The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 69

[_During his exit the curtain drops._

LINENOTES:

[Before 3] _Max (who through the whole of the foregoing scene has been in a violent and visible struggle of feelings, at length starts as one resolved)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 6] _Octavio (alarmed)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 7] _Max (returning)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[14] ask'd] ask 1800, 1828, 1829.

[16] _mouth_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[22] _I_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[52] _determined_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[53] _make_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[56] _ye_,--_ye force_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

ACT IV

SCENE I

SCENE--_A Room fitted up for astrological Labours, and provided with celestial Charts, with Globes, Telescopes, Quadrants, and other mathematical Instruments.--Seven Colossal Figures, representing the Planets, each with a transparent Star of a different Colour on its Head, stand in a Semi-circle in the Back-ground, so that Mars and Saturn are nearest the Eye.--The remainder of the Scene, and its Disposition, is given in the Fourth Scene of the Second Act.--There must be a Curtain over the Figures, which may be dropped, and conceal them on Occasions._

[_In the Fifth Scene of this Act it must be dropped; but in the Seventh Scene, it must be again drawn up wholly or in part._]

_WALLENSTEIN at a black Table, on which a Speculum Astrologic.u.m is described with Chalk. SENI is taking Observations through a window._

_Wallenstein._ All well--and now let it be ended, Seni.--Come, The dawn commences, and Mars rules the hour.

We must give o'er the operation. Come, We know enough.

_Seni._ Your Highness must permit me Just to contemplate Venus. She's now rising: 5 Like as a sun, so s.h.i.+nes she in the east.

_Wallenstein._ She is at present in her perigee, And shoots down now her strongest influences.

[_Contemplating the figure on the table._

Auspicious aspect! fateful in conjunction, At length the mighty three corradiate; 10 And the two stars of blessing, Jupiter And Venus, take between them the malignant Slily-malicious Mars, and thus compel Into my service that old mischief-founder; For long he viewed me hostilely, and ever 15 With beam oblique, or perpendicular, Now in the Quartile, now in the Secundan, Shot his red lightnings at my stars, disturbing Their blessed influences and sweet aspects.

Now they have conquered the old enemy, 20 And bring him in the heavens a prisoner to me.

_Seni (who has come down from the window)._ And in a corner house, your Highness--think of that!

That makes each influence of double strength.

_Wallenstein._ And sun and moon, too, in the s.e.xtile aspect, The soft light with the vehement--so I love it. 25 Sol is the heart, Luna the head of heaven, Bold be the plan, fiery the execution.

_Seni._ And both the mighty Lumina by no Maleficus affronted. Lo! Saturnus, Innocuous, powerless, in cadente Domo. 30

_Wallenstein._ The empire of Saturnus is gone by; Lord of the secret birth of things is he; Within the lap of earth, and in the depths Of the imagination dominates; And his are all things that eschew the light. 35 The time is o'er of brooding and contrivance; For Jupiter, the l.u.s.trous, lordeth now, And the dark work, complete of preparation, He draws by force into the realm of light.

Now must we hasten on to action, ere 40 The scheme, and most auspicious positure Parts o'er my head, and takes once more its flight; For the heavens journey still, and sojourn not.

[_There are knocks at the door._

There's some one knocking there. See who it is.

_Tertsky (from without)._ Open, and let me in.

_Wallenstein._ Aye--'tis Tertsky. 45 What is there of such urgence? We are busy.

_Tertsky (from without)._ Lay all aside at present, I entreat you.

It suffers no delaying.

_Wallenstein._ Open, Seni!

[_While SENI opens the doors for TERTSKY, WALLENSTEIN draws the curtain over the figures._

_Tertsky (enters)._ Hast thou already heard it? He is taken.

Galas has given him up to the Emperor. 50

[_SENI draws off the black table, and exit._

LINENOTES:

[14] _my_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[26] SOL . . . LUNA 1800, 1828, 1829.

SCENE II

_WALLENSTEIN, COUNT TERTSKY._

_Wallenstein (to Tertsky)._ Who has been taken?--Who is given up?

_Tertsky._ The man who knows our secrets, who knows every Negotiation with the Swede and Saxon, Through whose hands all and every thing has pa.s.sed--

_Wallenstein (drawing back)._ Nay, not Sesina?--Say, No! I entreat thee. 5

_Tertsky._ All on his road for Regenspurg to the Swede He was plunged down upon by Galas' agent, Who had been long in ambush, lurking for him.

There must have been found on him my whole packet To Thur, to Kinsky, to Oxenstirn, to Arnheim: 10 All this is in their hands; they have now an insight Into the whole--our measures, and our motives.