The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition). Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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They have documents against us, and in hands,
Which shew beyond all power of contradiction —
Wallenstein. Of my handwriting — no iota. Thee
I punish for thy lies.
Illo. And thou believest, 10
That what this man, that what thy sister’s husband,
Did in thy name, will not stand on thy reck’ning?
His word must pass for thy word with the Swede,
And not with those that hate thee at Vienna.
Tertsky. In writing thou gav’st nothing — But bethink thee, 15
How far thou ventured’st by word of mouth
With this Sesina? And will he be silent?
If he can save himself by yielding up
Thy secret purposes, will he retain them?
Illo. Thyself dost not conceive it possible; 20
And since they now have evidence authentic
How far thou hast already gone, speak! — tell us,
What art thou waiting for? thou canst no longer
Keep thy command; and beyond hope of rescue
Thou’rt lost, if thou resign’st it.
Wallenstein. In the army 25
Lies my security. The army will not
Abandon me. Whatever they may know,
The power is mine, and they must gulp it down —
And substitute I caution for my fealty,
They must be satisfied, at least appear so. 30
Illo. The army, Duke, is thine now — for this moment —
‘Tis thine: but think with terror on the slow,
The quiet power of time. From open violence
The attachment of thy soldiery secures thee
To-day — tomorrow; but grant’st thou them a respite, 35
Unheard, unseen, they’ll undermine that love
On which thou now dost feel so firm a footing,
With wily theft will draw away from thee
One after the other ——
Wallenstein. ‘Tis a curséd accident!
Illo. O, I will call it a most blessed one, 40
If it work on thee as it ought to do,
Hurry thee on to action — to decision.
The Swedish General ——
Wallenstein. He’s arrived! Know’st thou
What his commission is ——
Illo. To thee alone
Will he entrust the purpose of his coming. 45
Wallenstein. A curséd, curséd accident! Yes, yes,
Sesina knows too much, and won’t be silent.
Tertsky. He’s a Bohemian fugitive and rebel,
His neck is forfeit. Can he save himself
At thy cost, think you he will scruple it? 50
And if they put him to the torture, will he,
Will he, that dastardling, have strength enough ——
Wallenstein. Their confidence is lost — irreparably!
And I may act what way I will, I shall
Be and remain for ever in their thought 55
A traitor to my country. How sincerely
Soever I return back to my duty,
It will no longer help me ——
Illo. Ruin thee,
That it will do! Not thy fidelity,
Thy weakness will be deemed the sole occasion —— 60
Wallenstein. What! I must realize it now in earnest,
Because I toy’d too freely with the thought?
Accurséd he who dallies with a devil!
And must I — I must realize it now —
Now, while I have the power, it must take place? 65
Illo. Now — now — ere they can ward and parry it!
Wallenstein (looking at the paper of signatures). I have the
Generals’ word — a written promise!
Max Piccolomini stands not here — how’s that?
Tertsky. It was —— he fancied ——
Illo. Mere self-willedness.
There needed no such thing ‘twixt him and you. 70
Wallenstein. He is quite right — there needeth no such thing.
The regiments, too, deny to march for Flanders —
Have sent me in a paper of remonstrance,
And openly resist the Imperial orders.
The first step to revolt’s already taken. 75
Illo. Believe me, thou wilt find it far more easy
To lead them over to the enemy
Than to the Spaniard.
Wallenstein. I will hear, however,
What the Swede has to say to me.
Illo (to Tertsky). Go, call him!
He stands without the door in waiting.
Wallenstein. Stay! 80
Stay yet a little. It hath taken me
All by surprise, — it came too quick upon me;
‘Tis wholly novel, that an accident,
With its dark lordship, and blind agency,
Should force me on with it.
Illo. First hear him only, 85
And after weigh it. [Exeunt TERTSKY and ILLO.
[Before 53] Wallenstein (lost in thought). 1800, 1828, 1829.
[Before 61] Wallenstein (pacing up and down in extreme agitation).
1800, 1828, 1829.
SCENE IV
Wallenstein. Is it possible?
Is’t so? I can no longer what I would?
No longer draw back at my liking? I
Must do the deed, because I thought of it,
And fed this heart here with a dream? Because 5
I did not scowl temptation from my presence,
Dallied with thoughts of possible fulfilment,
Commenced no movement, left all time uncertain,
And only kept the road, the access open?
By the great God of Heaven! it was not 10
My serious meaning, it was ne’er resolve.
I but amused myself with thinking of it.
The freewill tempted me, the power to do
Or not to do it. — Was it criminal
To make the fancy minister to hope, 15