href="#ulink_2fdc40f6-7513-50fa-8884-657c732ac6a1">Table of Contents
COUNTESS, DUCHESS, THEKLA.
Thekla (endeavouring to hold back the Duchess). Dear mother, do
stay here!
Duchess. No! Here is yet
Some frightful mystery that is hidden from me.
Why does my sister shun me? Don’t I see her
Full of suspense and anguish roam about
From room to room? — Art thou not full of terror? 5
And what import these silent nods and gestures
Which stealthwise thou exchangest with her?
Thekla. Nothing:
Nothing, dear Mother!
Duchess (to the Countess). Sister, I will know.
Countess. What boots it now to hide it from her? Sooner
Or later she must learn to hear and bear it. 10
‘Tis not the time now to indulge infirmity,
Courage beseems us now, a heart collected,
And exercise and previous discipline
Of fortitude. One word, and over with it!
Sister, you are deluded. You believe, 15
The Duke has been deposed — The Duke is not
Deposed — he is ——
Thekla (going to the Countess). What? do you wish to kill her?
Countess. The Duke is ——
Thekla (throwing her arms round her mother). O stand firm! stand
firm, my mother!
Countess. Revolted is the Duke, he is preparing 20
To join the enemy, the army leave him,
And all has failed.
[After 22] [During these words the DUCHESS totters, and
falls in a fainting fit into the arms of her daughter. While THEKLA is
calling for help, the curtain drops. 1800, 1828, 1829.
ACT II
SCENE I
SCENE — A spacious Room in the DUKE OF FRIEDLAND’S Palace.
Wallenstein (in armour). Thou hast gained thy point, Octavio! Once
more am I
Almost as friendless as at Regenspurg.
There I had nothing left me, but myself —
But what one man can do, you have now experience.
The twigs have you hewed off, and here I stand 5
A leafless trunk. But in the sap within
Lives the creating power, and a new world
May sprout forth from it. Once already have I
Proved myself worth an army to you — I alone!
Before the Swedish strength your troops had melted; 10
Beside the Lech sank Tilly, your last hope;
Into Bavaria, like a winter torrent,
Did that Gustavus pour, and at Vienna
In his own palace did the Emperor tremble.
Soldiers were scarce, for still the multitude 15
Follow the luck: all eyes were turned on me,
Their helper in distress; the Emperor’s pride
Bowed itself down before the man he had injured.
‘Twas I must rise, and with creative word
Assemble forces in the desolate camps. 20
I did it. Like a god of war, my name
Went through the world. The drum was beat — and, lo!
The plough, the workshop is forsaken, all
Swarm to the old familiar long-loved banners;
And as the wood-choir rich in melody 25
Assemble quick around the bird of wonder,
When first his throat swells with his magic song,
So did the warlike youth of Germany
Crowd in around the image of my eagle.
I feel myself the being that I was. 30
It is the soul that builds itself a body,
And Friedland’s camp will not remain unfilled.
Lead then your thousands out to meet me — true!
They are accustomed under me to conquer,
But not against me. If the head and limbs 35
Separate from each other, ‘twill be soon
Made manifest, in which the soul abode.
(ILLO and TERTSKY enter.)
Courage, friends! Courage! We are still unvanquished;
I feel my footing firm; five regiments, Tertsky,
Are still our own, and Butler’s gallant troops; 40
And a host of sixteen thousand Swedes tomorrow.
I was not stronger, when nine years ago
I marched forth, with glad heart and high of hope,
To conquer Germany for the Emperor.
SCENE II
WALLENSTEIN, ILLO, TERTSKY. (To them enter
