leads TERTSKYaside, and talks with him.)
Tertsky. What do they want?
Wallenstein. What now?
Tertsky. Ten Cuirassiers
From Pappenheim request leave to address you
In the name of the regiment.
Wallenstein (hastily to Neumann). Let them enter.
[Exit NEUMANN.
This
May end in something. Mark you. They are still
Doubtful, and may be won. 5
SCENE III
WALLENSTEIN, TERTSKY, ILLO, Ten Cuirassiers (led by an
Anspessade, march up and arrange themselves, after the word of
command, in one front before the DUKE, and make their obeisance. He
takes his hat off, and immediately covers himself again).
Anspessade. Halt! Front! Present!
Wallenstein (after he has run through them with his eye, to the
Anspessade). I know thee well. Thou art out of Brüggin in Flanders:
Thy name is Mercy.
Anspessade. Henry Mercy.
Wallenstein. Thou wert cut off on the march, surrounded
by the Hessians, and didst fight thy way with a hundred and 5
eighty men through their thousand.
Anspessade. ‘Twas even so, General!
Wallenstein. What reward hadst thou for this gallant exploit?
Anspessade. That which I asked for: the honour to serve
in this corps. 10
Wallenstein (turning to a second). Thou wert among the
volunteers that seized and made booty of the Swedish battery
at Altenburg.
Second Cuirassier. Yes, General!
Wallenstein. I forget no one with whom I have exchanged 15
words. (A pause). Who sends you?
Anspessade. Your noble regiment, the Cuirassiers of
Piccolomini.
Wallenstein. Why does not your colonel deliver in your
request, according to the custom of service? 20
Anspessade. Because we would first know whom we serve.
Wallenstein. Begin your address.
Anspessade (giving the word of command). Shoulder your arms!
Wallenstein (turning to a third). Thy name is Risbeck, Cologne
is thy birthplace. 25
Third Cuirassier. Risbeck of Cologne.
Wallenstein. It was thou that broughtest in the Swedish
colonel, Diebald, prisoner, in the camp at Nuremberg.
Third Cuirassier. It was not I, General!
Wallenstein. Perfectly right! It was thy elder brother: 30
thou hadst a younger brother too: Where did he stay?
Third Cuirassier. He is stationed at Olmutz with the
Imperial army.
Wallenstein (to the Anspessade). Now then — begin.
Anspessade. There came to hand a letter from the Emperor 35
Commanding us ——
Wallenstein. Who chose you?
Anspessade. Every company
Drew its own man by lot.
Wallenstein. Now! to the business.
Anspessade. There came to hand a letter from the Emperor
Commanding us collectively, from thee
All duties of obedience to withdraw, 40
Because thou wert an enemy and traitor.
Wallenstein. And what did you determine?
Anspessade. All our comrades
At Brannau, Budweiss, Prague and Olmutz, have
Obeyed already, and the regiments here, 45
Tiefenbach and Toscana, instantly
Did follow their example. But — but we
Do not believe that thou art an enemy
And traitor to thy country, hold it merely
For lie and trick, and a trumped-up Spanish story! 50
Thyself shalt tell us what thy purpose is,
For we have found thee still sincere and true:
No mouth shall interpose itself betwixt
The gallant General and the gallant troops.
Wallenstein. Therein I recognize my Pappenheimers. 55
Anspessade. And this proposal makes thy regiment to thee:
Is it thy purpose merely to preserve
In thy own hands this military sceptre,
Which so becomes thee, which the Emperor
Made over to thee by a covenant? 60
Is it thy purpose merely to remain
Supreme commander of the Austrian armies? —
We will stand by thee, General! and guarantee
Thy honest rights against all opposition.
And should it chance, that all the other regiments 65
Turn from thee, by ourselves will we stand forth
