The emperor has soldiers, no commander, For this King Ferdinand of Hungary Is but a tyro. Gallas? He"s no luck, And was of old the ruiner of armies.
And then this viper, this Octavio, Is excellent at stabbing in the back, But ne"er meets Friedland in the open field.
TERZKY.
Trust me, my friends, it cannot but succeed; Fortune, we know, can ne"er forsake the duke!-- And only under Wallenstein can Austria Be conqueror.
ILLO.
The duke will soon a.s.semble A mighty army: all come crowding, streaming To banners, dedicate by destiny To fame, and prosperous fortune. I behold Old times come back again! he will become Once more the mighty lord which he has been.
How will the fools, who"ve how deserted him, Look then? I can"t but laugh to think of them, For lands will he present to all his friends, And like a king and emperor reward True services; but we"ve the nearest claims.
[To GORDON.
You will not be forgotten, governor!
He"ll take from you this nest, and bid you shine In higher station: your fidelity Well merits it.
GORDON.
I am content already, And wish to climb no higher; where great height is, The fall must needy be great. "Great height, great depth."
ILLO.
Here you have no more business, for to-morrow The Swedes will take possession of the citadel.
Come, Terzky, it is supper-time. What think you?
Nay, shall we have the town illuminated In honor of the Swede? And who refuses To do it is a Spaniard and a traitor.
TERZKY.
Nay! nay! not that, it will not please the duke----
ILLO.
What; we are masters here; no soul shall dare Avow himself imperial where we"ve the rule.
Gordon! good-night, and for the last time take A fair leave of the place. Send out patrols To make secure, the watchword may be altered.
At the stroke of ten deliver in the keys To the duke himself, and then you"ve quit forever Your wardship of the gates, for on to-morrow The Swedes will take possession of the citadel.
TERZKY (as he is going, to BUTLER).
You come, though, to the castle?
BUTLER.
At the right time.
[Exeunt TERZKY and ILLO.
SCENE VIII.
GORDON and BUTLER.
GORDON (looking after them).
Unhappy men! How free from all foreboding They rush into the outspread net of murder In the blind drunkenness of victory; I have no pity for their fate. This Illo, This overflowing and foolhardy villain, That would fain bathe himself in his emperor"s blood.
BUTLER.
Do as he ordered you. Send round patrols, Take measures for the citadel"s security; When they are within I close the castle-gate That nothing may transpire.
GORDON (with earnest anxiety).
Oh! haste not so!
Nay, stop; first tell me----
BUTLER.
You have heard already, To-morrow to the Swedes belongs. This night Alone is ours. They make good expedition.
But we will make still greater. Fare you well.
GORDON.
Ah! your looks tell me nothing good. Nay, Butler, I pray you promise me!
BUTLER.
The sun has set; A fateful evening doth descend upon us, And brings on their long night! Their evil stars Deliver them unarmed into our hands, And from their drunken dream of golden fortunes The dagger at their hearts shall rouse them. Well, The duke was ever a great calculator; His fellow-men were figures on his chess-board To move and station, as his game required.
Other men"s honor, dignity, good name, Did he shift like p.a.w.ns, and made no conscience of Still calculating, calculating still; And yet at last his calculation proves Erroneous; the whole game is lost; and low!
His own life will be found among the forfeits.
GORDON.
Oh, think not of his errors now! remember His greatness, his munificence; think on all The lovely features of his character, On all the n.o.ble exploits of his life, And let them, like an angel"s arm, unseen, Arrest the lifted sword.
BUTLER.
It is too late.
I suffer not myself to feel compa.s.sion, Dark thoughts and b.l.o.o.d.y are my duty now.
[Grasping GORDON"s hand.
Gordon! "tis not my hatred (I pretend not To love the duke, and have no cause to love him).
Yet "tis not now my hatred that impels me To be his murderer. "Tis his evil fate.
Hostile occurrences of many events Control and subjugate me to the office.
In vain the human being meditates Free action. He is but the wire-worked [8] puppet Of the blind Power, which, out of its own choice, Creates for him a dread necessity.
What too would it avail him if there were A something pleading for him in my heart-- Still I must kill him.
GORDON.
If your heart speak to you Follow its impulse. "Tis the voice of G.o.d.
Think you your fortunes will grow prosperous Bedewed with blood--his blood? Believe it not!
BUTLER.
You know not. Ask not! Wherefore should it happen That the Swedes gained the victory, and hasten With such forced marches. .h.i.therwards? Fain would I Have given him to the emperor"s mercy. Gordon!
I do not wish his blood,--but I must ransom The honor of my word,--it lies in pledge-- And he must die, or---- [Pa.s.sionately grasping GORDON"s hand.
Listen, then, and know I am dishonored if the duke escape us.
GORDON.
Oh! to save such a man----
BUTLER.
What!
GORDON.
It is worth A sacrifice. Come, friend! Be n.o.ble-minded!
Our own heart, and not other men"s opinions, Forms our true honor.
BUTLER (with a cold and haughty air).
He is a great lord, This duke, and I am of but mean importance.
This is what you would say! Wherein concerns it The world at large, you mean to hint to me, Whether the man of low extraction keeps Or blemishes his honor-- So that the man of princely rank be saved?