Preeminent sense and military genius; 20And always the commanding Intellect,
He said, should have command, and be the King.
Wallenstein. Yes, he might say it safely. — General Wrangel,
[Taking his hand.
Come, fair and open — Trust me, I was always
A Swede at heart. Ey! that did you experience 25
Both in Silesia and at Nuremburg;
I had you often in my power, and let you
Always slip out by some back door or other.
‘Tis this for which the Court can ne’er forgive me,
Which drives me to this present step: and since 30
Our interests so run in one direction,
E’en let us have a thorough confidence
Each in the other.
Wrangel. Confidence will come
Has each but only first security.
Wallenstein. The Chancellor still, I see, does not quite trust
me; 35
And, I confess — the gain does not wholly lie
To my advantage — Without doubt he thinks
If I can play false with the Emperor,
Who is my Sov’reign, I can do the like
With the enemy, and that the one too were 40
Sooner to be forgiven me than the other.
Is not this your opinion too, Sir General?
Wrangel. I have here an office merely, no opinion.
Wallenstein. The Emperor hath urged me to the uttermost.
I can no longer honourably serve him. 45
For my security, in self-defence,
I take this hard step, which my conscience blames.
Wrangel. That I believe. So far would no one go
Who was not forced to it. [After a pause.
What may have impelled
Your princely Highness in this wise to act 50
Toward your Sovereign Lord and Emperor,
Beseems not us to expound or criticize.
The Swede is fighting for his good old cause.
With his good sword and conscience. This concurrence,
This opportunity, is in our favour, 55
And all advantages in war are lawful.
We take what offers without questioning;
And if all have its due and just proportions ——
Wallenstein. Of what then are ye doubting? Of my will?
Or of my power? I pledged me to the Chancellor, 60
Would he trust me with sixteen thousand men,
That I would instantly go over to them
With eighteen thousand of the Emperor’s troops.
Wrangel. Your Grace is known to be a mighty war-chief,
To be a second Attila and Pyrrhus. 65
‘Tis talked of still with fresh astonishment,
How some years past, beyond all human faith,
You called an army forth, like a creation:
But yet ——
Wallenstein. But yet?
Wrangel. But still the Chancellor thinks,
It might yet be an easier thing from nothing 70
To call forth sixty thousand men of battle,
Than to persuade one sixtieth part of them —
Wallenstein. What now? Out with it, friend!
Wrangel. To break their oaths.
Wallenstein. And he thinks so? — He judges like a Swede,
And like a Protestant. You Lutherans 75
Fight for your Bible. You are interested
About the cause; and with your hearts you follow
Your banners. — Among you, whoe’er deserts
To the enemy, hath broken covenant
With two Lords at one time. — We’ve no such fancies. 80
Wrangel. Great God in Heaven! Have then the people here
No house and home, no fireside, no altar?
Wallenstein. I will explain that to you, how it stands —
The Austrian has a country, ay, and loves it,
And has good cause to love it — but this army, 85
That calls itself the Imperial, this that houses
Here in Bohemia, this has none — no country;
This is an outcast of all foreign lands,
Unclaimed by town or tribe, to whom belongs
Nothing, except the universal sun. 90
Wrangel. But then the Nobles and the Officers?
Such a desertion, such a felony,
It is without example, my Lord Duke,
In the world’s history.
Wallenstein. They are all mine —
Mine unconditionally — mine on all terms. 95
Not me, your own eyes you must trust.
[He gives him the paper containing the written oath.
WRANGEL reads it through, and, having read it,
lays it on the table, remaining silent.
So then?
Now comprehend you?
Wrangel.
