The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 50

FOOTNOTES:

[628:1] Here is an instance of the defect cla.s.sed No. 1 in the blank leaf. With what propriety is this speech of profound moral insight put in the mouth of that stupid, foolish Illo? _MS. R_.

[629:1] This is _said_, and finely too; but in what one instance is it shown realized in Illo? This is a common fault of a man of genius whose genius is not however _creative_ but _ideative_. There is just such another in my Maria as described by Osorio, the Character exists only in the description. _MS. R_.

LINENOTES:

[After 17] (_with an air of mystery_) 1800, 1828, 1829.

[21] _must_ 1800.

[27] _unconditional_ 1800.

[28] _unconditional_ 1800.

[31] _unconditional_ 1800.

[32] _Wallenstein (shaking his head)._ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[39] _your_ 1800.

[43] _then_--_then_ 1800.

[66] mult.i.tudes] mult.i.tude 1800.

[79] _when_ 1800.

[108] nights] night 1800, 1828, 1829.

[121] _I_ 1800.

SCENE XII

_WALLENSTEIN, TERTSKY, ILLO.--To them enter QUESTENBERG, OCTAVIO, and MAX PICCOLOMINI, BUTLER, ISOLANI, MARADAS, and three other_ Generals.

_WALLENSTEIN motions QUESTENBERG, who in consequence takes the Chair directly opposite to him; the others follow, arranging themselves according to their rank._

_Wallenstein._ I have understood, 'tis true, the sum and import Of your instructions, Questenberg, have weighed them, And formed my final, absolute resolve; Yet it seems fitting, that the Generals Should hear the will of the Emperor from your mouth. 5 May't please you then to open your commission Before these n.o.ble Chieftains.

_Questenberg._ I am ready To obey you; but will first entreat your Highness, And all these n.o.ble Chieftains, to consider, The Imperial dignity and sovereign right 10 Speaks from my mouth, and not my own presumption.

_Wallenstein._ We excuse all preface.

_Questenberg._ When his Majesty The Emperor to his courageous armies Presented in the person of Duke Friedland A most experienced and renowned commander, 15 He did it in glad hope and confidence To give thereby to the fortune of the war A rapid and auspicious change. The onset Was favourable to his royal wishes.

Bohemia was delivered from the Saxons, 20 The Swede's career of conquest checked! These lands Began to draw breath freely, as Duke Friedland From all the streams of Germany forced hither The scattered armies of the enemy, Hither invoked as round one magic circle 25 The Rhinegrave, Bernhard, Banner, Oxenstirn, Yea, and that never-conquered King himself; Here finally, before the eye of Nurnberg, The fearful game of battle to decide.

_Wallenstein._ May't please you to the point. 30

_Questenberg._ In Nurnberg's camp the Swedish monarch left His fame--in Lutzen's plains his life. But who Stood not astounded, when victorious Friedland After this day of triumph, this proud day, Marched toward Bohemia with the speed of flight, 35 And vanished from the theatre of war; While the young Weimar hero forced his way Into Franconia, to the Danube, like Some delving winter-stream, which, where it rushes, Makes its own channel; with such sudden speed 40 He marched, and now at once 'fore Regenspurg Stood to the affright of all good Catholic Christians.

Then did Bavaria's well-deserving Prince Entreat swift aidance in his extreme need; The Emperor sends seven hors.e.m.e.n to Duke Friedland, 45 Seven hors.e.m.e.n couriers sends he with the entreaty: He superadds his own, and supplicates Where as the sovereign lord he can command.

In vain his supplication! At this moment The Duke hears only his old hate and grudge, 50 Barters the general good to gratify Private revenge--and so falls Regenspurg.

_Wallenstein._ Max, to what period of the war alludes he?

My recollection fails me here.

_Max._ He means When we were in Silesia.

_Wallenstein._ Ay! Is it so! 55 But what had we to do there?

_Max._ To beat out The Swedes and Saxons from the province.

_Wallenstein._ True.

In that description which the Minister gave I seemed to have forgotten the whole war. [_To QUESTENBERG._ Well, but proceed a little.

_Questenberg._ Yes! at length 60 Beside the river Oder did the Duke a.s.sert his ancient fame. Upon the fields Of Steinau did the Swedes lay down their arms, Subdued without a blow. And here, with others, The righteousness of Heaven to his avenger 65 Delivered that long-practised stirrer-up Of insurrection, that curse-laden torch And kindler of this war, Matthias Thur.

But he had fallen into magnanimous hands; Instead of punishment he found reward, 70 And with rich presents did the Duke dismiss The arch-foe of his Emperor.

_Wallenstein (laughs)._ I know, I know you had already in Vienna Your windows and balconies all forestalled To see him on the executioner's cart. 75 I might have lost the battle, lost it too With infamy, and still retained your graces-- But, to have cheated them of a spectacle, Oh! that the good folks of Vienna never, No, never can forgive me.

_Questenberg._ So Silesia 80 Was freed, and all things loudly called the Duke Into Bavaria, now pressed hard on all sides.

And he did put his troops in motion: slowly, Quite at his ease, and by the longest road He traverses Bohemia; but ere ever 85 He hath once seen the enemy, faces round, Breaks up the march, and takes to winter quarters.

_Wallenstein._ The troops were pitiably dest.i.tute Of every necessary, every comfort.

The winter came. What thinks his Majesty 90 His troops are made of? Arn't we men? subjected Like other men to wet, and cold, and all The circ.u.mstances of necessity?

O miserable lot of the poor soldier!

Wherever he comes in, all flee before him, 95 And when he goes away, the general curse Follows him on his route. All must be seized, Nothing is given him. And compelled to seize From every man, he's every man's abhorrence.

Behold, here stand my Generals. Karaffa! 100 Count Deodate! Butler! Tell this man How long the soldiers' pay is in arrears.

_Butler._ Already a full year.

_Wallenstein._ And 'tis the hire That const.i.tutes the hireling's name and duties, The soldier's pay is the soldier's covenant.[634:1] 105

_Questenberg._ Ah! this is a far other tone from that In which the Duke spoke eight, nine years ago.

_Wallenstein._ Yes! 'tis my fault, I know it: I myself Have spoilt the Emperor by indulging him.

Nine years ago, during the Danish war, 110 I raised him up a force, a mighty force, Forty or fifty thousand men, that cost him Of his own purse no doit. Through Saxony The fury G.o.ddess of the war marched on, E'en to the surf-rocks of the Baltic, bearing 115 The terrors of his name. That was a time!

In the whole Imperial realm no name like mine Honoured with festival and celebration-- And Albrecht Wallenstein, it was the t.i.tle Of the third jewel in his crown! 120 But at the Diet, when the Princes met At Regenspurg, there, there the whole broke out, There 'twas laid open, there it was made known, Out of what money-bag I had paid the host.

And what was now my thank, what had I now, 125 That I, a faithful servant of the Sovereign, Had loaded on myself the people's curses, And let the Princes of the empire pay The expenses of this war, that aggrandizes The Emperor alone--What thanks had I! 130 What? I was offered up to their complaints, Dismissed, degraded!

_Questenberg._ But your Highness knows What little freedom he possessed of action In that disastrous diet.

_Wallenstein._ Death and h.e.l.l!

I had that which could have procured him freedom. 135 No! Since 'twas proved so inauspicious to me To serve the Emperor at the empire's cost, I have been taught far other trains of thinking Of the empire, and the diet of the empire.

From the Emperor, doubtless, I received this staff, 140 But now I hold it as the empire's general-- For the common weal, the universal interest, And no more for that one man's aggrandizement!

But to the point. What is it that's desired of me?

_Questenberg._ First, his imperial Majesty hath willed 145 That without pretexts of delay the army Evacuate Bohemia.