Iso. Death.

But.

Death, by the laws of war. [QUESTENBERG rises from his seat, WALLENSTEIN follows; all the rest rise.

Wal. To this the law condemns him, and not I. And if I show him favour, 'twill arise

From the rev'rence that I owe my Emperor. Ques. If so, I can say nothing further-here!

Wal. I accepted the command but on conditions!

And this the first, that to the diminution
Of my authority no human being,

Not even the Emperor's self, should be entitled
To do aught, or to say aught, with the army.
If I stand warranter of the event,

Placing my honour and my head in pledge,
Needs must I have full mastery in all

The means thereto. What rendered this Gustavus
Resistless, and unconquered upon earth?
This-that he was the monarch in his army!

A monarch, one who is indeed a monarch,
Was never yet subdued but by his equal.
But to the point! The best is yet to come.
Attend now, generals!

Ques.

The Prince Cardinal

Begins his route at the approach of spring From the Milanese; and leads a Spanish army

Through Germany into the Netherlands.

That he may march secure and unimpeded,

'Tis th' Emperor's will you grant him a detach

ment

Of eight horse-regiments from the army here. Wal. Yes, yes! I understand!-Eight regiments! Well,

Right well concerted, father Lamormain! Eight thousand horse! Yes, yes! "Tis as it should be!

I see it coming.

Ques.

There is nothing coming.

All stands in front: the counsel of state-prudence, The dictate of necessity!

Wal.

What then?

What, my Lord Envoy? May I not be suffered
To understand, that folks are tired of seeing
The sword's hilt in my grasp : and that your court
Snatch eagerly at this pretence, and use
The Spanish title, to drain off my forces,
To lead into the empire a new army
Unsubjected to my control. To throw me
Plumply aside,-I am still too powerful for you
To venture that. My stipulation runs,
That all the Imperial forces shall obey me
Where'er the German is the native language,
Of Spanish troops and of Prince Cardinals
That take their route, as visitors, through the em-
pire,

There stands no syllable in my stipulation.

No syllable! And so the politic court

Steals in a-tiptoe, and creeps round behind it :

First makes me weaker, then to be dispensed with, Till it dares strike at length a bolder blow

And make short work with me.

What need of all these crooked ways, Lord En

voy!

Straight-forward, man!

pinches

His compact with me

The Emperor. He would that I moved off!— Well!-I will gratify him!

[Here there commences an agitation among the Generals
which increases continually.

It grieves me for my noble officers' sakes!
I see not yet, by what means they will come at
The moneys they have advanced, or how obtain
The recompense their services demand.
Still a new leader brings new claimants forward,
And prior merit superannuates quickly.
There serve here many foreigners in th' army,
And were the man in all else brave and gallant,
I was not wont to make nice scrutiny

After his pedigree or catechism.

This will be otherwise, i' the time to come.

Well-me no longer it concerns.

[He seats himself.

Max. Pic. Forbid it, Heaven, that it should

come to this!

Our troops will swell in dreadful fermentation

The Emperor is abused-it cannot be.

Iso. It cannot be; all goes to instant wreck. Wal. Thou hast said truly, faithful Isolani! What we with toil and foresight have built up, 5

VOL. III.

Will go to wreck—all go to instant wreck.
What then? another chieftain is soon found,
Another army likewise (who dares doubt it?)
Will flock from all sides to the Emperor
At the first beat of his recruiting drum.

[During this speech, ISOLANI, TERTSKY, ILLO, and
MARADAS talk confusedly with great agitation.

Max. Pic. [busily and passionately going from one to another, and soothing them.] Hear, my commander! Hear me, generals!

Let me conjure you, Duke! Determine nothing,
Till we have met and represented to you
Our joint remonstrances.-Nay, calmer! Friends!
I hope all may be yet set right again.

Ter. Away! let us away! in th' antechamber Find we the others.

[They go. But. [to QUESTENBERG.] If good counsel gain Due audience from your wisdom, my Lord Envoy! You will be cautious how you show yourself In public for some hours to come—or hardly Will that gold key protect you from maltreat

ment.

[Commotions heard from without.

Wal. A salutary counsel-Thou, Octavio!

Wilt answer for the safety of our guest.

Farewell, Von Questenberg!

[QUESTENBERG is about to speak.

Nay, not a word,

Not one word more of that detested subject!

You have performed your duty-We know how To separate the office from the man.

[AS QUESTENBERG is going off with OCTAVIO, Goetz, TIEFENBACH, KOLATTO, press in; several other Generals following them.

Goetz. Where's he who means to rob us of our general?

Tief. [at the same time.] What are we forced to hear? That thou wilt leave us?

Kol. [at the same time.] We will live with thee, we will die with thee.

Wal. [pointing to ILLO.]

There! the Field

Marshal knows our will.

[Exit.

[While all are going off the stage, the curtain drops.

ACT II.

SCENE I.- A small Chamber.

ILLO and TERTSKY.

Ter. Now for this evening's business! How

intend you

To manage with the generals at the banquet? Illo. Attend! We frame a formal declaration Wherein we to the Duke consign ourselves Collectively, to be and to remain

His both with life and limb, and not to spare