Ought to be thought of.

Wran.

That sudden action only can procure it

Ay! but think of this too,

[Exit Wrangel.

Success---think first of this, your Highness.

SCENE VI.

Wallenstein, Tertsky, and Illo (re-enter).

Wal. As yet is nothing settled: and (well

weighed)

I feel myself inclined to leave it so.

Ter. How? What is that?

Wal.

Come on me what will come,

The doing evil to avoid an evil

Cannot be good!

Ter. Nay, but bethink you, Duke ?

Wal. 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?

SCENE VII.

To these Enter the Countess Tertsky.

Wal. Who sent for you? There is no business here

For women.

Coun. I am come to bid you joy.

Wal. Use thy authority, Tertsky, bid her go. Coun. Come I perhaps too early? I hope not. Wal. Set not this tongue upon me, I entreat

you.

You know it is the weapon that destroys me.

I am routed, if a woman but attack me.

I cannot traffic in the trade of words

With that unreasoning sex.

He will not what he must!

In consequence, no doubt.

Coun.

Ter. The Duke will not.
Coun.

Illo. It lies with you now. Try. For I am

silenced,

When folks begin to talk to me of conscience,

And of fidelity.

Coun.

How? then, when all

Lay in the far off distance, when the road

Stretched out before thine eyes interminably,
Then hadst thou courage and resolve; and now,
Now that the dream is being realized,
The purpose ripe, the issue ascertained,
Dost thou begin to play the dastard now?
Planned merely, 'tis a common felony;
Accomplished, an immortal undertaking:

And with success comes pardon hand in hand;
For all event is God's arbitrement.

Servant. (enters.) The Colonel Piccolomini.
Coun.

Wal. I cannot see him now.

-Must wait.

Another time.

Ser. But for two minutes he entreats an

audience.

Of the most urgent nature is his business.
Wal. Who knows what he may bring us? I

will hear him.

Coun. Urgent for him, no doubt; but thou

mayest wait.

Wal. What is it?

Coun.

Thou shalt be informed hereafter.

First let the Swede and thee be compromised.

[Exit Servant.

Wal. If there were yet a choice! if yet some

milder

Way of escape were possible---I still

Will choose it, and avoid the last extreme.

Coun. Desir'st thou nothing further? Such a

way

Lies still before thee. Send this Wrangel off.
Forget thou thy old hopes, cast far away
All thy past life; determine to commence
A new one. Virtue hath her heroes too,
As well as fame and fortune.-To Vienna---
Hence---to the Emperor---kneel before the throne;
Take a full coffer with thee---say aloud,
Thou didst but wish to prove thy fealty;
Thy whole intention but to dupe the Swede.
Illo. For that too 'tis too late. They know too
much.

He would-but bear his own head to the block.

Coun. I fear not that. They have not evidence
To attaint him legally, and they avoid
The avowal of an arbitrary power.

They'll let the Duke resign without disturbance.
I see how all will end. The King of Hungary
Makes his appearance, and 'twill of itself
Be understood, that then the Duke retires.
There will not want a formal declaration.
The young king will administer the oath

To the whole army;
To the old position.
The Duke departs;

and so all returns

On some morrow morning and now 'tis stir and bustle

Within his castles. He will hunt, and build,

Superintend his horses' pedigrees;

Creates himself a court, gives golden keys,

And introduceth strictest ceremony

In fine proportions, and nice etiquette;

Keeps open table with high cheer; in brief,
Commenceth mighty king---in miniature.
And while he prudently demeans himself,
And gives himself no actual importance,
He will be let appear whate'er he likes;
And who dares doubt, that Friedland will appear
A mighty prince to his last dying hour?
Well now, what then? Duke Friedland is as others,
A fire-new noble, whom the war hath raised
To price and currency, a Jonah's gourd,
An over-night creation of court-favour,
Which with an undistinguishable ease
Makes baron or makes prince.

Wal.

Take her away.

Let in the young Count Piccolomini.

Coun. Art thou in earnest ? I entreat thee!

Canst thou

Consent to bear thyself to thy own grave,

So ignominiously to be dried up?

Thy life, that arrogated such a height
To end in such a nothing! To be nothing,
When one was always nothing, is an evil
That asks no stretch of patience, a light evil,
But to become a nothing, having been――

Wal. (starts up.) Show me a way out of this
stifling crowd,

Ye powers of aidance! Show me such a way
As I am capable of going.---I

Am no tongue-hero, no fine virtue-prattler;
I cannot warm by thinking; cannot say