THE PICCOLOMINI, ETC. ACT I. SCENE I. An old Gothic Chamber in the Council House at Pilsen, decorated with Colours and other War Insignia. ILLO with BUTLER and ISOLANI. ILLO. Ye have come late-but ye are come! The distance, Count Isolan, excuses your delay. ISOLANI. Add this too, that we come not empty-handed. At Donauwert it was reported to us, A Swedish caravan was on its way Transporting a rich cargo of provision, Almost six hundred waggons. This my Croats BUTLER. Both wife and daughter does the Duke call hither! Hm! So much the better! I had framed my mind ILLO (who has been standing in the attitude of And how came you to know That the Count Galas joins us not? BUTLER, Because He importuned me to remain behind. ILLO (with warmth). Plunged down upon and seized, this weighty prize! And you? You hold out firmly? ILLO. Just in time to banquet The illustrious company assembled here. BUTLER. 'T is all alive! a stirring scene here! I had forgotten Ay, if we would but so consider it!— My noble brother! did I tell you how ILLO. O that his power but kept pace with his wishes! 2 The Dukes in Germany being always reigning powers, their But at Vienna, brother!—here's the grievance!-sons and daughters are entitled Princes and Princesses. What politic schemes do they not lay to shorten ISOLANI (at the same time with BUTLER, and in a hurrying Onwards into the very heart of Austria. The war maintains the war. Are the boors ruin'd, OCTAVIO (presenting QUESTENBERG to BUTLER and The Emperor gains so many more new soldiers. ISOLANI). The Chamberlain and War-commissioner Questenberg, The long-tried friend and patron of all soldiers, QUESTENBERG. And is the poorer by even so many subjects. ISOLANI. [Universal silence. Poh! We are all his subjects. QUESTENBERG. QUESTENBERG. Thank Heaven! that means have been found out to hide His cares and feelings all ranks share alike, ILLO. There! The Stawata and the Martinitz, On whom the Emperor heaps his gifts and graces, Driven from their house and home-who reap no Save in the general calamity Who now, with kingly pomp, insult and mock Let these, and such as these, support the war, BUTLER. And those state-parasites, who have their feet ISOLANI. And therefore thrusts he us into the deserts BUTLER. Why, were we all the Court supposes us, QUESTENBERG. You have taken liberty—it was not given you. OCTAVIO (interposing and addressing QUESTENBERG). This is no more than a remembrancing Would pare the soldier's bread, and cross his reckon- Could he act daringly, unless he dared ing! ISOLANI. My life long will it anger me to think, How when I went to court seven years ago, QUESTENBERG. Talk even so? One runs into the other. Well, let us go.-Ho! Colonel Butler, come. You 'Il not forget, that yet ere noon we meet Yes, yes! your travelling bills soon found their way to us: The noble Envoy at the General's palace. ILLO. [Exeunt all but QUESTENBERG and OCTAVIO. I know a spell that will soon dispossess The evil spirit in him. Their little army faithful to its duty, And daily it becomes more numerous. QUESTENBERG (walking up and down in evident disquiet). Nor can he take us by surprise: you know Friend, friend! O! this is worse, far worse, than we had suffer'd We saw it only with a courtier's eyes, The man all-powerful in his camp. Here, here, 'T is quite another thing. Here is no Emperor more-the Duke is Emperor. Alas, my friend! alas, my noble friend! This walk which you have ta'en me through the Strikes my hopes prostrate. camp Now you see yourself Costs me my freedom and my life, and would QUESTENBERG. Where was our reason sleeping when we trusted OCTAVIO. D'ye think too, he has brought his wife and daughter QUESTENBERG. How shall we hold footing Beneath this tempest, which collects itself And threats us from all quarters? The enemy Of the empire on our borders, now already The master of the Danube, and still farther, And farther still, extending every hour! In our interior the alarum-bells Of insurrection-peasantry in arms— All orders discontented-and the army, Just in the moment of our expectation Of aidance from it-lo! this very army Seduced, run wild, lost to all discipline, Loosen'd, and rent asunder from the state And from their sovereign, the blind instrument Of the most daring of mankind, a weapon Of fearful power, which at his will he wields! OCTAVIO. Nay, nay, friend! let us not despair too soon. I hold him all encompass'd by my listeners. Whate'er he does, is mine, even while 't is doingNo step so small, but instantly I hear it; Yea, his own mouth discloses it. QUESTENBERG. 'T is quite Incomprehensible, that he detects not The foe so near! OCTAVIO. Beware, you do not think, That I by lying arts, and complaisant Hypocrisy, have skulked into his graces: Or with the substance of smooth professions Nourish his all-confiding friendship! NoCompell'd alike by prudence, and that duty Which we all owe our country, and our sovereign, To hide my genuine feelings from him, yet Ne'er have I duped him with base counterfeits! QUESTENBERG. It is the visible ordinance of Heaven. OCTAVIO. I know not what it is that so attracts And all those many and various incidents At distance from the tents, beneath a tree, I found him in a sleep. When I had waked him, And manifested to me an emotion That far outstripp'd the worth of that small service. Since then his confidence has follow'd me With the same pace that mine has fled from him. QUESTENBERG. You lead your son into the secret? OCTAVIO. No! QUESTENBERG. What! and not warn him either what bad hands His lot has placed him in? OCTAVIO. I must perforce Leave him in wardship to his innocence. QUESTENBERG (anxiously). My honour'd friend! most highly do I deem Von Questenberg!-Welcome-if you bring with you QUESTENBERG (seizing his hand). Your hand away, Count Piccolomini! Octavio-Max. Piccolomini! MAX. Heh!-Noble minister! You miss your part. You're sent, I know, to find fault and to scold us- He comes from court, where people are not quite So well contented with the Duke, as here. MAX. What now have they contrived to find out in him? It goes against his nature-he can't do it. Well for the whole, if there be found a man, The army? Doubtless! QUESTENBERG. My son of those old narrow ordinances My son! the road, the human being travels, QUESTENBERG. O hear your father, noble youth! hear him, Who is at once the hero and the man. OCTAVIO. My son, the nursling of the camp spoke in thee! Hath been thy education and thy school. |