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WALLENSTEIN, COUNT TERTSKY.

Wallenstein (to himself). She hath seen all things as they are — It

is so

And squares completely with my other notices.

They have determined finally in Vienna,

Have given me my successor already;

It is the king of Hungary, Ferdinand, 5

The Emperor’s delicate son! he’s now their saviour,

He’s the new star that’s rising now! Of us

They think themselves already fairly rid,

And as we were deceased, the heir already

Is entering on possession — Therefore — dispatch! 10

[As he turns round he observes TERTSKY, and gives him

a letter.

Count Altringer will have himself excused,

And Galas too — I like not this!

Tertsky. And if

Thou loiterest longer, all will fall away,

One following the other.

Wallenstein. Altringer

Is master of the Tyrole passes. I must forthwith 15

Send some one to him, that he let not in

The Spaniards on me from the Milanese.

—— Well, and the old Sesin, that ancient trader

In contraband negotiations, he

Has shewn himself again of late. What brings he 20

From the Count Thur?

Tertsky. The Count communicates,

He has found out the Swedish chancellor

At Halberstadt, where the convention’s held,

Who says, you’ve tired him out, and that he’ll have

No further dealings with you.

Wallenstein. And why so? 25

speeches,

That you decoy the Swedes — to make fools of them,

Will league yourself with Saxony against them,

And at last make yourself a riddance of them

With a paltry sum of money.

Wallenstein. So then, doubtless, 30

Yes, doubtless, this same modest Swede expects

That I shall yield him some fair German tract

For his prey and booty, that ourselves at last

On our own soil and native territory,

May be no longer our own lords and masters! 35

An excellent scheme! No, no! They must be off,

Off, off! away! we want no such neighbours.

Tertsky. Nay, yield them up that dot, that speck of land —

It goes not from your portion. If you win

The game what matters it to you who pays it? 40

Wallenstein. Off with them, off! Thou understand’st not this.

Never shall it be said of me, I parcelled

My native land away, dismembered Germany,

Betrayed it to a foreigner, in order

To come with stealthy tread, and filch away 45

My own share of the plunder — Never! never! —

No foreign power shall strike root in the empire,

And least of all, these Goths! these hunger-wolves!

Who send such envious, hot and greedy glances

T’wards the rich blessings of our German lands! 50

I’ll have their aid to cast and draw my nets,

But not a single fish of all the draught

Shall they come in for.

Tertsky. You will deal, however,

More fairly with the Saxons? They lose patience

While you shift ground and make so many curves. 55

Say, to what purpose all these masks? Your friends

Are plunged in doubts, baffled, and led astray in you.

There’s Oxenstirn, there’s Arnheim — neither knows

What he should think of your procrastinations.

And in the end I prove the liar: all 60

Passes through me. I have not even your handwriting.

Wallenstein. I never give my handwriting; thou knowest it.

Tertsky. But how can it be known that you’re in earnest,

If the act follows not upon the word?

You must yourself acknowledge, that in all 65

Your intercourses hitherto with the enemy

You might have done with safety all you have done,

Had you meant nothing further than to gull him

For the Emperor’s service.

Wallenstein (after a pause, during which he looks narrowly on

Tertsky). And from whence dost thou know

That I’m not gulling him for the Emperor’s service? 70

Whence knowest thou that I’m not gulling all of you?

Dost thou know me so well? When made I thee

The intendant of my secret purposes?

I am not conscious that I ever open’d

My inmost thoughts to thee. The Emperor, it is true, 75

Hath dealt with me amiss; and if I would,

I could repay him with usurious interest

For the evil he hath done me. It delights me

To know my power; but whether I shall use it,

Of that, I should have thought that thou could’st speak 80

No wiselier than thy fellows.

Tertsky. So hast thou always played thy game with us.

[Enter ILLO.