Set not this tongue upon me, I entreat you:You know it is the weapon that destroys me.
I am routed, if a woman but attack me:
I cannot traffic in the trade of words
With that unreasoning sex.
I had already
Given the Bohemians a king.
They have one,
In consequence, no doubt.
Ha! what new scruple?
The duke will not.
He will not what he must!
It lies with you now. Try. For I am silenced
When folks begin to talk to me of conscience
And of fidelity.
How? then, when all
Lay in the far-off distance, when the road
Stretched out before thine eyes interminably,
Then hadst thou courage and resolve; and now,
Now that the dream is being realized,
The purpose ripe, the issue ascertained,
Dost thou begin to play the dastard now?
Planned merely, 'tis a common felony;
Accomplished, an immortal undertaking:
And with success comes pardon hand in hand,
For all event is God's arbitrament.
The Colonel Piccolomini.
– Must wait.
I cannot see him now. Another time.
But for two minutes he entreats an audience
Of the most urgent nature is his business.
Who knows what he may bring us! I will hear him.
Urgent for him, no doubt? but thou may'st wait.
What is it?
Thou shalt be informed hereafter.
First let the Swede and thee be compromised.
[Exit SERVANT.
If there were yet a choice! if yet some milder
Way of escape were possible – I still
Will choose it, and avoid the last extreme.
Desirest thou nothing further? Such a way
Lies still before thee. Send this Wrangel off.
Forget thou thy old hopes, cast far away
All thy past life; determine to commence
A new one. Virtue hath her heroes too,
As well as fame and fortune. To Vienna
Hence – to the emperor – kneel before the throne;
Take a full coffer with thee – say aloud,
Thou didst but wish to prove thy fealty;
Thy whole intention but to dupe the Swede.
For that too 'tis too late. They know too much;
He would but bear his own head to the block.
I fear not that. They have not evidence
To attaint him legally, and they avoid
The avowal of an arbitrary power.
They'll let the duke resign without disturbance.
I see how all will end. The King of Hungary
Makes his appearance, and 'twill of itself
Be understood, and then the duke retires.
There will not want a formal declaration.
The young king will administer the oath
To the whole army; and so all returns
To the old position. On some morrow morning
The duke departs; and now 'tis stir and bustle
Within his castles. He will hunt and build;
Superintend his horses' pedigrees,
Creates himself a court, gives golden keys,
And introduceth strictest ceremony
In fine proportions, and nice etiquette;
Keeps open table with high cheer: in brief,
Commenceth mighty king – in miniature.
And while he prudently demeans himself,
And gives himself no actual importance,
He will be let appear whate'er he likes:
And who dares doubt, that Friedland will appear
A mighty prince to his last dying hour?
Well now, what then? Duke Friedland is as others,
A fire-new noble, whom the war hath raised
To price and currency, a Jonah's gourd,
An over-night creation of court-favor,
Which, with an undistinguishable ease,
Makes baron or makes prince.
Take her away.
Let in the young Count Piccolomini.
Art thou in earnest? I entreat thee!
Canst thou consent to bear thyself to thy own grave,
So ignominiously to be dried up?
Thy life, that arrogated such an height
To end in such a nothing! To be nothing,
When one was always nothing, is an evil
That asks no stretch of patience, a light evil;
But to become a nothing, having been —
Show me a way out of this stifling crowd,
Ye powers of aidance! Show me such a way
As I am capable of going. I
Am no tongue-hero, no fine virtue-prattler;
I cannot warm by thinking; cannot say
To the good luck that turns her back upon me
