The Death of Wallenstein | Page 9

in fair appearances; Steps of extremity are not thy province, Therefore have I sought out this part for thee. Thou wilt this time be of most service to me By thy inertness. The meantime, if fortune Declare itself on my side, thou wilt know What is to do.
[Enter MAX. PICCOLOMINI.
Now go, Octavio. This night must thou be off, take my own horses Him here I keep with me--make short farewell-- Trust me, I think we all shall meet again In joy and thriving fortunes.
OCTAVIO (to his son). I shall see you Yet ere I go.

SCENE II.
WALLENSTEIN, MAX. PICCOLOMINI.
MAX. (advances to him). My general!
WALLENSTEIN. That I am no longer, if Thou stylest thyself the emperor's officer.
MAX. Then thou wilt leave the army, general?
WALLENSTEIN. I have renounced the service of the emperor.
MAX. And thou wilt leave the army?
WALLENSTEIN. Rather hope I To bind it nearer still and faster to me. [He seats himself. Yes, Max., I have delayed to open it to thee, Even till the hour of acting 'gins to strike. Youth's fortunate feeling doth seize easily The absolute right, yea, and a joy it is To exercise the single apprehension Where the sums square in proof; But where it happens, that of two sure evils One must be taken, where the heart not wholly Brings itself back from out the strife of duties, There 'tis a blessing to have no election, And blank necessity is grace and favor. This is now present: do not look behind thee,-- It can no more avail thee. Look thou forwards! Think not! judge not! prepare thyself to act! The court--it hath determined on my ruin, Therefore I will be beforehand with them. We'll join the Swedes--right gallant fellows are they, And our good friends. [He stops himself, expecting PICCOLOMINI's answer. I have taken thee by surprise. Answer me not: I grant thee time to recollect thyself.
[He rises, retires to the back of the stage. MAX. remains for a long time motionless, in a trance of excessive anguish. At his first motion WALLENSTEIN returns, and places himself before him.
MAX. My general, this day thou makest me Of age to speak in my own right and person, For till this day I have been spared the trouble To find out my own road. Thee have I followed With most implicit, unconditional faith, Sure of the right path if I followed thee. To-day, for the first time, dost thou refer Me to myself, and forcest me to make Election between thee and my own heart.
WALLENSTEIN. Soft cradled thee thy fortune till to-day; Thy duties thou couldst exercise in sport, Indulge all lovely instincts, act forever With undivided heart. It can remain No longer thus. Like enemies, the roads Start from each other. Duties strive with duties, Thou must needs choose thy party in the war Which is now kindling 'twixt thy friend and him Who is thy emperor.
MAX. War! is that the name? War is as frightful as heaven's pestilence, Yet it is good, is it heaven's will as that is. Is that a good war, which against the emperor Thou wagest with the emperor's own army? O God of heaven! what a change is this. Beseems it me to offer such persuasion To thee, who like the fixed star of the pole Wert all I gazed at on life's trackless ocean? O! what a rent thou makest in my heart! The ingrained instinct of old reverence, The holy habit of obediency, Must I pluck life asunder from thy name? Nay, do not turn thy countenance upon me-- It always was as a god looking upon me! Duke Wallenstein, its power has not departed; The senses still are in thy bonds, although Bleeding, the soul hath freed itself.
WALLENSTEIN. Max., hear me.
MAX. Oh, do it not, I pray thee, do it not! There is a pure and noble soul within thee, Knows not of this unblest unlucky doing. Thy will is chaste, it is thy fancy only Which hath polluted thee--and innocence, It will not let itself be driven away From that world-awing aspect. Thou wilt not, Thou canst not end in this. It would reduce All human creatures to disloyalty Against the nobleness of their own nature. 'Twill justify the vulgar misbelief, Which holdeth nothing noble in free will, And trusts itself to impotence alone, Made powerful only in an unknown power.
WALLENSTEIN. The world will judge me harshly, I expect it. Already have I said to my own self All thou canst say to me. Who but avoids The extreme, can he by going round avoid it? But here there is no choice. Yes, I must use Or suffer violence--so stands the case, There remains nothing possible but that.
MAX. Oh, that is never possible for thee! 'Tis the last desperate resource of those Cheap souls, to whom