertsky (enters). Hast thou already heard it? He is taken.
Galas has given him up to the Emperor. 50
[SENI draws off the black table, and exit.
SCENE II
WALLENSTEIN, COUNT TERTSKY.
Wallenstein (to Tertsky). Who has been taken? — Who is given up?
Tertsky. The man who knows our secrets, who knows every
Negotiation with the Swede and Saxon,
Through whose hands all and every thing has passed —
Wallenstein (drawing back). Nay, not Sesina? — Say, No! I entreat
thee. 5
Tertsky. All on his road for Regenspurg to the Swede
He was plunged down upon by Galas’ agent,
Who had been long in ambush, lurking for him.
There must have been found on him my whole packet
To Thur, to Kinsky, to Oxenstirn, to Arnheim: 10
All this is in their hands; they have now an insight
Into the whole — our measures, and our motives.
SCENE III
To them enters ILLO.
Illo (to Tertsky). Has he heard it?
Tertsky. He has heard it.
Illo (to Wallenstein). Thinkest thou
still
To make thy peace with the Emperor, to regain
His confidence? — E’en were it now thy wish
To abandon all thy plans, yet still they know
What thou hast wished; then forwards thou must press; 5
Retreat is now no longer in thy power.
Tertsky. They have documents against us, and in hands,
Which shew beyond all power of contradiction —
Wallenstein. Of my handwriting — no iota. Thee
I punish for thy lies.
Illo. And thou believest, 10
That what this man, that what thy sister’s husband,
Did in thy name, will not stand on thy reck’ning?
His word must pass for thy word with the Swede,
And not with those that hate thee at Vienna.
Tertsky. In writing thou gav’st nothing — But bethink thee, 15
How far thou ventured’st by word of mouth
With this Sesina? And will he be silent?
If he can save himself by yielding up
Thy secret purposes, will he retain them?
Illo. Thyself dost not conceive it possible; 20
And since they now have evidence authentic
How far thou hast already gone, speak! — tell us,
What art thou waiting for? thou canst no longer
Keep thy command; and beyond hope of rescue
Thou’rt lost, if thou resign’st it.
Wallenstein. In the army 25
Lies my security. The army will not
Abandon me. Whatever they may know,
The power is mine, and they must gulp it down —
And substitute I caution for my fealty,
They must be satisfied, at least appear so. 30
Illo. The army, Duke, is thine now — for this moment —
‘Tis thine: but think with terror on the slow,
The quiet power of time. From open violence
The attachment of thy soldiery secures thee
To-day — tomorrow; but grant’st thou them a respite, 35
Unheard, unseen, they’ll undermine that love
On which thou now dost feel so firm a footing,
With wily theft will draw away from thee
One after the other ——
Wallenstein. ‘Tis a curséd accident!
Illo. O, I will call it a most blessed one, 40
If it work on thee as it ought to do,
Hurry thee on to action — to decision.
The Swedish General ——
Wallenstein. He’s arrived! Know’st thou
What his commission is ——
Illo. To thee alone
Will he entrust the purpose of his coming. 45
Wallenstein. A curséd, curséd accident! Yes, yes,
Sesina knows too much, and won’t be silent.
Tertsky. He’s a Bohemian fugitive and rebel,
His neck is forfeit. Can he save himself
At thy cost, think you he will scruple it? 50
And if they put him to the torture, will he,
