LITMIR.BIZ

         You'll see him yet ere evening. He conducts

         Both wife and daughter does the duke call hither?

         He crowds in visitants from all sides.

                            Hm!

         So much the better! I had framed my mind

         To hear of naught but warlike circumstance,

         Of marches and attacks, and batteries;

         And lo! the duke provides, and something too

         Of gentler sort and lovely, should be present

         To feast our eyes.

                   And how came you to know

         That the Count Gallas joins us not?

                           Because

         He importuned me to remain behind.

         And you? You hold out firmly!

                         Noble Butler!

         After the obligation which the duke

         Had laid so newly on me —

                       I had forgotten

         A pleasant duty – major-general,

         I wish you joy!

                 What, you mean, of this regiment?

         I hear, too, that to make the gift still sweeter,

         The duke has given him the very same

         In which he first saw service, and since then

         Worked himself step by step, through each preferment,

         From the ranks upwards. And verily, it gives

         A precedent of hope, a spur of action

         To the whole corps, if once in their remembrance

         An old deserving soldier makes his way.

         I am perplexed and doubtful whether or no

         I dare accept this your congratulation.

         The emperor has not yet confirmed the appointment.

         Seize it, friend, seize it! The hand which in that post

         Placed you is strong enough to keep you there,

         Spite of the emperor and his ministers!

         Ay, if we would but so consider it! —

         If we would all of us consider it so!

         The emperor gives us nothing; from the duke

         Comes all – whate'er we hope, whate'er we have.

         My noble brother! did I tell you how

         The duke will satisfy my creditors?

         Will be himself my bankers for the future,

         Make me once more a creditable man!

         And this is now the third time, think of that!

         This kingly-minded man has rescued me

         From absolute ruin and restored my honor.

         Oh that his power but kept pace with his wishes!

         Why, friend! he'd give the whole world to his soldiers.

         But at Vienna, brother! – here's the grievance, —

         What politic schemes do they not lay to shorten

         His arm, and where they can to clip his pinions.

         Then these new dainty requisitions! these

         Which this same Questenberg brings hither!

                               Ay!

         Those requisitions of the emperor —

         I too have heard about them; but I hope

         The duke will not draw back a single inch!

         Not from his right most surely, unless first

         From office!

                Know you aught then? You alarm me.

         We should be ruined, every one of us!

         Yonder I see our worthy friend [spoken with a sneer] approaching

         With the Lieutenant-General Piccolomini.

         I fear we shall not go hence as we came.

         Ay! ah! more still! Still more new visitors!

         Acknowledge, friend! that never was a camp,

         Which held at once so many heads of heroes.

         Let none approach a camp of Friedland's troops

         Who dares to think unworthily of war;

         E'en I myself had nigh forgot its evils

         When I surveyed that lofty soul of order,

         By which, while it destroys the world – itself

         Maintains the greatness which itself created.

         Welcome, Count Isolani!

                     My noble brother!

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