As jolly and free, As the finch in its glee, On thicket or tree, Under heaven"s wide hollow-- Hurrah! for the Friedlander"s banner I"ll follow!
SECOND YAGER.
Foregad! a jolly companion, though.
[They salute him.
CITIZEN.
He comes of good kin; now pray let him go.
FIRST YAGER.
And we wern"t found in the streets you must know.
CITIZEN.
I tell you his wealth is a plentiful stock; Just feel the fine stuff that he wears for a frock.
TRUMPETER.
The emperor"s coat is the best he can wear.
CITIZEN.
To a cap manufactory he is the heir.
SECOND YAGER.
The will of a man is his fortune alone.
CITIZEN.
His grandmother"s shop will soon be his own.
FIRST YAGER.
Pish! traffic in matches! who would do"t?
CITIZEN.
A wine-shop his grandfather leaves, to boot, A cellar with twenty casks of wine.
TRUMPETER.
These with his comrades he"ll surely share.
SECOND YAGER.
Hark ye, lad--be a camp-brother of mine.
CITIZEN.
A bride he leaves sitting, in tears, apart.
FIRST YAGER.
Good--that now"s a proof of an iron heart.
CITIZEN.
His grandmother"s sure to die with sorrow.
SECOND YAGER.
The better--for then he"ll inherit to-morrow.
SERGEANT (advances gravely, and lays his hand on the Recruit"s tin cap).
The matter no doubt you have duly weighed, And here a new man of yourself have made; With hanger and helm, sir, you now belong To a n.o.bler and more distinguished throng.
Thus, a loftier spirit "twere well to uphold--
FIRST YAGER.
And, specially, never be sparing of gold.
SERGEANT.
In Fortune"s ship, with an onward gale, My, friend, you have made up your mind to sail.
The earth-ball is open before you--yet there Naught"s to be gained, but by those who dare.
Stupid and sluggish your citizen"s found, Like a dyer"s dull jade, in his ceaseless round, While the soldier can be whatever he will, For war o"er the earth is the watchword still.
Just look now at me, and the coat I wear, You see that the emperor"s baton I bear-- And all good government, over the earth, You must know from the baton alone has birth; For the sceptre that"s swayed by the kingly hand Is naught but a baton, we understand.
And he who has corporal"s rank obtained, Stands on the ladder where all"s to be gained, And you, like another, may mount to that height--
FIRST YAGER.
Provided you can but read and write.
SERGEANT.
Now, hark to an instance of this from me, And one, which I"ve lived myself to see There"s Butler, the chief of dragoons, why he, Whose rank was not higher a whit than mine, Some thirty years since, at Cologne on Rhine, Is a major-general now--because He put himself forward and gained applause; Filling the world with his martial fame, While slept my merits without a name.
And even the Friedlander"s self--I"ve heard-- Our general and all-commanding lord, Who now can do what he will at a word, Had at first but a private squire"s degree; In the G.o.ddess of war yet trusting free, He reared the greatness which now you see, And, after the emperor, next is he.
Who knows what more he may mean or get?
(Slyly.) For all-day"s evening isn"t come yet.
FIRST YAGER.
He was little at first, though now so great-- For at Altorf, in student"s gown he played By your leave, the part of a roaring blade, And rattled away at a queerish rate.
His f.a.g he had well nigh killed by a blow, And their Nur"mburg worships swore he should go To jail for his pains--if he liked it or no.
"Twas a new-built nest to be christened by him Who first should be lodged. Well, what was his whim?
Why, he sent his dog forward to lead the way, And they call the jail from the dog to this day.
That was the game a brave fellow should play, And of all the great deeds of the general, none E"er tickled my fancy, like this one.
[During this speech, the second Yager has begun toying with the girl who has been in waiting.]
DRAGOON (stepping between them).
Comrade--give over this sport, I pray.
SECOND YAGER.
Why, who the devil shall say me nay!
DRAGOON.
I"ve only to tell you the girl"s my own.
FIRST YAGER.
Such a morsel as this, for himself alone!-- Dragoon, why say, art thou crazy grown?
SECOND YAGER.
In the camp to be keeping a wench for one!
No! the light of a pretty girl"s face must fall, Like the beams of the sun, to gladden us all.
(Kisses her.) DRAGOON (tears her away).