The Death of Wallenstein
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SCENE III
A saloon, terminated by a gallery, which extends far into the background.
WALLENSTIN sitting at a table. The SWEDISH CAPTAIN standing before him.
WALLENSTEIN Commend me to your lord. I sympathize In his good fortune; and if you have seen me Deficient in the expressions of that joy, Which such a victory might well demand, Attribute it to no lack of good-will, For henceforth are our fortunes one. Farewell, And for your trouble take my thanks. To-morrow The citadel shall be surrendered to you On your arrival.[The SWEDISH CAPTAIN retires. WALLENSTEIN sits lost in thought, his eyes fixed vacantly, and his head sustained by his hand. The COUNTESS TERZKY enters, stands before him for awhile, unobserved by him; at length he starts, sees her and recollects himself.
WALLENSTEIN Comest thou from her? Is she restored? How is she?COUNTESS My sister tells me she was more collected After her conversation with the Swede. She has now retired to rest.WALLENSTEIN The pang will soften She will shed tears.COUNTESS I find thee altered, too, My brother! After such a victory I had expected to have found in thee A cheerful spirit. Oh, remain thou firm! Sustain, uphold us! For our light thou art, Our sun.WALLENSTEIN Be quiet. I ail nothing. Where's Thy husband?COUNTESS At a banquet – he and Illo.WALLENSTEIN (rises and strides across the saloon) The night's far spent. Betake thee to thy chamber.COUNTESS Bid me not go, oh, let me stay with thee!WALLENSTEIN (moves to the window) There is a busy motion in the heaven, The wind doth chase the flag upon the tower, Fast sweep the clouds, the sickle11 of the moon, Struggling, darts snatches of uncertain light. No form of star is visible! That one White stain of light, that single glimmering yonder, Is from Cassiopeia, and therein Is Jupiter. (A pause.) But now The blackness of the troubled element hides him![He sinks into profound melancholy, and looks vacantly into the distance.
COUNTESS (looks on him mournfully, then grasps his hand) What art thou brooding on?WALLENSTEIN Methinks If I but saw him, 'twould be well with me. He is the star of my nativity, And often marvellously hath his aspect Shot strength into my heart.COUNTESS Thou'lt see him again.WALLENSTEIN (remains for awhile with absent mind, then assumes a livelier manner, and turning suddenly to the COUNTESS) See him again? Oh, never, never again!COUNTESS How?WALLENSTEIN He is gone – is dust.COUNTESS Whom meanest thou, then?WALLENSTEIN He, the more fortunate! yea, he hath finished! For him there is no longer any future, His life is bright – bright without spot it was, And cannot cease to be. No ominous hour Knocks at his door with tidings of mishap, Far off is he, above desire and fear; No more submitted to the change and chance Of the unsteady planets. Oh, 'tis well With him! but who knows what the coming hour Veiled in thick darkness brings us?COUNTESS Thou speakest of Piccolomini. What was his death? The courier had just left thee as I came.[WALLENSTEIN by a motion of his hand makes signs to her to be silent.
Turn not thine eyes upon the backward view, Let us look forward into sunny days, Welcome with joyous heart the victory, Forget what it has cost thee. Not to-day, For the first time, thy friend was to thee dead; To thee he died when first he parted from thee.WALLENSTEIN This anguish will be wearied down12 , I know; What pang is permanent with man? From the highest, As from the vilest thing of every day, He learns to wean himself: for the strong hours Conquer him. Yet I feel what I have lost In him. The bloom is vanished from my life, For oh, he stood beside me, like my youth, Transformed for me the real to a dream, Clothing the palpable and the familiar With golden exhalations of the dawn, Whatever fortunes wait my future toils, The beautiful is vanished – and returns not.COUNTESS Oh, be not treacherous to thy own power. Thy heart is rich enough to vivify Itself. Thou lovest and prizest virtues in him, The which thyself didst plant, thyself unfold.WALLENSTEIN (stepping to the door) Who interrupts us now at this late hour? It is the governor. He brings the keys Of the citadel. 'Tis midnight. Leave me, sister!COUNTESS Oh, 'tis so hard to me this night to leave thee; A boding fear possesses me!WALLENSTEIN Fear! Wherefore?COUNTESS Shouldst thou depart this night, and we at waking Never more find thee!WALLENSTEIN Fancies!COUNTESS Oh, my soul Has long been weighed down by these dark forebodings, And if I combat and repel them waking, They still crush down upon my heart in dreams, I saw thee, yesternight with thy first wife Sit at a banquet, gorgeously attired.WALLENSTHIN This was a dream of favorable omen, That marriage being the founder of my fortunes.COUNTESS To-day I dreamed that I was seeking thee In thy own chamber. As I entered, lo! It was no more a chamber: the Chartreuse At Gitschin 'twas, which thou thyself hast founded, And where it is thy will that thou shouldst be Interred.WALLENSTEIN Thy soul is busy with these thoughts.COUNTESS What! dost thou not believe that oft in dreams A voice of warning speaks prophetic to us?WALLENSTEIN There is no doubt that there exist such voices, Yet I would not call them Voices of warning that announce to us Only the inevitable. As the sun, Ere it is risen, sometimes paints its image In the atmosphere, so often do the spirits Of great events stride on before the events, And in to-day already walks to-morrow. That which we read of the fourth Henry's death Did ever vex and haunt me like a tale Of my own future destiny. The king Felt in his breast the phantom of the knife Long ere Ravaillac armed himself therewith. His quiet mind forsook him; the phantasma Started him in his Louvre, chased him forth Into the open air; like funeral knells Sounded that coronation festival; And still with boding sense he heard the tread Of those feet that even then were seeking him Throughout the streets of Paris.COUNTESS And to thee The voice within thy soul bodes nothing?WALLENSTEIN Nothing. Be wholly tranquil.COUNTESS And another time I hastened after thee, and thou rann'st from me Through a long suite, through many a spacious hall. There seemed no end of it; doors creaked and clapped; I followed panting, but could not overtake thee; When on a sudden did I feel myself Grasped from behind, – the hand was cold that grasped me; 'Twas thou, and thou didst kiss me, and there seemed A crimson covering to envelop us.WALLENSTEIN That is the crimson tapestry of my chamber.COUNTESS (gazing on him) If it should come to that – if I should see thee, Who standest now before me in the fulness Of life —[She falls on his breast and weeps.
WALLENSTEIN The emperor's proclamation weighs upon thee — Alphabets wound not – and he finds no hands.COUNTESS If he should find them, my resolve is taken — I bear about me my support and refuge.[Exit COUNTESS.
SCENE IV
WALLENSTEIN, GORDON.
WALLENSTEIN All quiet in the town?GORDON The town is quiet.WALLENSTEIN I hear a boisterous music! and the castle Is lighted up. Who are the revellers?GORDON There is a banquet given at the castle To the Count Terzky and Field-Marshal Illo.WALLENSTEIN In honor of the victory – this tribe Can show their joy in nothing else but feasting.[Rings. The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER enters.
Unrobe me. I will lay me down to sleep.[WALLENSTEIN takes the keys from GORDON.
So we are guarded from all enemies, And shut in with sure friends. For all must cheat me, or a face like this[Fixing his eyes on GORDON.
Was ne'er a hypocrite's mask.[The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER takes off his mantle, collar, and scarf.
WALLENSTEIN Take care – what is that?GROOM OF THE CHAMBER The golden chain is snapped in two.WALLENSTEIN Well, it has lasted long enough. Here – give it. [He takes and looks at the chain. 'Twas the first present of the emperor. He hung it round me in the war of Friule, He being then archduke; and I have worn it Till now from habit — From superstition, if you will. Belike, It was to be a talisman to me; And while I wore it on my neck in faith, It was to chain to me all my life-long The volatile fortune, whose first pledge it was. Well, be it so! Henceforward a new fortune Must spring up for me; for the potency Of this charm is dissolved.[GROOM OF THE CHAMBER retires with the vestments. WALLENSTEIN rises, takes a stride across the room, and stands at last before GORDON in a posture of meditation.
How the old time returns upon me! I Behold myself once more at Burgau, where We two were pages of the court together. We oftentimes disputed: thy intention Was ever good; but thou were wont to play The moralist and preacher, and wouldst rail at me — That I strove after things too high for me, Giving my faith to bold, unlawful dreams, And still extol to me the golden mean. Thy wisdom hath been proved a thriftless friend To thy own self. See, it has made thee early A superannuated man, and (but That my munificent stars will intervene) Would let thee in some miserable corner Go out like an untended lamp.GORDON My prince With light heart the poor fisher moors his boat, And watches from the shore the lofty ship Stranded amid the storm.WALLENSTEIN Art thou already In harbor, then, old man? Well! I am not. The unconquered spirit drives me o'er life's billows; My planks still firm, my canvas swelling proudly. Hope is my goddess still, and youth my inmate; And while we stand thus front to front almost, I might presume to say, that the swift years Have passed by powerless o'er my unblanched hair.[He moves with long strides across the saloon, and remains on the opposite side over against GORDON.
Who now persists in calling fortune false? To me she has proved faithful; with fond love Took me from out the common ranks of men, And like a mother goddess, with strong arm Carried me swiftly up the steps of life. Nothing is common in my destiny, Nor in the furrows of my hand. Who dares Interpret then my life for me as 'twere One of the undistinguishable many? True, in this present moment I appear Fallen low indeed; but I shall rise again. The high flood will soon follow on this ebb; The fountain of my fortune, which now stops, Repressed and bound by some malicious star, Will soon in joy play forth from all its pipes.GORDON And yet remember I the good old proverb, "Let the night come before we praise the day." I would be slow from long-continued fortune To gather hope: for hope is the companion Given to the unfortunate by pitying heaven. Fear hovers round the head of prosperous men, For still unsteady are the scales of fate.WALLENSTEIN (smiling) I hear the very Gordon that of old Was wont to preach, now once more preaching; I know well, that all sublunary things Are still the vassals of vicissitude. The unpropitious gods demand their tribute. This long ago the ancient pagans knew And therefore of their own accord they offered To themselves injuries, so to atone The jealousy of their divinities And human sacrifices bled to Typhon.[After a pause, serious, and in a more subdued manner.
I too have sacrificed to him – for me There fell the dearest friend, and through my fault He fell! No joy from favorable fortune Can overweigh the anguish of this stroke. The envy of my destiny is glutted: Life pays for life. On his pure head the lightning Was drawn off which would else have shattered me.SCENE V
To these enter SENI.
WALLENSTEIN Is not that Seni! and beside himself, If one can trust his looks? What brings thee hither At this late hour, Baptista?SENI Terror, duke! On thy account.WALLENSTEIN What now?SENI Flee ere the day break! Trust not thy person to the Swedes!WALLENSTEIN What now Is in thy thoughts?SENI (with louder voice) Trust not thy person to the Swedes.WALLENSTEIN What is it, then?SENI (still more urgently) Oh, wait not the arrival of these Swedes! An evil near at hand is threatening thee From false friends. All the signs stand full of horror! Near, near at hand the net-work of perdition — Yea, even now 'tis being cast around thee!WALLENSTEIN Baptista, thou art dreaming! – fear befools thee.SENI Believe not that an empty fear deludes me. Come, read it in the planetary aspects; Read it thyself, that ruin threatens thee From false friends.WALLENSTEIN From the falseness of my friends Has risen the whole of my unprosperous fortunes. The warning should have come before! At present I need no revelation from the stars To know that.SENI Come and see! trust thine own eyes. A fearful sign stands in the house of life — An enemy; a fiend lurks close behind The radiance of thy planet. Oh, be warned! Deliver not up thyself to these heathens, To wage a war against our holy church.WALLENSTEIN (laughing gently) The oracle rails that way! Yes, yes! Now I recollect. This junction with the Swedes Did never please thee – lay thyself to sleep, Baptista! Signs like these I do not fear.GORDON (who during the whole of this dialogue has shown marks of extreme agitation, and now turns to WALLENSTEIN) My duke and general! May I dare presume?WALLENSTEIN Speak freely.GORDON What if 'twere no mere creation Of fear, if God's high providence vouchsafed To interpose its aid for your deliverance, And made that mouth its organ?WALLENSTEIN Ye're both feverish! How can mishap come to me from the Swedes? They sought this junction with me – 'tis their interest.GORDON (with difficulty suppressing his emotion) But what if the arrival of these Swedes — What if this were the very thing that winged The ruin that is flying to your temples? [Flings himself at his feet. There is yet time, my prince.SENI Oh hear him! hear him!GORDON (rises) The Rhinegrave's still far off. Give but the orders, This citadel shall close its gates upon him. If then he will besiege us, let him try it. But this I say; he'll find his own destruction, With his whole force before these ramparts, sooner Than weary down the valor of our spirit. He shall experience what a band of heroes, Inspirited by an heroic leader, Is able to perform. And if indeed It be thy serious wish to make amend For that which thou hast done amiss, – this, this Will touch and reconcile the emperor, Who gladly turns his heart to thoughts of mercy; And Friedland, who returns repentant to him, Will stand yet higher in his emperor's favor Then e'er he stood when he had never fallen.WALLENSTEIN (contemplates him with surprise, remains silent a while, betraying strong emotion) Gordon – your zeal and fervor lead you far. Well, well – an old friend has a privilege. Blood, Gordon, has been flowing. Never, never Can the emperor pardon me: and if he could, Yet I – I ne'er could let myself be pardoned. Had I foreknown what now has taken place, That he, my dearest friend, would fall for me, My first death offering; and had the heart Spoken to me, as now it has done – Gordon, It may be, I might have bethought myself. It may be too, I might not. Might or might not Is now an idle question. All too seriously Has it begun to end in nothing, Gordon! Let it then have its course. [Stepping to the window. All dark and silent – at the castle too All is now hushed. Light me, chamberlain?[The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER, who had entered during the last dialogue, and had been standing at a distance and listening to it with visible expressions of the deepest interest, advances in extreme agitation and throws himself at the DUKE's feet.
And thou too! But I know why thou dost wish My reconcilement with the emperor. Poor man! he hath a small estate in Carinthia, And fears it will be forfeited because He's in my service. Am I then so poor That I no longer can indemnify My servants? Well! to no one I employ Means of compulsion. If 'tis thy belief That fortune has fled from me, go! forsake me. This night for the last time mayst thou unrobe me, And then go over to the emperor. Gordon, good-night! I think to make a long Sleep of it: for the struggle and the turmoil Of this last day or two was great. May't please you Take care that they awake me not too early.[Exit WALLENSTEIN, the GROOM OF THE CHAMBER lighting him. SENI follows, GORDON remains on the darkened stage, following the DUKE with his eye, till he disappears at the further end of the gallery:
then by his gestures the old man expresses the depth of his anguish, and stands leaning against a pillar.
SCENE VI
GORDON, BUTLER (at first behind the scenes).
BUTLER (not yet come into view of the stage) Here stand in silence till I give the signal.GORDON (starts up) 'Tis he! he has already brought the murderers.BUTLER The lights are out. All lies in profound sleep.GORDON What shall I do, shall I attempt to save him? Shall I call up the house? alarm the guards?BUTLER (appears, but scarcely on the stage) A light gleams hither from the corridor. It leads directly to the duke's bed-chamber.GORDON But then I break my oath to the emperor; If he escape and strengthen the enemy, Do I not hereby call down on my head All the dread consequences.BUTLER (stepping forward) Hark! Who speaks there?GORDON 'Tis better, I resign it to the hands Of Providence. For what am I, that I Should take upon myself so great a deed? I have not murdered him, if he be murdered; But all his rescue were my act and deed; Mine – and whatever be the consequences I must sustain them.BUTLER (advances) I should know that voice.GORDON Butler!BUTLER 'Tis Gordon. What do you want here? Was it so late, then, when the duke dismissed you?GORDON Your hand bound up and in a scarf?BUTLER 'Tis wounded. That Illo fought as he were frantic, till At last we threw him on the ground.GORDON (shuddering) Both dead?BUTLER Is he in bed?GORDON Ah, Butler!BUTLER Is he? speak.GORDON He shall not perish! Not through you! The heaven Refuses your arm. See – 'tis wounded!BUTLER There is no need of my arm.GORDON The most guilty Have perished, and enough is given to justice.[The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER advances from the gallery with his finger on his mouth commanding silence.
GORDON He sleeps! Oh, murder not the holy sleep!BUTLER No! he shall die awake.[Is going.
GORDON His heart still cleaves To earthly things: he's not prepared to step Into the presence of his God!BUTLER (going) God's merciful!GORDON (holds him) Grant him but this night's respite.BUTLER (hurrying of) The next moment May ruin all.GORDON (holds him still) One hour!BUTLER Unhold me! What Can that short respite profit him?GORDON Oh, time Works miracles. In one hour many thousands Of grains of sand run out; and quick as they Thought follows thought within the human soul. Only one hour! Your heart may change its purpose, His heart may change its purpose – some new tidings May come; some fortunate event, decisive, May fall from heaven and rescue him. Oh, what May not one hour achieve!BUTLER You but remind me How precious every minute is![He stamps on the floor.
SCENE VII
To these enter MACDONALD and DEVEREUX, with the HALBERDIERS.
GORDON (throwing himself between him and them) No, monster! First over my dead body thou shalt tread. I will Not live to see the accursed deed!BUTLER (forcing him out of the way) Weak-hearted dotard! [Trumpets are heard in the distance.DEVEREUX and MACDONALD Hark! The Swedish trumpets! The Swedes before the ramparts! Let us hasten!GORDON (rushes out) Oh, God of mercy!BUTLER (calling after him) Governor, to your post!GROOM OF THE CHAMBER (hurries in) Who dares make larum here? Hush! The duke sleeps.DEVEREUX (with loud, harsh voice) Friend, it is time now to make larum.GROOM OF THE CHAMBER. Help! Murder!BUTLER Down with him!GROOM OF THE CHAMBER (run through the body by DEVEREUX, falls at the entrance of the gallery) Jesus Maria!BUTLER Burst the doors open.[They rush over the body into the gallery – two doors are heard to crash one after the other. Voices, deadened by the distance – clash of arms – then all at once a profound silence:
SCENE VIII
COUNTESS TERZKY (with a light) Her bedchamber is empty; she herself Is nowhere to be found! The Neubrunn too, Who watched by her, is missing. If she should Be flown – but whither flown? We must call up Every soul in the house. How will the duke Bear up against these worst bad tidings? Oh, If that my husband now were but returned Home from the banquet! Hark! I wonder whether The duke is still awake! I thought I heard Voices and tread of feet here! I will go And listen at the door. Hark! what is that? 'Tis hastening up the steps!SCENE IX
COUNTESS, GORDON.
GORDON (rushes in out of breath) 'Tis a mistake! 'Tis not the Swedes; ye must proceed no further — Butler! Oh, God! where is he?[Observing the COUNTESS.
Countess! Say —COUNTESS You're come then from the castle? Where's my husband?GORDON (in an agony of affright) Your husband! Ask not! To the duke —COUNTESS Not till You have discovered to me —GORDON On this moment Does the world hang. For God's sake! to the duke. While we are speaking —[Calling loudly.
Butler! Butler! God!COUNTESS Why, he is at the castle with my husband.[BUTLER comes from the gallery.
GORDON 'Twas a mistake. 'Tis not the Swedes – it is The imperialists' lieutenant-general Has sent me hither – will be here himself Instantly. You must not proceed.BUTLER He comes Too late.[GORDON dashes himself against the wall.
GORDON Oh, God of mercy!COUNTESS What, too late? Who will be here himself? Octavio In Egra? Treason! Treason! Where's the duke?[She rushes to the gallery.
SCENE X
Servants run across the stage full of terror. The whole scene must be spoken entirely without pauses.
SENI (from the gallery) Oh, bloody, frightful deed!COUNTESS What is it, Seni?PAGE (from the gallery) Oh, piteous sight! [Other servants hasten in with torches.COUNTESS What is it? For God's sake!SENI And do you ask? Within the duke lies murdered – and your husband Assassinated at the castle.[The COUNTESS stands motionless.
FEMALE SERVANT (rushing across the stage) Help! help! the duchess!BURGOMASTER (enters) What mean these confused Loud cries that wake the sleepers of this house?GORDON Your house is cursed to all eternity. In your house doth the duke lie murdered!BURGOMASTER (rushing out) Heaven forbid!FIRST SERVANT Fly! fly! they murder us all!SECOND SERVANT (carrying silver-plate) That way! the lower Passages are blocked up.VOICE (from behind the scene) Make room for the lieutenant-general![At these words the COUNTESS starts from her stupor, collects herself, and retires suddenly.
VOICE (from behind the scene) Keep back the people! Guard the door!SCENE XI
To these enter OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI with all his train. At the same time DEVEREUX and MACDONALD enter from out the corridor with the Halberdiers. WALLENSTEIN's dead body is carried over the back part of the stage, wrapped in a piece of crimson tapestry.
OCTAVIO (entering abruptly) It must not be! It is not possible! Butler! Gordon! I'll not believe it. Say no![GORDON, without answering, points with his hand to the body of WALLENSTEIN as it is carried over the back of the stage. OCTAVIO looks that way, and stands overpowered with horror.
DEVEREUX (to BUTLER) Here is the golden fleece – the duke's sword —MACDONALD Is it your order —BUTLER (pointing to OCTAVIO) Here stands he who now Hath the sole power to issue orders.[DEVEREUX and MACDONALD retire with marks of obeisance. One drops away after the other, till only BUTLER, OCTAVIO, and GORDON remain on the stage.