It might yet be an easier thing from nothing
To call forth sixty thousand men of battle,
Than to persuade one-sixtieth part of them-
Wal. What now? Out with it, friend!

Wran.

Wal. And he thinks And like a Protestant. Fight for your bible.

To break their oaths.

so ?—He judges like a Swede, You Lutherans

You are int'rested

About the cause; and with

your hearts you follow Your banners.-Among you, whoe'er deserts

To the enemy, hath broken covenant

With two Lords at one time.-We've no such fancies. Wran. Great God in Heaven! Have then the

people here

No house and home, nc fire-side, no altar?

Wal. I will explain that to you, how it stands—
The Austrian has a country, ay, and loves it,
And has good cause to love it—but this army,
That calls itself th' Imperial, this that houses
Here in Bohemia, this has none-no country;
This is an outcast of all foreign lands,

Unclaim'd by town or tribe, to whom belongs
Nothing, except the universal sun.

Wran. But then the nobles and the officers?
Such a desertion, such a felony,

It is without example, my Lord Duke,

In the world's history.

Wal.

They are all mine

Mine unconditionally-mine on all terms.

Not me, your own eyes you must trust.

[He gives him the paper containing the written oath. Wrangel reads it through, and having read it, lays it on the table, remaining silent. So then?

Now comprehend you?

Wran.

Comprehend, who can!

My Lord Duke! I will let the mask drop-yes!
I've full powers for a final settlement.

The Rhinegrave stands but four days' march from here

With fifteen thousand men, and only waits
For orders to proceed and join your army.
Those orders I give out, immediately

We're compromis'd.

Wal.

What asks the Chancellor?

Wran. (considerately), Twelve regiments, every

man a Swede-my head

The warranty-and all might prove at last

Only false play—

Wal. (starting). Sir Swede!
Wran. (calmly proceediny).

Am therefore forc'd

T'insist thereon, that he do formally,

Irrevocably break with th' Emperor,

Else not a Swede is trusted to Duke Friedland.

Wal. Come, brief, and open! What is the demand? Wran. That he forthwith disarm the Spanish regi

ments

Attach'd to th' Emperor, that he seize Prague,
And to the Swedes give up that city, with

The strong pass Egra.

Wal. That is much indeed!

Prague?-Egra's granted-But-but Prague !"Twon't do.

I give you every security

Which you may ask of me in common reason→
But Prague-Bohemia-these, Sir General,

I can myself protect.

Wran.

We doubt it not.

But 'tis not the protection that is now

Our sole concern. We want security,

That we shall not expend our men and money

All to no purpose.

Wal.

'Tis but reasonable.

Wran. And till we are indemnified, so long Stays Prague in pledge.

Wal.

Then trust you us so little!

Wran. (rising). The Swede, if he would treat well with the German,

Must keep a sharp look-out. We have been call'd
Over the Baltic, we have sav'd the empire

From ruin-with our best blood have we seal'd
The liberty of faith, and gospel truth.
But now already is the benefaction
No longer felt, the load alone is felt,—
Ye look askance with evil eye upon us,
As foreigners, intruders in the empire,
And would fain send us, with some paltry sum
Of money, home again to our old forests.
No, no! my Lord Duke! no!--it never was
For Judas' pay, for chinking gold and silver,
That we did leave our King by the * Great Stone.
No, not for gold and silver have there bled
So many of our Swedish nobles—neither
Will we, with empty laurels for our payment,
Hoist sail for our own country. Citizens
Will we remain,upon the soil, the which
Our monarch conquer❜d for himself, and died.
Wal. Help to keep down the common enemy,
And the fair border land must needs be your's.
Wran. But when the common enemy lies vanquish'd,
Who knits together our new friendship then?
We know, Duke Friedland! though perhaps the Swede

* A great stone rear Lützen, since called the Swede's Stone, the body of their great king having been found at the foot of it, after the battle in which he lost his life.

Ought not t' have known it, that you carry on
Secret negociations with the Saxons.

Who is our warranty, that we are not

The sacrifices in those articles

Which 'tis thought needful to conceal from us,
Wal. (rises). Think you of something better, Gustave
Wrangel!

Of Prague no more.

Wran.

Here my commission ends.

Wal. Surrender up to you my capital! Far liever would I face about, and step

Back to my Emperor.

Wran.

If time yet permits

Wal. That lies with me, even now, at any hour. Wran. Some days ago, perhaps. To-day, no longer;

No longer since Sesina's been a prisoner.

[Wallenstein is struck, and silenced. -We believe that you

My Lord Duke, hear me—

At present do mean honourably by us.

Since yesterday we're sure of that—and now
This paper warrants for the troops, there's nothing
Stands in the way of our full confidence.

Prague shall not part us. Hear! The Chancellor
Contents himself with Albstadt; to your Grace
He gives up Ratschin and the narrow side,
But Egra, above all, must open to us,

Ere we can think of any junction.

You therefore must I trust, and you not me?

I will consider of your proposition.

Wran. I must intreat, that your consideration
Occupy not too long a time. Already

Has this negociation, my Lord Duke;
Crept on into the second year. If nothing
Is settled this time, will the Chancellor

Consider it as broken off for ever.

Wal. Te press me hard. A measure, such as this,

Ought to be thought of.

Wran.

Ay! but think of this too,

That sudden action only can procure it

Success-think first of this your Highness.

SCENE VI.

[Exit Wrangel.

WAI LENSTEIN, TERTSKY, and ILLO (re-enter).

Wal. As yet is nothing settled: and (well weigh'd)

I feel myself inclin'd to leave it so.

Ter. How? What is that?

Wal.

The doing evil to avoid an evil

Cannot be good!

Ter.

Come on me what may come,

Nay, but bethink you, Duke?

Wal. To live upon the mercy of these Swedes! Of these proud-hearted Swedes! I could not bear it. Illo. Goest thou as fugitive, as mendicant? Bring'st thou not more to them than thou receiv'st?

SCENE VII.

To these enter the COUNTESS TERTSKY.

Wal. Who sent for you? There is no business here For women.

Coun.

I am come to bid you joy.

Wal. Use thy authority, Tertsky, bid her go.
Coun. Come I perhaps too early! I hope not.