The Piccolomini, Friedrich Schiller [best e book reader android .txt] 📗

reflections). I thank thee for the hint. It turns My sad presentiment to certainty. And it is so! Not one friend have we here, Not one true heart! we've nothing but ourselves! Oh, she said rightly--no auspicious signs Beam on this covenant of our affections. This is no theatre where hope abides The dull thick noise of war alone stirs here, And love himself, as he were armed in steel, Steps forth, and girds him for the strife of death.
[Music from the banquet-room is heard. There's a dark spirit walking in our house. And swiftly will the destiny close on us. It drove me hither from my calm asylum, It mocks my soul with charming witchery, It lures me forward in a seraph's shape, I see it near, I see it nearer floating, It draws, it pulls me with a godlike power-- And lo! the abyss--and thither am I moving-- I have no power within me not to move!
[The music from the banquet-room becomes louder. Oh, when a house is, doomed in fire to perish, Many and dark Heaven drives his clouds together, Yea, shoots his lightnings down from sunny heights, Flames burst from out the subterraneous chasms, And fiends and angels, mingling in their fury, Sling firebrands at the burning edifice. [13]

[Exit THEKLA.


ACT IV.

SCENE I.

A large saloon lighted up with festal splendor; in the midst of it,
and in the centre of the stage a table richly set out, at which
eight generals are sitting, among whom are OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI,
TERZKY, and MARADAS. Right and left of this, but further back, two
other tables, at each of which six persons are placed. The middle
door, which is standing open, gives to the prospect a fourth table
with the same number of persons. More forward stands the sideboard.
The whole front of the stage is kept open, for the pages and
servants-in-waiting. All is in motion. The band of music belonging
to TERZKY's regiment march across the stage, and draw up around the
tables. Before they are quite off from the front of the stage, MAX.
PICCOLOMINI appears, TERZKY advances towards him with a paper,
ISOLANI comes up to meet him with a beaker, or service-cup.

TERZKY, ISOLANI, MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

ISOLANI. Here, brother, what we love! Why, where hast been? Off to thy place--quick! Terzky here has given The mother's holiday wine up to free booty. Here it goes on as at the Heidelberg castle. Already hast thou lost the best. They're giving At yonder table ducal crowns in shares; There Sternberg's lands and chattels are put up, With Eggenberg's, Stawata's, Lichtenstein's, And all the great Bohemian feudalities. Be nimble, lad! and something may turn up For thee, who knows? off--to thy place! quick! march!

TIEFENBACH and GOETZ (call out from the second and third tables). Count Piccolomini!

TERZKY. Stop, ye shall have him in an instant. Read This oath here, whether as 'tis here set forth, The wording satisfies you. They've all read it, Each in his turn, and each one will subscribe His individual signature.

MAX. (reads). "Ingratis servire nefas."

ISOLANI. That sounds to my ears very much like Latin, And being interpreted, pray what may it mean?

TERZKY. No honest man will serve a thankless master.

MAX. "Inasmuch as our supreme commander, the illustrious Duke of Friedland, in consequence of the manifold affronts and grievances which he has received, had expressed his determination to quit the emperor, but on our unanimous entreaty has graciously consented to remain still with the army, and not to part from us without our approbation thereof, so we, collectively and each in particular, in the stead of an oath personally taken, do, hereby oblige ourselves--likewise by him honorably and faithfully to hold, and in nowise whatsoever from him to part, and to be ready to shed for his interests the last drop of our blood, so far, namely, as our oath to the emperor will permit it. (These last words are repeated by ISOLANI.) In testimony of which we subscribe our names."

TERZKY. Now! are you willing to subscribe to this paper?

ISOLANI. Why should he not? All officers of honor Can do it, ay, must do it. Pen and ink here!

TERZKY. Nay, let it rest till after meal.

ISOLANI (drawing MAX. along).
Come, Max!

[Both seat themselves at their table.


SCENE II.

TERZKY, NEUMANN.

TERZKY (beckons to NEUMANN, who is waiting at the side-table and steps
forward with him to the edge of the stage). Have you the copy with you, Neumann? Give it. It may be changed for the other?

NEUMANN.
I have copied it Letter by letter, line by line; no eye Would e'er discover other difference, Save only the omission of that clause, According to your excellency's order.

TERZKY. Right I lay it yonder and away with this-- It has performed its business--to the fire with it.

[NEUMANN lays the copy on the table, and steps back again
to the side-table.


SCENE III.

ILLO (comes out from the second chamber), TERZKY.

ILLO. How goes it with young Piccolomini!

TERZKY. All right, I think. He has started no object.

ILLO. He is the only one I fear about-- He and his father. Have an eye on both!

TERZKY. How looks it at your table: you forget not To keep them warm and stirring?

ILLO.
Oh, quite cordial, They are quite cordial in the scheme. We have them And 'tis as I predicted too. Already It is the talk, not merely to maintain The duke in station. "Since we're once for all Together and unanimous, why not," Says Montecuculi, "ay, why not onward, And make conditions with the emperor There in his own Venice?" Trust me, count, Were it not for these said Piccolomini, We might have spared ourselves the cheat.

TERZEY.
And Butler? How goes it there? Hush!


SCENE IV.

To them enter BUTLER from a second table.

BUTLER.
Don't disturb yourselves; Field-marshal, I have understood you perfectly. Good luck be to the scheme; and as to me,
[With an air of mystery. You may depend upon me.

ILLO (with vivacity).
May we, Butler?

BUTLER. With or without the clause, all one to me! You understand me! My fidelity The duke may put to any proof--I'm with him Tell him so! I'm the emperor's officer, As long as 'tis his pleasure to remain The emperor's general! and Friedland's servant, As soon as it shall please him to become His own lord.

TERZKY.
You would make a good exchange. No stern economist, no Ferdinand, Is he to whom you plight your services.

BUTLER (with a haughty look). I do not put up my fidelity To sale, Count Terzky! Half a year ago I would not have advised you to have made me An overture to that, to which I now Offer myself of my own free accord. But that is past! and to the duke, field-marshal, I bring myself, together with my regiment. And mark you, 'tis my humor to believe, The example which I give will not remain Without an influence.

ILLO.
Who is ignorant, That the whole army looks to Colonel Butler As to a light that moves before them?

BUTLER.
Ay? Then I repent me not of that fidelity Which for the length of forty years I held, If in my sixtieth year my good old name Can purchase for me a revenge so full. Start not at what I say, sir generals! My real motives--they concern not you. And you yourselves, I trust, could not expect That this your game had crooked my judgment--or That fickleness, quick blood, or such like cause, Has driven the old man from the track of honor, Which he so long had trodden. Come, my friends! I'm not thereto determined with less firmness, Because I know and have looked steadily At that on which I have determined.

ILLO.
Say, And speak roundly, what are we to deem you?

BUTLER. A friend! I give you here my hand! I'm yours With all I have. Not only men, but money Will the duke want. Go, tell him, sirs! I've earned and laid up somewhat in his service, I lend it him; and is he my survivor, It has been already long ago bequeathed to him; He is my heir. For me, I stand alone Here in the world; naught know I of the feeling That binds the husband to a wife and children. My name dies with me, my existence ends.

ILLO. 'Tis not your money that he needs--a heart Like yours weighs tons of gold down, weighs down millions!

BUTLER. I came a simple soldier's boy from Ireland To Prague--and with a master, whom I buried. From lowest stable duty I climbed up, Such was the fate of war, to this high rank, The plaything of a whimsical good fortune. And Wallenstein too is a child of luck: I love a fortune that is like my own.

ILLO. All powerful souls have kindred with each other.

BUTLER. This is an awful moment! to the brave, To the determined, an auspicious moment. The Prince of Weimar arms, upon the Maine, To found a mighty dukedom. He of Halberstadt, That Mansfeldt, wanted but a longer life To have marked out with his good sword a lordship That should reward his courage. Who of these Equals our Friedland? There is nothing, nothing So high, but he may set the ladder to it!

TERZKY. That's spoken like a man!

BUTLER. Do you secure the Spaniard and Italian-- I'll be your warrant for the Scotchman Lesly. Come to the company!

TERZKY. Where is the master of the cellar? Ho! Let the best wines come up. Ho! cheerly, boy! Luck comes to-day, so give her hearty welcome.

[Exeunt, each to his table.


SCENE V.

The MASTER OF THE CELLAR, advancing with NEUMANN, SERVANTS passing
backwards and forwards.

MASTER OF THE CELLAR.