which thouDost put on with the Swede? Thou’lt not betray
The Emperor? Wilt not turn us into Swedes?
This is the only thing which we desire
To learn from thee.
Wallenstein. What care I for the Swedes? 155
I hate them as I hate the pit of hell,
And under Providence I trust right soon
To chase them to their homes across their Baltic.
My cares are only for the whole: I have
A heart — it bleeds within me for the miseries 160
And piteous groaning of my fellow-Germans.
Ye are but common men, but yet ye think
With minds not common; ye appear to me
Worthy before all others, that I whisper ye
A little word or two in confidence! 165
See now! already for full fifteen years
The war-torch has continued burning, yet
No rest, no pause of conflict. Swede and German,
Papist and Lutheran! neither will give way
To the other, every hand’s against the other. 170
Each one is party and no one a judge.
Where shall this end? Where’s he that will unravel
This tangle, ever tangling more and more.
It must be cut asunder.
I feel that I am the man of destiny, 175
And trust, with your assistance, to accomplish it.
SCENE IV
To these enter BUTLER.
Butler (passionately). General! This is not right!
Wallenstein. What is not right?
Butler. It must needs injure us with all honest men.
Wallenstein. But what?
Butler. It is an open proclamation
Of insurrection.
Wallenstein. Well, well — but what is it?
Butler. Count Tertsky’s regiments tear the Imperial Eagle 5
From off the banners, and instead of it,
Have reared aloft thy arms.
Anspessade (abruptly to the Cuirassiers). Right about! March!
Wallenstein. Cursed be this counsel, and accursed who gave it!
[To the Cuirassiers, who are retiring.
Halt, children, halt! There’s some mistake in this;
Hark! — I will punish it severely. Stop! 10
They do not hear. (To ILLO.) Go after them, assure them,
And bring them back to me, cost what it may.
[ILLO hurries out.
This hurls us headlong. Butler! Butler!
You are my evil genius, wherefore must you
Announce it in their presence? It was all 15
In a fair way. They were half won, those madmen
With their improvident over-readiness —
A cruel game is fortune playing with me.
The zeal of friends it is that razes me,
And not the hate of enemies. 20
SCENE V
To these enter the DUCHESS, who rushes into the Chamber. THEKLA and the
COUNTESS follow her.
Duchess. O Albrecht!
What hast thou done?
Wallenstein. And now comes this beside.
Countess. Forgive me, brother! It was not in my power.
They know all.
Duchess. What hast thou done?
Countess (to Tertsky). Is there no hope? Is all lost utterly? 5
Tertsky. All lost. No hope. Prague in the Emperor’s hands,
The soldiery have ta’en their oaths anew.
Countess. That lurking hypocrite. Octavio!
Count Max is off too?
Tertsky. Where can he be? He’s
Gone over to the Emperor with his father. 10
[THEKLA rushes out into the arms of her mother, hiding
her face in her bosom.
Duchess (enfolding her in her arms). Unhappy child! and more
unhappy mother!
Wallenstein (aside to Tertsky). Quick! Let a carriage stand in
readiness
In the court behind the palace. Scherfenberg
Be their attendant; he is faithful to us;
To Egra he’ll conduct them, and we follow. 15
[To ILLO, who returns.
Thou hast not brought them back?
Illo. Hear’st thou the uproar?
The whole corps of the Pappenheimers is
Drawn out: the younger Piccolomini,
Their colonel, they require; for they affirm,
That he is in the palace here, a prisoner; 20
And if thou dost
