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live upon the mercy of these Swedes!

      Of these proud-hearted Swedes!—I could not bear it.

      ILLO.

      Goest thou as fugitive, as mendicant?

      Bringest thou not more to them than thou receivest?

      WALLENST.

      How fared it with the brave and royal Bourbon

      Who sold himself unto his country's foes,

      And pierced the bosom of his father-land?

      Curses were his reward, and men's abhorrence

      Avenged th' unnatural and revolting deed.

      ILLO.

      Is that thy case?

      WALLENSTEIN.

                     True faith, I tell thee,

      Must ever be the dearest friend of man:

      His nature prompts him to assert its rights.

      The enmity of sects, the rage of parties,

      Long cherish'd envy, jealousy, unite;

      And all the struggling elements of evil

      Suspend their conflict, and together league

      In one alliance 'gainst their common foe—

      The savage beast that breaks into the fold,

      Where men repose in confidence and peace.

      For vain were man's own prudence to protect him.

      'Tis only in the forehead nature plants

      The watchful eye—the back, without defence,

      Must find its shield in man's fidelity.

      TERZKY.

      Think not more meanly of thyself than do

      Thy foes, who stretch their hands with joy to greet thee;

      Less scrupulous far was the Imperial Charles,

      The powerful head of this illustrious house;

      With open arms he gave the Bourbon welcome;

      For still by policy the world is ruled.

      SCENE VII

      To these enter the COUNTESS TERZKY

      WALLENST.

      Who sent for you? There is no business here

      For women.

      COUNTESS.

      I am come to bid you joy.

      WALLENST.

      Use thy authority, Terzky; bid her go.

      COUNTESS.

      Come I perhaps too early? I hope not.

      WALLENST.

      Set not this tongue upon me, I entreat you:

      You know it is the weapon that destroys me.

      I am routed, if a woman but attack me:

      I cannot traffic in the trade of words

      With that unreasoning sex.

      COUNTESS.

                                I had already

      Given the Bohemians a king.

      WALLENSTEIN (sarcastically).

                              They have one,

      In consequence, no doubt.

      COUNTESS (to the others).

      Ha! what new scruple?

      TERZKY.

      The Duke will not.

      COUNTESS.

      He will not what he must!

      ILLO.

      It lies with you now. Try. For I am silenced

      When folks begin to talk to me of conscience

      And of fidelity.

      COUNTESS.

                             How? then, when all

      Lay in the far-off distance, when the road

      Stretch'd out before thine eyes interminably,

      Then hadst thou courage and resolve; and now,

      Now that the dream is being realized,

      The purpose ripe, the issue ascertain'd,

      Dost thou begin to play the dastard now?

      Plann'd merely, 'tis a common felony;

      Accomplish'd, an immortal undertaking:

      And with success comes pardon hand in hand,

      For all event is God's arbitrament.

      SERVANT (enters).

      The Colonel Piccolomini.

      COUNTESS (hastily).

      Must wait.

      WALLENST.

      I cannot see him now. Another time.

      SERVANT.

      But for two minutes he entreats an audience:

      Of the most urgent nature is his business.

      WALLENST.

      Who knows what he may bring us! I will hear him.

      COUNTESS (laughs).

      Urgent for him, no doubt? but thou may'st wait.

      WALLENST.

      What is it?

      COUNTESS.

                   Thou shalt be inform'd hereafter.

      First let the Swede and thee be compromised.

      [Exit SERVANT.]

      WALLENST.

      If there were yet a choice! if yet some milder

      Way of escape were possible—I still

      Will choose it, and avoid the last extreme.

      COUNTESS.

      Desirest thou nothing further? Such a way

      Lies still before thee. Send this Wrangel off.

      Forget thou thy old hopes, cast far away

      All thy past life; determine to commence

      A new one. Virtue hath her heroes too,

      As well as fame and fortune.—To Vienna

      Hence—to the Emperor—kneel before the throne

      Take a full coffer with thee—say aloud,

      Thou didst but wish to prove thy fealty;

      Thy whole intention but to dupe the Swede.

      ILLO.

      For that too 'tis too late. They know too much;

      He would but bear his own head to the block.

      COUNTESS.

      I fear not that. They have not evidence

      To attaint him legally, and they avoid

      The avowal of an arbitrary

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