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The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Volume 03

Год написания книги
2018
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WALLENST.

If there were yet a choice! if yet some milder

Way of escape were possible—I still

Will choose it, and avoid the last extreme.

COUNTESS.

Desirest thou nothing further? Such a way

Lies still before thee. Send this Wrangel off.

Forget thou thy old hopes, cast far away

All thy past life; determine to commence

A new one. Virtue hath her heroes too,

As well as fame and fortune.—To Vienna

Hence—to the Emperor—kneel before the throne

Take a full coffer with thee—say aloud,

Thou didst but wish to prove thy fealty;

Thy whole intention but to dupe the Swede.

ILLO.

For that too 'tis too late. They know too much;

He would but bear his own head to the block.

COUNTESS.

I fear not that. They have not evidence

To attaint him legally, and they avoid

The avowal of an arbitrary power.

They'll let the Duke resign without disturbance.

I see how all will end. The King of Hungary

Makes his appearance, and 'twill of itself

Be understood that then the Duke retires.

There will not want a formal declaration;

The young King will administer the oath

To the whole army; and so all returns

To the old position. On some morrow morning

The Duke departs; and now 'tis stir and bustle

Within his castles. He will hunt, and build,

And superintend his horses' pedigrees;

Creates himself a court, gives golden keys,

And introduces strictest ceremony

In fine proportions, and nice etiquette;

Keeps open table with high cheer: in brief,

Commences mighty King—in miniature.

And while he prudently demeans himself,

And gives himself no actual importance,

He will be let appear whate'er he likes;

And who dares doubt that Friedland will appear

A mighty Prince to his last dying hour?

Well now, what then? Duke Friedland is as others,

A fire-new Noble, whom the war hath raised

To price and currency, a Jonah's gourd,

An over-night creation of court-favor,

Which with an undistinguishable ease

Makes Baron or makes Prince.

WALLENSTEIN (in extreme agitation).
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