Coun.

SCENE IX.

To them enters the Countess.

This suspense,

This horrid fear-1 can no longer bear it.

For heaven's sake, tell me, what has taken place.
Illo. The regiments are all falling off from us.
Ter. Octavio Piccolomini is a traitor.

Coun. O my foreboding! (rushes out of the room.)
Hadst thou but believ'd me!

Ter.

Now seest thou how the stars have lied to thee.

Wal. The stars lie not; but we have here a work Wrought counter to the stars and destiny. The science is still honest: this false heart Forces a lie on the truth-telling heaven. On a divine law divination rests;

Where Nature deviates from that law, and stumbles
Out of her limits, there all science errs.

True, I did not suspect! Were it superstition
Never by such suspicion t' have affronted
The human form, O may that time ne'er come
In which I shame me of th' infirmity.

The wildest savage drinks not with the victim,
In whose breast he means to plunge the sword.
This, this, Octavio, was no hero's deed:
'Twas not thy prudence that did conquer mine;

A bad heart triumph'd o'er an honest one.

No shield receiv'd the assassin stroke; thou plungest Thy weapon on an unprotected breast

Against such weapons I am but a child.

SCENE X.

To these enter Butler.

Ter. (meeting him) O look there! Butler! Here we've still a friend!

Wal. (meets him with outspread arms, and embraces him with warmth) Come to my heart, old comrade!

Not the sun

Looks out upon us more revivingly

In the earliest month of spring,

Than a friend's countenance in such an hour.

But. My General! I come―

Wal. (leaning on Butler's shoulder)

thou already?

Know'st

That old man has betray'd me to the Emperor.
What say'st thou? Thirty years have we together
Liv'd out, and held out, sharing joy and hardship.
We have slept in one camp-bed, drunk from one glass,
One morsel shar'd! I lean'd myself on him,
As now I lean me on thy faithful shoulder.
And now in the very moment, when, all love,
All confidence, my bosom beat to his,

He sees and takes the advantage, stabs the knife
Slowly into my heart.

But.

(he hides his face in Butler's breast.)

Forget the false one.

Well remember'd!

What is your present purpose?

Wal.

Courage, my soul! I am still rich in friends,
Still lov'd by destiny; for in the moment,
That it unmasks the plotting hypocrite,

It sends and proves to me one faithful heart.

Of the hypocrite no more! Think not, his loss
Was that which struck the pang: O no! his treason
Is that which strikes this pang! No more of him!
Dear to my heart, and honour'd were they both,
And the young man-yes-he did truly love me,
He-he-has not deceiv'd me. But enough,
Enough of this-Swift counsel now beseems us.
The courier, whom Count Kinsky sent from Prague,
I expect him every moment: and whatever

He may bring with him, we must take good care
To keep it from the mutineers. Quick, then!
Despatch some messenger you can rely on

To meet him, and conduct him to me.

(Illo is going.)

But. (detaining him) My General, whom expect you

Wal.

then?

The courier

Who brings me word of the event at Prague.

But. (hesitating) Hem!

But. From what that larum in the camp arose?

Ter. and Illo. (at the same time) Already here?

Wal. Hide nothing from me-I can hear the worst.

Prague then is lost. It is.

Confess it freely.

But. Yes! Prague is lost. And all the several regi

ments

At Budweiss, Tabor, Braunau, Konigingratz,

At Brun, and Znaym, have forsaken you,

And ta'en the oaths of fealty anew

To the Emperor. Yourself, with Kinsky, Tertsky,
And Illo have been sentenc'd.

(Tertsky and Illo express alarm and fury. Wal-
lenstein remains firm and collected.)

Wal.
'Tis decided!
'Tis well! I have receiv'd a sudden cure

From all the pangs of doubt: with steady stream
Once more my life-blood flows! My soul's secure!
In the night only Friedland's stars can beam.
Ling'ring, irresolute, with fitful fears

I drew the sword-'twas with an inward strife,
While yet the choice was mine. The murd'rous knife

Is lifted for my heart! Doubt disappears!

I fight now for my head and for my life.

[Exit Wallenstein, the others follow him.

SCENE XI.

Countess Tertsky (enters from a side room.)

Coun. I can endure no longer. No!

(looks around her)

Where are they?

No one is here. They leave me all alone,
Alone in this sore anguish of suspense.

And I must wear the outward show of calmness
Before my sister, and shut in within me

The pangs and agonies of my crowded bosom.
It is not to borne.-If all should fail;
If-if he must go over to the Swedes,
An empty-handed fugitive, and not
As an ally, a covenanted equal,

A proud commander with his army following;
If we must wander on from land to land,
Like the Count Palatine, of fallen greatness
An ignominious monument-But no!

That day I will not see! And could himself
Endure to sink so low, I would not bear
To see him so low sunken.

SCENE XII.

Countess, Duchess, Thekla.

Thek. (endeavouring to hold back the Duchess) Dear

mother, do stay here!