No syllable! And so the politic court

Steals in a tiptoe, and creeps round behind it ;
First makes me weaker, then to be dispensed with,
Till it dares strike at length a bolder blow

And make short work with me.

What need of all these crooked ways, Lord Envoy? Straight-forward, man! His compact with me pinches

The Emperor. He would that I moved off!-
Well!-I will gratify him!-

[Here there commences an agitation among the generals which increases continually.

It grieves me for my noble officers' sakes!

I see not yet, by what means they will come at
The moneys they have advanced, or how obtain
The recompence their services demand.

Still a new leader brings new claimants forward,
And prior merit superannuates quickly.

There serve here many foreigners in the army,
And were the man in all else brave and gallant,
I was not wont to make nice scrutiny

After his pedigree or catechism.

This will be otherwise, i'the time to come.

Well-me no longer it concerns.

[He seats himself.

MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

Forbid it Heaven, that it should come to this!
Our troops will swell in dreadful fermentation-
The emperor is abused-it cannot be.

ISOLANI.

It cannot be; all goes to instant wreck.
WALLENSTEIN.

Thou hast said truly, faithful Isolani!
What we with toil and foresight have built up,
Will go to wreck-all go to instant wreck.
What then? another chieftain is soon found,
Another army likewise (who dares doubt it?)
Will flock from all sides to the Emperor
At the first beat of his recruiting drum.

[During this speech, Isolani, Tertsky, Illo and
Maradas talk confusedly with great agita-
tion.

MAX. PICCOLOMINI. (Busily and passionately go-
ing from one to another, and soothing them.)
Hear, my commander! Hear me, generals!
Let me conjure you, Duke! Determine nothing,
Till we have met and represented to you

Our joint remonstrances.-Nay, calmer! Friends!
I hope all may be yet set right again.

TERTSKY.

Away! let us away! in the antechamber

Find we the others.

BUTLER. (to Questenberg.)

If good counsel gain

[They go.

Due audience from your wisdom, my Lord Envoy!
You will be cautious how you show yourself

In public for some hours to come

-or hardly

Will that gold key protect you from mal-treatment.

[Commotions heard from without. WALLENSTEIN.

A salutary counsel-Thou, Octavio !

Wilt answer for the safety of our guest.

Farewell, Von Questenberg!

[Questenberg is about to speak.

Nay, not a word.

Not one word more of that detested subject!
You have performed your duty—We know how
To separate the office from the man.

[As Questenberg is going off with Octavio; Goetz,
Tiefenbach, Kolatto, press in; several other
generals following them.

GOETZ.

Where's he who means to rob us of our general?
TIEFENBACH. (at the same time.)

What are we forced to hear? That thou wilt leave us?

KOLATTO. (at the same time.)

We will live with thee, we will die with thee. WALLENSTEIN. (with stateliness, and

pointing to Illo.)

There the Field-Marshal knows our will.

[Exit.

[While all are going off the stage, the curtain

drops.

ACT II.-SCENE I.

SCENE-A small Chamber.

ILLO and TERTSKY.

TERTSKY.

Now for this evening's business! How intend you To manage with the generals at the banquet?

ILLO.

Attend! We frame a formal declaration,
Wherein we to the Duke consign ourselves
Collectively, to be and to remain

His both with life and limb, and not to spare
The last drop of our blood for him, provided
So doing we infringe no oath or duty,
We may be under to the Emperor.-Mark!
This reservation we expressly make

In a particular clause, and save the conscience.
Now hear! This formula so framed and worded
Will be presented to them for perusal