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I've earn'd and laid up somewhat in his service,
I lend it him; and is he my survivor,

It has been already long ago bequeath'd him.
He is my heir. For me, I stand alone

Here in the world; nought know I of the feelings
That bind the husband to a wife and children,
My name dies with me, my existence ends.

Illo. 'Tis not your money that he needs—a heart

Like your's weighs tons of gold down, weighs down millions!

But. I came a simple soldier's boy from Ireland To Prague-and with a master, whom I buried. From lowest stable duty I climb'd up,

Such was the fate of war, to this high rank,

The plaything of a whimsical good fortune.
And Wallenstein too is a child of luck,

I love a fortune that is like my own.

Illo. All powerful souls have kindred with each other.
But. This is an awful moment! to the brave,

To the determin'd, an auspicious moment.
The Prince of Weimer arms, upon the Main
To found a mighty dukedom. He of Halberstadt,
That Mansfeld wanted but a longer life

To have mark'd out with his good sword a lordship
That should reward his courage. Who of these

Equals our Friedland? There is nothing, nothing
So high, but he may set the ladder to it!

Ter. That spoken like a man!

But. Do you secure the Spaniard and ItalianI'll be your warrant for the Scotchman Lesly. Come! to the company!

Ter. Where is the master of the cellar? Ho! Let the best wines come up. Ho! cheerly, boy! Luck comes to-day, so give her hearty welcome.

[Exeunt each to his table.

t

SCENE XII.

The Master of the Cellar advancing with Neumann, Servants passing backwards and forwards.

Mast. of the Cel. The best wine! O! if my old mistress, his lady mother, could but see these wild goings on, she would turn herself round in her grave. Yes, yes, sir officer! 'tis all down the hill with this noble house! no end, no moderation! And this marriage with the Duke's sister, a splendid connection, a very splendid connection! but I tell you, sir officer, it bodes no good.

Neu. Heaven forbid! Why, at this very moment the whole prospect is in bud and blossom!

Mast. of the Cel. You think so?-Well, well, much may be said on that head.

1st. Ser. (comes) Burgundy for the fourth table.

Mast. of the Cel. Now, sir lieutenant, if this an't the seventieth flask

1st. Ser. Why, the reason is, that German lord, Tiefenbach, sits at that table.

Mast. of the Cel. (continuing his discourse to Neumann.) They are soaring too high. They would rival kings and electors in their pomp and splendour; and wherever the Duke leaps, not a minute does my gracious master, the Count, loiter on the brink.-(To the servants.)—What do you stand there listening for? I will let you know you have legs presently. Off! see to the tables, see to the flasks! Look there! Count Palfi has an empty glass before him!

The

Runner. (comes) The great service-cup is wanted, sir; that rich gold cup with the Bohemian arms on it. Count says you know which it is.

Mast. of the Cel. Ay! that was made for Frederick's coronation by the artist William-there was not such another prize in the whole booty at Prague.

Run. The same!-a health is to go round in him.

Mast. of the Cel. (shaking his head while he fetches and rinses the cup.) This will be something for the talebearers-this goes to Vienna.

Neu. Permit me to look at it.-Well, this is a cup indeed! How heavy! as well it may be, being all gold.— And what neat things are emboss'd on it! how natural and elegant they look!-There, on that first quarter, let me see. That proud Amazon there on horseback, she that is taking a leap over the crosier and mitres, and carries on a wand, a hat, together with a banner, on which there's a goblet represented. Can you tell me what all this signifies?

Mast. of the Cel. The woman whom you see there on horseback, is the free election of the Bohemian crown. That is signified by the round hat, and by that fiery steed on which she is riding. The hat is the pride of man; for he who cannot keep his hat on before kings and emperors is no free man.

Neu. But what is the cup there on the banner?

Mast. of the Cel. The cup signifies the freedom of the Bohemian Church, as it was in our forefathers' times. Our forefathers, in the wars of the Hussites, forced from the pope this noble privilege; for the pope, you know, will not grant the cup to any layman. Your true Moravian values nothing beyond the cup; it is his costly jewel, and has cost the Bohemians their precious blood in many and many a battle.

Neu. And what says that chart that hangs in the air there, over it all?

Mast. of the Cel. That signifies the Bohemian letter

royal, which we forced from the Emperor Rodolph-a precious, never to be enough valued parchment, that secures, to the new church the old privileges of free ringing and open psalmody. But since he of Steiermärk has ruled over us, that is at an end; and after the battle at Prague, in which Count Palatine Frederic lost crown and empire, our faith hangs upon the pulpit and the altar -and our brethren look at their homes over their shoulders; but the letter royal the emperor himself cut to pieces with his scissars.

Neu. Why, my good Master of the Cellar! you are deep read in the chronicles of your country!

Mast. of the Cel. So were my forefathers, and for that reason were they minstrels, and served under Procopius and Ziska. Peace be with their ashes! Well, well! they fought for a good cause tho'-There, carry it up!

Neu. Stay! let me but look at this second quarter, Look there! That is, when at Prague Castle the Imperial Counsellors, Martinitz and Stawata were hurl'd down head over heels. "Tis even so! there stands Count Thur who commands it.

(Runner takes the service-cup and goes off with it.) Mast. of the Cel. O let me never more hear of that day. It was the three and twentieth of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand, six hundred, and eighteen. It seems to me as it were but yesterday-from that unlucky day it all began, all the heart-aches of the country. Since that day it is now sixteen years, and there has never once been peace on the earth.

(Health drank alound at the second table.)

The Prince of Weimar! Hurra!

(At the third and fourth table.) Long live Prince William! Long live Duke Bernard!

Hurra!

T

(Music strikes up.)

1st. Ser. Hear'em! Hear'em! What an uproar !

2nd. Ser. (comes in running.) Did you hear? They have drunk the Prince of Weimar's health.

3rd. Ser. The Swedish Chief Commander !

1st. Ser. (speaking at the same time,) The Lutheran ! 2nd. Ser. Just before, when Count Deodate gave out the Emperor's health, they were all as mum as a nibbling

mouse.

Mast. of the Cel. Po, po! When the wine goes in 3 strange things come out. A good servant hears, and hears not! You should be nothing but eyes and feet, except when you're called to.

2nd. Ser. (To the Runner, to whom he gives secretly a flask of wine, keeping his eye upon the Master of the Cellar, standing between him and the Runner.)

Quick, Thomas, before the Master of the Cellar looks this way-'tis a flask of Frontignac !-Snapp'd it up at the third table-Canst go off with it?

Run. (hides it in his pocket,) All right!

[Exit the 2nd. Servant.

3rd. Ser. (aside, to the first,) Be on the hark, Jack! that we may have right plenty to tell to father Quivoga -He will give us right plenty of absolution in return for it.

1st. Ser. For that very purpose I am always having something to do behind Illo's chair. He is the man for speeches to make you stare with.

Mast. of the Cel. (to Neumann,) Who, pray, may that swarthy man be, he with the cross, that is chatting so confidentially with Esterhats?

Neu. Ay, he too is one of those to whom they confide too much. He calls himself Maradas, a Spaniard is he.

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