Buch lesen: «The Death of Wallenstein», Seite 6

SCENE XVII

To these enter the DUCHESS, who rushes into the chamber;

THEKLA and the COUNTESS follow her.

DUCHESS

 
                O Albrecht!
  What hast thou done?
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
             And now comes this beside.
 

COUNTESS

 
  Forgive me, brother! It was not in my power —
  They know all.
 

DUCHESS

 
          What hast thou done?
 

COUNTESS (to TERZKY)

 
  Is there no hope? Is all lost utterly?
 

TERZKY

 
  All lost. No hope. Prague in the emperor's hands,
  The soldiery have taken their oaths anew.
 

COUNTESS

 
  That lurking hypocrite, Octavio!
  Count Max. is off too.
 

TERZKY

 
              Where can he be? He's
  Gone over to the emperor with his father.
 

[THEKLA rushes out into the arms of her mother, hiding her face in her bosom.

DUCHESS (enfolding her in her arms)

 
  Unhappy child! and more unhappy mother!
 

WALLENSTEIN (aside to TERZKY)

 
  Quick! Let a carriage stand in readiness
  In the court behind the palace. Scherfenberg,
  Be their attendant; he is faithful to us.
  To Egra he'll conduct them, and we follow.
 

[To ILLO, who returns.

 
  Thou hast not brought them back?
 

ILLO

 
                 Hear'st thou the uproar?
  The whole corps of the Pappenheimers is
  Drawn out: the younger Piccolomini,
  Their colonel, they require: for they affirm,
  That he is in the palace here, a prisoner;
  And if thou dost not instantly deliver him,
  They will find means to free him with the sword.
 

[All stand amazed.

TERZKY

 
  What shall we make of this?
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
                 Said I not so?
  O my prophetic heart! he is still here.
  He has not betrayed me – he could not betray me.
  I never doubted of it.
 

COUNTESS

 
              If he be
  Still here, then all goes well; for I know what
 

[Embracing THEKLA.

 
  Will keep him here forever.
 

TERZKY

 
                 It can't be.
  His father has betrayed us, is gone over
  To the emperor – the son could not have ventured
  To stay behind.
 

THEKLA (her eye fixed on the door)

 
           There he is!
 

SCENE XVIII

To these enter MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

MAX

 
  Yes, here he is! I can endure no longer
  To creep on tiptoe round this house, and lurk
  In ambush for a favorable moment:
  This loitering, this suspense exceeds my powers.
 

[Advancing to THEKLA, who has thrown herself into her mother's arms.

 
  Turn not thine eyes away. O look upon me!
  Confess it freely before all. Fear no one.
  Let who will hear that we both love each other.
  Wherefore continue to conceal it? Secrecy
  Is for the happy – misery, hopeless misery,
  Needeth no veil! Beneath a thousand suns
  It dares act openly.
 

[He observes the COUNTESS looking on THEKLA with expressions of triumph.

 
             No, lady! No!
  Expect not, hope it not. I am not come
  To stay: to bid farewell, farewell forever.
  For this I come! 'Tis over! I must leave thee!
  Thekla, I must – must leave thee! Yet thy hatred
  Let me not take with me. I pray thee, grant me
  One look of sympathy, only one look.
  Say that thou dost not hate me. Say it to me, Thekla!
 

[Grasps her hand.

 
  O God! I cannot leave this spot – I cannot!
  Cannot let go this hand. O tell me, Thekla!
  That thou dost suffer with me, art convinced
  That I cannot act otherwise.
 

[THEKLA, avoiding his look, points with her hand to her father.

 
     MAX. turns round to the DUKE, whom he had not till then perceived.
  Thou here? It was not thou whom here I sought.
  I trusted never more to have beheld thee,
  My business is with her alone. Here will I
  Receive a full acquittal from this heart;
  For any other I am no more concerned.
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
  Think'st thou that, fool-like, I shall let thee go,
  And act the mock-magnanimous with thee?
  Thy father is become a villain to me;
  I hold thee for his son, and nothing more
  Nor to no purpose shalt thou have been given
  Into my power. Think not, that I will honor
  That ancient love, which so remorselessly
  He mangled. They are now passed by, those hours
  Of friendship and forgiveness. Hate and vengeance
  Succeed – 'tis now their turn – I too can throw
  All feelings of the man aside – can prove
  Myself as much a monster as thy father!
 

MAX (calmly)

 
  Thou wilt proceed with me as thou hast power.
  Thou knowest I neither brave nor fear thy rage.
  What has detained me here, that too thou knowest.
 

[Taking THEKLA by the hand.

 
  See, duke! All – all would I have owed to thee,
  Would have received from thy paternal hand
  The lot of blessed spirits. That hast thou
  Laid waste forever – that concerns not thee.
  Indifferent thou tramplest in the dust
  Their happiness who most are thine. The god
  Whom thou dost serve is no benignant deity,
  Like as the blind, irreconcilable,
  Fierce element, incapable of compact.
  Thy heart's wild impulse only dost thou follow.⁵
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
  Thou art describing thy own father's heart.
  The adder! Oh, the charms of hell o'erpowered me
  He dwelt within me, to my inmost soul
  Still to and fro he passed, suspected never.
  On the wide ocean, in the starry heaven
  Did mine eyes seek the enemy, whom I
  In my heart's heart had folded! Had I been
  To Ferdinand what Octavio was to me,
  War had I ne'er denounced against him.
  No, I never could have done it. The emperor was
  My austere master only, not my friend.
  There was already war 'twixt him and me
  When he delivered the commander's staff
  Into my hands; for there's a natural
  Unceasing war twixt cunning and suspicion;
  Peace exists only betwixt confidence
  And faith. Who poisons confidence, he murders
  The future generations.
 

MAX

 
               I will not
  Defend my father. Woe is me, I cannot!
  Hard deeds and luckless have taken place; one crime
  Drags after it the other in close link.
  But we are innocent: how have we fallen
  Into this circle of mishap and guilt?
  To whom have we been faithless? Wherefore must
  The evil deeds and guilt reciprocal
  Of our two fathers twine like serpents round us?
                Why must our fathers'
  Unconquerable hate rend us asunder,
  Who love each other?
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
             Max., remain with me.
  Go you not from me, Max.! Hark! I will tell thee —
  How when at Prague, our winter quarters, thou
  Wert brought into my tent a tender boy,
  Not yet accustomed to the German winters;
  Thy hand was frozen to the heavy colors;
  Thou wouldst not let them go.
  At that time did I take thee in my arms,
  And with my mantle did I cover thee;
  I was thy nurse, no woman could have been
  A kinder to thee; I was not ashamed
  To do for thee all little offices,
  However strange to me; I tended thee
  Till life returned; and when thine eyes first opened,
  I had thee in my arms. Since then, when have
  Altered my feelings toward thee? Many thousands
  Have I made rich, presented them with lands;
  Rewarded them with dignities and honors;
  Thee have I loved: my heart, my self, I gave
  To thee; They all were aliens: thou wert
  Our child and inmate.⁶ Max.! Thou canst not leave me;
  It cannot be; I may not, will not think
  That Max. can leave me.
 

MAX

 
               Oh, my God!
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
                     I have
  Held and sustained thee from thy tottering childhood.
  What holy bond is there of natural love,
  What human tie that does not knit thee to me?
  I love thee, Max.! What did thy father for thee,
  Which I too have not done, to the height of duty?
  Go hence, forsake me, serve thy emperor;
  He will reward thee with a pretty chain
  Of gold; with his ram's fleece will he reward thee;
  For that the friend, the father of thy youth,
  For that the holiest feeling of humanity,
  Was nothing worth to thee.
 

MAX

 
                O God! how can I
  Do otherwise. Am I not forced to do it,
  My oath – my duty – my honor —
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
                 How? Thy duty?
  Duty to whom? Who art thou? Max.! bethink thee
  What duties may'st thou have? If I am acting
  A criminal part toward the emperor,
  It is my crime, not thine. Dost thou belong
  To thine own self? Art thou thine own commander?
  Stand'st thou, like me, a freeman in the world,
  That in thy actions thou shouldst plead free agency?
  On me thou art planted, I am thy emperor;
  To obey me, to belong to me, this is
  Thy honor, this a law of nature to thee!
  And if the planet on the which thou livest
  And hast thy dwelling, from its orbit starts.
  It is not in thy choice, whether or no
  Thou'lt follow it. Unfelt it whirls thee onward
  Together with his ring, and all his moons.
  With little guilt steppest thou into this contest;
  Thee will the world not censure, it will praise thee,
  For that thou held'st thy friend more worth to thee
  Than names and influences more removed
  For justice is the virtue of the ruler,
  Affection and fidelity the subject's.
  Not every one doth it beseem to question
  The far-off high Arcturus. Most securely
  Wilt thou pursue the nearest duty: let
  The pilot fix his eye upon the pole-star.
 

SCENE XIX

To these enter NEUMANN.

WALLENSTEIN

 
  What now?
 

NEUMANN

 
        The Pappenheimers are dismounted,
  And are advancing now on foot, determined
  With sword in hand to storm the house, and free
  The count, their colonel.
 

WALLENSTEIN (to TERZKY)

 
                Have the cannon planted.
  I will receive them with chain-shot.
 

[Exit TERZKY.

 
  Prescribe to me with sword in hand! Go, Neumann!
  'Tis my command that they retreat this moment,
  And in their ranks in silence wait my pleasure.
 

[NEUMANN exit. ILLO steps to the window.

COUNTESS

 
  Let him go, I entreat thee, let him go.
 

ILLO (at the window)

 
  Hell and perdition!
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
             What is it?
 

ILLO

 
  They scale the council-house, the roof's uncovered,
  They level at this house the cannon —
 

MAX

 
                      Madmen
 

ILLO

 
  They are making preparations now to fire on us.
 

DUCHESS and COUNTESS

 
  Merciful heaven!
 

MAX. (to WALLENSTEIN)

 
           Let me go to them!
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
                     Not a step!
 

MAX. (pointing to THEKLA and the DUCHESS)

 
  But their life! Thine!
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
              What tidings bringest thou, Terzky?
 

SCENE XX

To these TERZKY returning.

TERZKY

 
  Message and greeting from our faithful regiments.
  Their ardor may no longer be curbed in.
  They entreat permission to commence the attack;
  And if thou wouldst but give the word of onset
  They could now charge the enemy in rear,
  Into the city wedge them, and with ease
  O'erpower them in the narrow streets.
 

ILLO

 
                      Oh come
  Let not their ardor cool. The soldiery
  Of Butler's corps stand by us faithfully;
  We are the greater number. Let us charge them
  And finish here in Pilsen the revolt.
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
  What? shall this town become a field of slaughter,
  And brother-killing discord, fire-eyed,
  Be let loose through its streets to roam and rage?
  Shall the decision be delivered over
  To deaf remorseless rage, that hears no leader?
  Here is not room for battle, only for butchery.
  Well, let it be! I have long thought of it,
  So let it burst then!
 

[Turns to MAX.

 
              Well, how is it with thee?
  Wilt thou attempt a heat with me. Away!
  Thou art free to go. Oppose thyself to me,
  Front against front, and lead them to the battle;
  Thou'rt skilled in war, thou hast learned somewhat under me,
  I need not be ashamed of my opponent,
  And never hadst thou fairer opportunity
  To pay me for thy schooling.
 

COUNTESS

 
                 Is it then,
  Can it have come to this? What! Cousin, cousin!
  Have you the heart?
 

MAX

 
  The regiments that are trusted to my care
  I have pledged my troth to bring away from Pilsen
  True to the emperor; and this promise will I
  Make good, or perish. More than this no duty
  Requires of me. I will not fight against thee,
  Unless compelled; for though an enemy,
  Thy head is holy to me still,
 

[Two reports of cannon. ILLO and TERZKY hurry to the window.

WALLENSTEIN

 
  What's that?
 

TERZBY

 
         He falls.
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
               Falls! Who?
 

ILLO

 
                      Tiefenbach's corps
  Discharged the ordnance.
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
               Upon whom?
 

ILLO

 
                     On – Neumann,
  Your messenger.
 

WALLENSTEIN (starting up)

 
           Ha! Death and hell! I will —
 

TERZKY

 
  Expose thyself to their blind frenzy?
 

DUCHESS and COUNTESS

 
                      No!
  For God's sake, no!
 

ILLO

 
             Not yet, my general!
  Oh, hold him! hold him!
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
               Leave me —
 

MAX

 
                     Do it not;
  Not yet! This rash and bloody deed has thrown them
  Into a frenzy-fit – allow them time —
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
  Away! too long already have I loitered.
  They are emboldened to these outrages,
  Beholding not my face. They shall behold
  My countenance, shall hear my voice —
  Are they not my troops? Am I not their general,
  And their long-feared commander! Let me see,
  Whether indeed they do no longer know
  That countenance which was their sun in battle!
  From the balcony (mark!) I show myself
  To these rebellious forces, and at once
  Revolt is mounded, and the high-swollen current
  Shrinks back into the old bed of obedience.
 

[Exit WALLENSTEIN; ILLO, TERZKY, and BUTLER follow.

SCENE XXI

COUNTESS, DUCHESS, MAX., and THEKLA.

COUNTESS (to the DUCHESS)

 
  Let them but see him – there is hope still, sister.
 

DUCHESS

 
  Hope! I have none!
 

MAX. (who during the last scene has been standing at a distance, in a

visible struggle of feelings advances)

 
             This can I not endure.
  With most determined soul did I come hither;
  My purposed action seemed unblamable
  To my own conscience – and I must stand here
  Like one abhorred, a hard, inhuman being:
  Yea, loaded with the curse of all I love!
  Must see all whom I love in this sore anguish,
  Whom I with one word can make happy – O!
  My heart revolts within me, and two voices
  Make themselves audible within my bosom.
  My soul's benighted; I no longer can
  Distinguish the right track. Oh, well and truly
  Didst thou say, father, I relied too much
  On my own heart. My mind moves to and fro —
  I know not what to do.
 

COUNTESS

 
              What! you know not?
  Does not your own heart tell you? Oh! then I
  Will tell it you. Your father is a traitor,
  A frightful traitor to us – he has plotted
  Against our general's life, has plunged us all
  In misery – and you're his son! 'Tis yours
  To make the amends. Make you the son's fidelity
  Outweigh the father's treason, that the name
  Of Piccolomini be not a proverb
  Of infamy, a common form of cursing
  To the posterity of Wallenstein.
 

MAX

 
  Where is that voice of truth which I dare follow!
  It speaks no longer in my heart. We all
  But utter what our passionate wishes dictate:
  Oh that an angel would descend from heaven,
  And scoop for me the right, the uncorrupted,
  With a pure hand from the pure Fount of light.
 

[His eyes glance on THEKLA.

 
  What other angel seek I? To this heart,
  To this unerring heart, will I submit it;
  Will ask thy love, which has the power to bless
  The happy man alone, averted ever
  From the disquieted and guilty – canst thou
  Still love me, if I stay? Say that thou canst,
  And I am the duke's —
 

COUNTESS

 
           Think, niece —
 

MAX

 
                   Think nothing, Thekla!
  Speak what thou feelest.
 

COUNTESS

 
               Think upon your father.
 

MAX

 
  I did not question thee, as Friedland's daughter.
  Thee, the beloved and the unerring God
  Within thy heart, I question. What's at stake?
  Not whether diadem of royalty
  Be to be won or not – that mightest thou think on.
  Thy friend, and his soul's quiet are at stake:
  The fortune of a thousand gallant men,
  Who will all follow me; shall I forswear
  My oath and duty to the emperor?
  Say, shall I send into Octavio's camp
  The parricidal ball? For when the ball
  Has left its cannon, and is on its flight,
  It is no longer a dead instrument!
  It lives, a spirit passes into it;
  The avenging furies seize possession of it,
  And with sure malice, guide it the worst way.
 

THEKLA

 
  Oh! Max. —
 

MAX. (interrupting her)

 
        Nay, not precipitately either, Thekla.
  I understand thee. To thy noble heart
  The hardest duty might appear the highest.
  The human, not the great part, would I act.
  Even from my childhood to this present hour,
  Think what the duke has done for me, how loved me
  And think, too, how my father has repaid him.
  Oh likewise the free lovely impulses
  Of hospitality, the pious friend's
  Faithful attachment, these, too, are a holy
  Religion to the heart; and heavily
  The shudderings of nature do avenge
  Themselves on the barbarian that insults them.
  Lay all upon the balance, all – then speak,
  And let thy heart decide it.
 

THEKLA

 
                 Oh, thy own
  Hath long ago decided. Follow thou
  Thy heart's first feeling —
 

COUNTESS

 
                 Oh! ill-fated woman!
 

THEKLA

 
  Is it possible, that that can be the right,
  The which thy tender heart did not at first
  Detect and seize with instant impulse? Go,
  Fulfil thy duty! I should ever love thee.
  Whate'er thou hast chosen, thou wouldst still have acted
  Nobly and worthy of thee – but repentance
  Shall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace.
 

MAX

 
                        Then I
  Must leave thee, must part from thee!
 

THEKLA

 
                      Being faithful
  To thine own self, thou art faithful, too, to me:
  If our fates part, our hearts remain united.
  A bloody hatred will divide forever
  The houses Piccolomini and Friedland;
  But we belong not to our houses. Go!
  Quick! quick! and separate thy righteous cause
  From our unholy and unblessed one!
  The curse of heaven lies upon our head:
  'Tis dedicate to ruin. Even me
  My father's guilt drags with it to perdition.
  Mourn not for me:
  My destiny will quickly be decided.
 

[MAX. clasps her in his arms in extreme emotion. There is heard from behind the scene a loud, wild, long-continued cry, Vivat Ferdinandus! accompanied by warlike instruments. MAX. and THEKLA remain without motion in each other's embraces.

SCENE XXII

To the above enter TERZKY.

COUNTESS (meeting him)

 
  What meant that cry? What was it?
 

TERZKY

 
                    All is lost!
 

COUNTESS

 
  What! they regarded not his countenance?
 

TERZKY

 
  'Twas all in vain.
 

DUCHESS

 
            They shouted Vivat!
 

TERZKY

 
                       To the emperor.
 

COUNTESS

 
  The traitors?
 

TERZKY

 
          Nay! he was not permitted
  Even to address them. Soon as he began,
  With deafening noise of warlike instruments
  They drowned his words. But here he comes.
 

SCENE XXIII

To these enter WALLENSTEIN, accompanied by ILLO and BUTLER.

WALLENSTEIN (as he enters)

 
  Terzky!
 

TERZKY

 
       My general!
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
             Let our regiments hold themselves
  In readiness to march; for we shall leave
  Pilsen ere evening.
 

[Exit TERZKY.

 
             Butler!
 

BUTLER

 
                 Yes, my general.
 

WALLENSTEIN

 
  The Governor of Egra is your friend
  And countryman. Write him instantly
  By a post courier. He must be advised,
  That we are with him early on the morrow.
  You follow us yourself, your regiment with you.
 

BUTLER

 
  It shall be done, my general!
 

WALLENSTEIN (steps between MAX. and THEKLA, who have remained during this time in each other's arms)

 
                  Part!
 

MAX

 
                     O God!
 

[CUIRASSIERS enter with drawn swords, and assemble in the background. At the same time there are heard from below some spirited passages out of the Pappenheim March, which seem to address MAX.

WALLENSTEIN (to the CUIRASSIERS)

 
  Here he is, he is at liberty: I keep him
  No longer.
 

[He turns away, and stands so that MAX. cannot pass by him nor approach the PRINCESS.

MAX

 
  Thou know'st that I have not yet learnt to live
  Without thee! I go forth into a desert,
  Leaving my all behind me. Oh, do not turn
  Thine eyes away from me! Oh, once more show me
  Thy ever dear and honored countenance.
 

[MAX. attempts to take his hand, but is repelled: he turns to the COUNTESS.

 
  Is there no eye that has a look of pity for me?
 

[The COUNTESS turns away from him; he turns to the DUCHESS.

 
  My mother!
 

DUCHESS

 
        Go where duty calls you. Haply
  The time may come when you may prove to us
  A true friend, a good angel at the throne
  Of the emperor.
 

MAX

 
           You give me hope; you would not
  Suffer me wholly to despair. No! no!
  Mine is a certain misery. Thanks to heaven!
  That offers me a means of ending it.
 

[The military music begins again. The stage fills more and more with armed men. MAX. sees BUTLER and addresses him.

 
  And you here, Colonel Butler – and will you
  Not follow me? Well, then, remain more faithful
  To your new lord, than you have proved yourself
  To the emperor. Come, Butler! promise me.
  Give me your hand upon it, that you'll be
  The guardian of his life, its shield, its watchman.
  He is attainted, and his princely head
  Fair booty for each slave that trades in murder.
  Now he doth need the faithful eye of friendship,
  And those whom here I see —
 

[Casting suspicious looks on ILLO and BUTLER.

ILLO

 
                 Go – seek for traitors
  In Gallas', in your father's quarters. Here
  Is only one. Away! away! and free us
  From his detested sight! Away!
 

[MAX. attempts once more to approach THERLA. WALLENSTEIN prevents him. MAX. stands irresolute, and in apparent anguish, In the meantime the stage fills more and more; and the horns sound from below louder and louder, and each time after a shorter interval.

MAX

 
  Blow, blow! Oh, were it but the Swedish trumpets,
  And all the naked swords, which I see here,
  Were plunged into my breast! What purpose you?
  You come to tear me from this place! Beware,
  Ye drive me not to desperation. Do it not!
  Ye may repent it!
 

[The stage is entirely filled with armed men.

 
  Yet more! weight upon weight to drag me down
  Think what ye're doing. It is not well done
  To choose a man despairing for your leader;
  You tear me from my happiness. Well, then,
  I dedicate your souls to vengeance. Mark!
  For your own ruin you have chosen me
  Who goes with me must be prepared to perish.
 

[He turns to the background; there ensues a sudden and violent movement among the CUIRASSIERS; they surround him, and carry him off in wild tumult. WALLENSTEIN remains immovable. THERLA sinks into her mother's arms. The curtain falls. The music becomes loud and overpowering, and passes into a complete war-march – the orchestra joins it – and continues during the interval between the third and fourth acts.