Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

I see the net that is thrown over him.
O! he returns not to me as he went.
Ques. Nay, but explain yourself.
Oct.

And that I should not

Foresee it, not prevent this journey! Wherefore
Did I keep it from him?--You were in the right.
I should have warn'd him! Now it is too late.
Ques. But what's too late? Bethink yourself, my
friend,

That you are talking absolute riddles to me.

Oct. (more collected). Come!—to the Duke's. 'Tis close upon the hour

Which he appointed you for audience. Come!
A curse, a threefold curse, upon this journey!

(He leads Questenberg off.)

SCENE VI. Changes to a spacious chamber in the house of the Duke of Friedland.-Servants employed in putting the tables and chairs in order. During this enters SENI, like an old Italian doctor, in black, and clothed somewhat fantastically. He carries a white staff, with which he marks out the quarters of the heaven.

1st Ser. Come-to it lads, to it! Make an end of it. I hear the sentry call out, "Stand to your arms !” They will be there in a minute.

2nd Ser. Why were we not told before that the audience would be held there? Nothing prepared—no orders-no instructions

3rd Ser. Ay, and why was the balcony-chamber countermanded; that with the great worked carpet? ~ there one can look about one.

1st Ser. Nay, that you must ask the mathematician there. He says it is an unlucky chamber.

2nd Ser. call a hum.

Poh! stuff and nonsense! That's what I A chamber is a chamber; what much can the place signify in the affair?

Seni (with gravity). My son, there's nothing insignificant,

Nothing! But yet in every earthly thing

First and most principal is place and time.

1st Ser. (to the Second,) Say nothing to him, Nat. The Duke himself must let him have his own will. Seni (counts the chairs, half in a loud, half in a low voice, till he comes to eleven, which he repeats.) Eleven! an evil number! Set twelve chairs. Twelve! twelve signs hath the zodiac: five and seven, The holy numbers, include themselves in twelve.

2nd Ser. And what may you have to object against eleven? I should like to know that, now.

Seni. Eleven is--transgression; eleven oversteps The ten commandments.

2nd Ser. That's good! and why do you call five a holy number?

Seni. Five is the soul of man: for even as man

Is mingled up of good and evil, so

The five is the first number that's made up

Of even and odd.

2nd Ser. The foolish old coxcomb!

1st Ser. Ay! let him alone though.

like to hear

him; there is more in his words than can be seen at first sight.

3rd Ser. Off! They come.

2nd Ser. There! Out at the side door.

(They hurry off, Seni follows slowly. A page brings the staff of command on a red cushion, and places it on the table near the Duke's chair. They are announced from without, and the wings of the door fly open.)

SCENE VII. WALLENSTEIN, DUCHESS.

Wal. You went then through Vienna, were presented To the Queen of Hungary?

Duch.

And by both Majesties were we admitted

To kiss the hand.

Wal.

Yes; and to the Empress to;

And how was it receiv'd,

That I had sent for wife and daughter hither
To the camp, in winter time?

[blocks in formation]

Which you commission'd me to do. I told them,
You had determin'd on our daughter's marriage,
And wish'd, ere yet you went into the field,

To show th' elected husband his betroth'd.

Wal. And did they guess the choice which I had made?

Duch. They only hop'd and wish'd it may have fallen

Upon no foreign nor yet Lutheran noble.

Wal. And you-what do you wish, Elizabeth?
Duch. Your will, you know, was always mine.

Wal. (after a pause).

Well then!

And in all else, of what kind and complexion

Was your reception at the court?

(The Duchess casts her eyes on the ground, and remains silent).

Hide nothing from me. How were you receiv'd?

Duch. O! my dear lord, all is not what it was.

A cankerworm, my lord, a cankerworm

Has stolen into the bud.

Wal.

Ay! is it so?

What, they were lax? they fail'd of th' old respect?

Duch. Not of respect. No honours were omitted, No outward courtesy ; but in the place

Of condescending, confidential kindness,
Familiar and endearing, there were given me
Only these honours and that solemn courtesy.
Ah! and the tenderness which was put on,
It was the guise of pity, not of favour.

No! Albrecht's wife, Duke Albrecht's princely wife,
Count Harrach's noble daughter, should not so-
Not wholly so should she have been receiv'd.

Wal. Yes, yes; they have ta'en offence. My latest

[blocks in formation]

Duch.

O that they had!

I have been long accustom'd to defend you,

To heal and pacify distemper'd spirits.

No; no one rail'd at you. They wrapp'd them up,
O Heaven! in such oppressive, solemn silence!-
Here is no every-day misunderstanding,

No transient pique, no cloud that passes over;
Something most luckless, most unhealable,
Has taken place. The Queen of Hungary
Us'd formerly to call me her dear aunt,

And ever at departure to embrace me—

Wal. Now she omitted it?

Duch. (wiping away her tears, after a pause.)

She did embrace me,

But then first when I had already taken

My formal leave, and when the door already

Had clos'd upon me, then did she come out

In haste, as she had suddenly bethought herself,
And press'd me to her bosom, more anguish

Than with tenderness.

Wal. (siezes her hand soothingly.) Nay now, collect yourself.

And what of Eggenberg and Lichtenstein.

And of our other friends there?

сит

Duch. (shaking her head). I saw none.

Wal. Th' Ambassador from Spain, who once was wont To plead so warmly for me?—

Duch.

Silent, silent!

Wal. These suns then are eclipsed for us. Henceforward

Must we roll on, our own fire, our own light.

Duch. And were it-were it, my dear lord, in that
Which mov'd about the Court in buz and whisper,
But in the country let itself be heard

Aloud-in that which Father Lamormain
In sundry hints and-

Wal. (eagerly).

Lamormain! what said he?

Duch. That you're accused of having daringly
O'erstepp'd the power entrusted to you, charg'd
With traitorous contempt of th' Emperor
And his supreme behests. The proud Bavarian,
He and the Spaniards stand up your accusers.-
That there's a storm collecting over you,

Of far more fearful menace than that former one
Which whirl'd you headlong down at Regensburg.
And people talk, said he, of——Ah !—

(stifling extreme emotion.)

[blocks in formation]
« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »