the artist William-there was not such another prize in the whole booty at Prague. RUNNER. The same!-a health is to go round in him. MASTER OF THE CELLAR (shaking his head while he fetches and rinses the cups). MASTER OF THE CELLAR. O let me never more hear of that day. It was the three-and-twentieth of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand, six hundred, and eighteen. It seems to me as it were but yesterday-from that unlucky day it all began, all the heart-aches of the country. Since that day it is now sixteen years, and there has This will be something for the tale-bearers-this never once been peace on the earth. goes to Vienna. NEUMANN. Permit me to look at it.-Well, this is a cup indeed! How heavy! as well as it may be, being all gold. And what neat things are embossed on it! how natural and elegant they look!-There, on that first quarter, let me see. That proud Amazon there on horseback, she that is taking a leap over the crosier and mitres, and carries on a wand a hat together with a banner, on which there's a goblet represented. Can you tell me what all this signifies? MASTER OF THE CELLAR. The woman whom you see here on horseback, is the Free Election of the Bohemian Crown. That is signified by the round hat, and by that fiery steed on which she is riding. The hat is the pride of man; for he who cannot keep his hat on before kings and emperors is no free man. NEWMANN. But what is the cup there on the banner? MASTER OF THE CELLAR. The cup signifies the freedom of the Bohemian Church, as it was in our forefathers' times. Our forefathers in the wars of the Hussites forced from the Pope this noble privilege: for the Pope, you know, will not grant the cup to any layman. Your true Moravian values nothing beyond the cup; it is his costly jewel, and has cost the Bohemians their precious blood in many and many a battle. NEWMANN. And what says that chart that hangs in the air there, over it all? MASTER OF THE CELLAR. That signifies the Bohemian letter-royal, which we forced from the Emperor Rudolph-a precious, never to be enough valued parchment, that secures to the new church the old privileges of free ringing and open psalmody. But since he of Steirmark has ruled over us, that is at an end; and after the battle at Prague, in which Count Palatine Frederick lost crown and empire, our faith hangs upon the pulpit and the altar-and our brethren look at their homes over their shoulders; but the letter-royal the Emperor himself cut to pieces with his scissars. NEUMANN. Why, my good master of the cellar! you are deep read in the chronicles of your country! MASTER OF THE CELLAR. So were my forefathers, and for that reason were the minstrels, and served under Procopius and Ziska. Peace be with their ashes! Well, well! they fought| for a good cause though-There! carry it up! NEWMANN. Stay! let me but look at this second quarter. Look there! That is, when at Prague Castle the Imperial There is a humor in the original which cannot be given in Counsellors, Martinitz and Stawata, were hurled the translation. "Die Welschen alle," etc. which word in clas sical German means the Italians alone; but in its first sense. down head over heels. "Tis even so! there stands and at present in the vulgar use of the word, signifies foreigners Count Thur, who commands it. in general. Our word walnuts. I suppose, means outlandish [Runner takes the service-cup and goes off with it. nuts-Wallæ nuces, in German "Welsche Nusse." T. NEWMANN. cedence here. (OCTAVIO runs over the Paper with Fy, fy! you should not say so, friend. There are apparent indifference. TERTSKY watches him at some among them our very best generals, and those on distance). whom the Duke at this moment relies the most. MASTER OF THE CELLAR. [Taking the flask out of the Runner's pocket. My son, it will be broken to pieces in your pocket. [TERTSKY hurries in, fetches away the paper, and calls to a Servant for Pen and Ink, and goes to the back of the Stage. MASTER OF THE CELLAR (to the Servants). The Lieutenant-General stands up.-Be on the watch.-Now! They break up.-Off, and move back the forms. [They rise at all the tables, the Servants hurry off the front of the Stage to the tables; part of the guests come forward. SCENE XIII. GOETZ (to TERTSKY) Clear at head, sound in stomach-only my legs OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI enters into conversation with won't carry me any longer. MARADAS, and both place themselves quite on the| edge of the Stage on one side of the Proscenium. ISOLANI (pointing at his corpulence). On the side directly opposite, MAX. PICCOLOMINI, by Poor legs! how should they? such an unmerciful himself, lost in thought, and taking no part in any load! (OCTAVIO subscribes his name, and reaches over thing that is going forward. The middle space be- the Paper to TERTSKY, who gives it to ISOLANI; and tween both, but rather more distant from the edge of he goes to the table to sign his name). the Stage, is filled up by BUTLER, Isolani, GoETZ, TIEFENBACH, and KOLATTO. TIEFENBACH. "T was that war in Pomerania that first brought it ISOLANI (while the Company is coming forward). on. Out in all weathers-ice and snow-no help for Good night, good night, Kolatto! Good night, Lieu-it.—I shall never get the better of it all the days of tenant-General!-I should rather say, good morning. my life. I must confess, 't is not in my way. OCTAVIO (stepping nearer to him friendlily). Nor in mine either, I can assure you; and I am not a little glad, my much-honored Colonel Butler, that we agree so well in our opinions. A half-dozen good friends at most, at a small round table, a glass of genuine Tokay, open hearts, and a rational conversa Subscribe as much as you like-but you must ex- tion—that's my taste! cuse me from reading it. TERTSKY. There is no need. It is the oath, which you have already read. Only a few marks of your pen! [ISOLANI hands over the Paper to OCTAVIO respectfully. TERTSKY. Nay, nay, first come first served. There is no pre BUTLER. And mine too, when it can be had. [The paper comes to TIEFENBACH, who glances over it at the same time with GOETZ and KOLATTO. MARADAS in the mean time returns to OCTAVIO. All this takes place, the conversation with BUTLER proceeding uninterrupted. OCTAVIO (introducing MARADAS to BUTLER. You are a stranger here--'t was but yesterday you arrived-you are ignorant of the ways and means here. "T is a wretched place-I know, at our age, one loves to be snug and quiet-What if you moved your lodgings?-Come, be my visitor. (BUTLER makes a low bow). Nay, without compliment!-For a friend like you, I have still a corner remaining. BUTLER (coldly). SCENE XIV. To these enter ILLO from the inner room. He has in his hand the golden service-cup, and is extremely distempered with drinking: GOETZ and BUTLER follow him, endeavoring to keep him back. ILLO. What do you want? Let me go. Drink no more, Illo! For heaven's sake, drink no more. ILLO (goes up to OCTAVIO, and shakes him cordially Your obliged humble servant, my Lord Lieuby the hand, and then drinks). lenant-General! Octavio! I bring this to you! Let all grudge be [The paper comes to BUTLER, who goes to the table drowned in this friendly bowl! I know well enough, to subscribe it. The front of the stage is va- ye never loved me-Devil take me!-and I never cant, so that both the PICCOLOMINIS, each on loved you!-I am always even with people in that the side where he had been from the com- way!-Let what's past be past-that is, you undermencement of the scene, remain alone. stand-forgotten! I esteem you infinitely. (EmOCTAVIO (after having some time watched his son in bracing him repeatedly). You have not a dearer silence, advances somewhat nearer to him). You were friend on earth than I--but that you know. The fellow that cries rogue to you calls me villain-and long absent from us, friend! I'll strangle him!-my dear friend! MAX. I-urgent business detained me. OCTAVIO. And, I observe, you are still absent! MAX. You know this crowd and bustle always makes me silent. OCTAVIO (advancing still nearer). May I be permitted to ask what the business was that detained you? Tertsky knows it without asking! MAX. What does Tertsky know? OCTAVIO. He was the only one who did not miss you. ISOLANI (who has been attending to them from some distance, steps up). Well done, father! Rout out his baggage: Beat up his quarters! there is something there that should not be. TERTSKY (with the paper). A thousand for one; Fill-Fill it once more up to the brim.-To this gallant man's health! ISOLANI (to MAX., who all the while has been staring on the paper with fixed but vacant eyes). Slow and sure, my noble brother?-Hast parsed Is there none wanting? Have the whole sub-it all yet?-Some words yet to go through ?-Ha! scribed ! What is there here then of such perilous import? What are you doing, Illo? You are ruining us. Ay, ay! I observed, that before we sat down to supper, it was read differently. GOETZ. Why, I seemed to think so too. ISOLANI. OCTAVIO, TERTSKY, BUTLER (all together). MAX. (rushes on him suddenly and disarms him, then Take him off to bed. [MAX. leaves the stage. ILLO cursing and raving w held back by some of the Officers, and amidst a universal confusion the Curtain drops. АСТ III. A Chamber in PICCOLOMINI's Mansion.-It is Night. OCTAVIO. -And when my son comes in, conduct him hither. What is the hour? VALET. "T is on the point of morning. OCTAVIO. Set down the light. We mean not to undress. [Exit Valet. OCTAVIO paces, musing, across the MAX. Art thou offended with me? Heaven knows What do I care for that? Where there stand other My own light, not another's. names, mine can stand too. TIEFENBACH. OCTAVIO (goes up to him, and embraces him). Before supper there was a certain proviso therein, O follow it still further, my best son! or short clause concerning our duties to the Em-To-night, dear boy! it hath more faithfully peror. Guided thee than the example of thy father. BUTLER (lo one of the Commanders). MAX. OCTAVIO. I will do so. For shame, for shame! Bethink you. What is the Declare thyself less darkly. main business here? The question now is, whether we shall keep our General, or let him retire. One must not take these things too nicely and over-scru- For after what has taken place this night, pulously. There must remain no secrets 'twixt us two. [Both seat themselves. Did the Duke make any of these provisoes when Max. Piccolomini! what thinkest thou of he gave you your regiment? The oath that was sent round for signatures? ISOLANI (to one of the Generals). TERTSKY (to GOETZ). MAX. Or when he gave you the office of army-pur- I hold it for a thing of harmless import, veyancer, which brings you in yearly a thousand Although I love not these set declarations. pistoles! 158 The deeper cause thou hast to hate this light, From which thou hearest it at this present moment, MAX. How mere a maniac they supposed the Duke! A deed that brands them scoundrels? OCTAVIO. Such a deed, With such a front of infamy, the Duke And for his trouble will retain in payment MAX. Has he, Octavio, merited of us, That we-that we should think so vilely of him? OCTAVIO. What we would think is not the question here, Lawless he stands, and threateningly beleaguers The traitors' poniards, and is meditating No! from his own troops hide and hurry them! And wisdom of thy heart I could have trusted thee Not from the Swedes, not from the Lutherans— [Fixing his eye stedfasily on his son's face. MAX. Cease, cease! thou torturest, shatterest me. I know That oft we tremble at an empty terror; OCTAVIO. It is no phantasm. An intestine war, Are many of them long ago won over; The subalterns are vacillating-whole MAX. |