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Nothing except the universal sun.

And this Bohemian land for which we fight

Loves not the master whom the chance of war,

Not its own choice or will, hath given to it.

Men murmur at the oppression of their conscience,

And power hath only awed but not appeased them.

A glowing and avenging memory lives

Of cruel deeds committed on these plains;

How can the son forget that here his father

Was hunted by the bloodhound to the mass?

A people thus oppressed must still be feared,

Whether they suffer or avenge their wrongs.

WRANGEL.

But then the nobles and the officers?

Such a desertion, such a felony,

It is without example, my lord duke,

In the world's history.

WALLENSTEIN.

They are all mine-

Mine unconditionally-mine on all terms.

Not me, your own eyes you must trust.

[He gives him the paper containing the written oath. WRANGEL reads

it through, and, having read it, lays it on the table,-remaining

silent.

So then;

Now comprehend you?

WRANGEL.

Comprehend who can!

My lord duke, I will let the mask drop-yes!

I've full powers for a final settlement.

The Rhinegrave stands but four days' march from here

With fifteen thousand men, and only waits

For orders to proceed and join your army.

These orders I give out immediately

We're compromised.

WALLENSTEIN.

What asks the chancellor?

WRANGEL (considerately).

Twelve regiments, every man a Swede-my head

The warranty-and all might prove at last

Only false play--

WALLENSTEIN (starting).

Sir Swede!

WRANGEL (calmly proceeding).

Am therefore forced

To insist thereon, that he do formally,

Irrevocably break with the emperor,

Else not a Swede is trusted to Duke Friedland.

WALLENSTEIN.

Come, brief and open! What is the demand?

WRANGEL.

That he forthwith disarm the Spanish regiments

Attached to the emperor, that he seize on Prague,

And to the Swedes give up that city, with

The strong pass Egra.

WALLENSTEIN.

That is much indeed!

Prague!-Egra's granted-but-but Prague! 'Twon't do.

I give you every security

Which you may ask of me in common reason-

But Prague-Bohemia-these, sir general,

I can myself protect.

WRANGEL.

We doubt it not.

But 'tis not the protection that is now

Our sole concern. We want security,

That we shall not expend our men and money

All to no purpose.

WALLENSTEIN.

'Tis but reasonable.

WRANGEL.

And till we are indemnified, so long

Stays Prague in pledge.

WALLENSTEIN.

Then trust you us so little?

WRANGEL (rising).

The Swede, if he would treat well with the German,

Must keep a sharp lookout. We have been called

Over the Baltic, we have saved the empire

From ruin-with our best blood have we sealed

The liberty of faith and gospel truth.

But now already is the benefaction

No longer felt, the load alone is felt.

Ye look askance with evil eye upon us,

As foreigners, intruders in the empire,

And would fain send us with some paltry sum

Of money, home again to our old forests.

No, no! my lord duke! it never was

For Judas' pay, for chinking gold and silver,

That we did leave our king by the Great Stone. [1]

No, not for gold and silver have there bled

So many of our Swedish nobles-neither

Will we, with empty laurels for our payment,

Hoist sail for our own country. Citizens

Will we remain upon the soil, the which

Our monarch conquered for himself and died.

WALLENSTEIN.

Help to keep down the common enemy,

And the fair border land must needs be yours.

WRANGEL.

But when the common enemy lies vanquished,

Who knits together our new friendship then?

We know, Duke Friedland! though perhaps the Swede

Ought not to have known it, that you carry on

Secret negotiations with the Saxons.

Who is our warranty that we are not

The sacrifices in those articles

Which 'tis thought needful to conceal from us?

WALLENSTEIN (rises).

Think you of something better, Gustave Wrangel!

Of Prague no more.

WRANGEL.

Here my commission ends.

WALLENSTEIN.

Surrender up to you my capital!

Far liever would I force about, and step

Back to my emperor.

WRANGEL.

If time yet permits--

WALLENSTEIN.

That lies with me, even now, at any hour.

WRANGEL.

Some days ago, perhaps. To-day, no longer;

No longer since Sesina's been a prisoner.

[WALLENSTEIN is struck, and silenced.

My lord duke, hear me-we believe that you

At present do mean honorably by us.

Since yesterday we're sure of that-and now

This paper warrants for the troops, there's nothing

Stands in the way of our full confidence.

Prague shall not part us. Hear! The chancellor

Contents himself with Alstadt; to your grace

He gives up Ratschin and the narrow side.

But Egra above all must open to us,

Ere we can think of any junction.

WALLENSTEIN.

You,

You therefore must I trust, and not you me?

I will consider of your proposition.

WRANGEL.

I must entreat that your consideration

Occupy not too long a time. Already

Has this negotiation, my lord duke!

Crept on into the second year. If nothing

Is settled this time, will the chancellor

Consider it as broken off forever?

WALLENSTEIN.

Ye press me hard. A measure such as this

Ought to be thought of.

WRANGEL.

Ay! but think of this too,

That sudden action only can procure it.

Success-think first of this, your highness.

[Exit WRANGEL.

SCENE VI.

WALLENSTEIN, TERZKY, and ILLO (re-enter).

ILLO.

Is't all right?

TERZKY.

Are you compromised?

ILLO.

This Swede

Went smiling from you. Yes! you're compromised.

WALLENSTEIN.

As yet is nothing settled; and (well weighed)

I feel myself inclined to leave it so.

TERZKY.

How? What is that?

WALLENSTEIN.

Come on me what will come,

The doing evil to avoid an evil

Cannot be good!

TERZKY.

Nay, but bethink you, duke.

WALLENSTEIN.

To live upon the mercy of these Swedes!

Of these proud-hearted Swedes!-I could not bear it.

ILLO.

Goest thou as fugitive, as mendicant?

Bringest thou not more to them than thou receivest?

WALLENSTEIN.

How fared it with the brave and royal Bourbon

Who sold himself unto his country's foes,

And pierced the bosom of his father-land?

Curses were his reward, and men's abhorrence

Avenged the unnatural and revolting deed.

ILLO.

Is that thy case?

WALLENSTEIN.

True faith, I tell thee,

Must ever be the dearest friend of man

His nature prompts him to assert its rights.

The enmity of sects, the rage of parties,

Long-cherished envy, jealousy, unite;'

And all the struggling elements of evil

Suspend their conflict, and together league

In one alliance 'gainst their common foe-

The savage beast that breaks into the fold,

Where men repose in confidence and peace.

For vain were man's own prudence to protect him.

'Tis only in the forehead nature plants

The watchful eye; the back, without defence,

Must find its shield in man's fidelity.

TERZKY.

Think not more meanly off thyself than do

Thy foes, who stretch their hands with joy to greet thee.

Less scrupulous far was the imperial Charles,

The powerful head of this illustrious house;

With open arms he gave the Bourbon welcome;

For still by policy the world is ruled.