The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Iii Part 45

Then we too will forsake thee, and obey That letter--

WALLENSTEIN.

Hear me, children!

ANSPESSADE.

Yes, or no!

There needs no other answer.

WALLENSTEIN.

Yield attention.

You're men of sense, examine for yourselves; Ye think, and do not follow with the herd And therefore have I always shown you honor Above all others, suffer'd you to reason; Have treated you as free men, and my orders Were but the echoes of your prior suffrage.--

ANSPESS.

Most fair and n.o.ble has thy conduct been To us, my General! With thy confidence Thou hast honor'd us, and shown us grace and favor Beyond all other regiments; and thou seest We follow not the common herd. We will Standby thee faithfully. Speak but one word-- Thy word shall satisfy us, that it is not A treason which thou meditatest--that Thou meanest not to lead the army over To the enemy, nor e'er betray the country.

WALLENST.

Me, me are they betraying. The Emperor Hath sacrificed me to my enemies, And I must fall, unless my gallant troops Will rescue me. See! I confide in you.

And be your hearts my stronghold! At this breast The aim is taken, at this h.o.a.ry head.

This is your Spanish grat.i.tude, this is our Requital for that murderous fight at Lutzen!

For this we threw the naked breast against The halbert, made for this the frozen earth Our bed, and the hard stone our pillow! never stream Too rapid for us, nor wood too impervious; With cheerful spirit we pursued that Mansfeldt Through all the turns and windings of his flight: Yea, our whole life was but one restless march: And homeless, as the stirring wind, we travel'd O'er the war-wasted earth. And now, even now, That we have well-nigh finish'd the hard toil, The unthankful, the curse-laden toil of weapons, With faithful indefatigable arm Have roll'd the heavy war-load up the hill, Behold! this boy of the Emperor's bears away The honors of the peace, an easy prize!

He'll weave, forsooth, into his flaxen locks The olive branch, the hard-earn'd ornament Of this gray head, grown gray beneath the helmet.

ANSPESS.

That shall he not, while we can hinder it!

No one, but thou, who hast conducted it With fame, shall end this war, this frightful war.

Thou leddest us out to the b.l.o.o.d.y field Of death; thou and no other shalt conduct us home, Rejoicing, to the lovely plains of peace-- Shalt share with us the fruits of the long toil--

WALLENST.

What! Think you then at length in late old age To enjoy the fruits of toil? Believe it not.

Never, no never, will you see the end Of the contest! you and me, and all of us, This war will swallow up! War, war, not peace, Is Austria's wish; and therefore, because I Endeavor'd after peace, therefore I fall, For what cares Austria how long the war Wears out the armies and lays waste the world!

She will but wax and grow amid the ruin And still win new domains.

[_The_ Cuira.s.siers _express agitation by their gestures_.]

Ye're moved--I see A n.o.ble rage flash from your eyes, ye warriors!

Oh that my spirit might possess you now Daring as once it led you to the battle!

Ye would stand by me with your veteran arms, Protect me in my rights; and this is n.o.ble!

But think not that _you_ can accomplish it, Your scanty number! to no purpose will you Have sacrificed you for your General.

[_Confidentially_.]

No! let us tread securely, seek for friends; The Swedes have proffer'd us a.s.sistance, let us Wear for a while the appearance of good will, And use them for your profit, till we both Carry the fate of Europe in our hands, And from our camp to the glad jubilant world Lead Peace forth with the garland on her head!

ANSPESS.

'Tis then but mere appearances which thou Dost 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?

I hate them as I hate the pit of h.e.l.l, 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 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!

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.

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, And trust, with your a.s.sistance, to accomplish it.

SCENE XVI

_To these enter_ BUTLER

BUTLER (_pa.s.sionately_).

General! This is not right!

WALLENSTEIN.

What is not right?

BUTLER.

It must needs injure us with all honest men.

WALLENST.

But What?

BUTLER.

It is an open proclamation Of insurrection.

WALLENSTEIN.

Well, well--but what is it?

BUTLER.

Count Terzky's regiments tear the Imperial Eagle From off the banners, and instead of it Have rear'd aloft their arms.