QUESTENBERG. And is the poorer by even so many subjects. ISOLANI. Poh! We are all his subjects. QUESTEN BERG. Yet with a difference, General ! The one fill With profitable industry the purse, The others are well skilled to empty it. The sword has made the Emperor poor; the plough Must reinvigorate his resources. ISOLANI. Sure! Times are not yet so bad. Methinks I see [Examining with his eye the dress and ornaments of Questenberg. Good store of gold that still remains uncoined. QUESTEN BERG. Thank Heaven! that means have been found out to hide Some little from the fingers of the Croats, ILLO. There! The Stawata and the Martinitz, On whom the Emperor heaps his gifts and graces, To the heart-burning of all good BohemiansThose minions of court favour, those court harpies, Who fatten on the wrecks of citizens Driven from their house and home-who reap no harvests Save in the general calamity Who now, with kingly pomp, insult and mock Let these, and such as these, support the war, And those state-parasites, who have their feet. oning! ISOLANI. My life long will it anger me to think, How when I went to court seven years ago, Straight I began to muster up my sins For absolution-but no such luck for me! QUESTENBERG. Yes, yes! your travelling bills soon found their way to us: Too well I know we have still accounts to settle. ILLO. War is a violent trade; one cannot always If we should wait till you, in solemn council, The smallest out of four-and-twenty evils, I'faith we should wait long. "Dash! and through with it!"-That's the better watch-word. Then after come what may come. "Tis man's nature To make the best of a bad thing once past. A bitter and perplexed "What shall I do?" VOL. III. QUESTENBERG. Ay, doubtless, it is true: the Duke does spare us BUTLER. Yes, the Duke Cares with a father's feelings for his troops; His cares and feelings all ranks share alike, ISOLANI. And therefore thrusts he us into the deserts BUTLER. Why, were we all the Court supposes us, "Twere dangerous, sure, to give us liberty. QUESTENBERG. You have taken liberty-it was not given you. To rein it in with curbs. OCTAVIO (interposing and addressing Questenberg.) My noble friend, This is no more than a remembrancing That you are now in camp, and among warriors. The soldier's boldness constitutes his freedom. [pointing to Butler. Which now has but mistaken in its mark, Preserved, when nought but boldness could preserve it, To the Emperor his capital city, Prague, In a most formidable mutiny Of the whole garrison. Hah! here they come ! [Military music at a distance. ILLO. The sentries are saluting them: this signal Then OCTAVIO. (to Questenberg.) my son Max. too has returned. "Twas he Fetched and attended them from Carnthen hither. ISOLANI. (to Illo.) Shall we not go in company to greet them? ILLO. Well, let us go.--Ho! Colonel Butler, come. You'll not forget, that yet ere noon we meet [Exeunt all but Questenberg and Octavio. |