ACT V.-SCENE I. SCENE-A Saloon, terminated by a gallery which extends far into the back-ground. WALLENSTEIN (sitting at a table). Commend me to your lord. I sympathize For henceforth are our fortunes one. Farewell, And for your trouble take my thanks. To-morrow The citadel shall be surrendered to you On your arrival. [The Swedish Captain retires. Wallenstein sits lost in thought, his eyes fixed vacantly, and his head sustained by his hand. The COUNTESS TERTSKY enters, stands before him awhile, unobserved by him; at length he starts, sees her, and recollects himself. WALLENSTEIN. Com'st thou from her? Is she restored? How is she? COUNTESS. My sister tells me, she was more collected After her conversation with the Swede. She has now retired to rest. WALLENSTEIN. She will shed tears. The pang will soften, COUNTESS. I find thee altered too, My brother! After such a victory I had expected to have found in thee Our sun. WALLENSTEIN. Be quiet. I ail nothing. Where's Thy husband. COUNTESS. At a banquet-he and Illo. WALLENSTEIN (rises and strides across the saloon). The night's far spent. Betake thee to thy chamber. COUNTESS. Bid me not go, O let me stay with thee! WALLENSTEIN (moves to the window). There is a busy motion in the Heaven, The wind doth chase the flag upon the tower, White stain of light, that single glimmering yonder, Is Jupiter. (a pause.) But now The blackness of the troubled element hides him! [he sinks into profound melancholy, and looks vacantly into the distance. * These four lines are expressed in the original with exquisite felicity. Am Himmel ist geschäftige Bewegung, Des Thurmes Fahne jagt der Wind, schnell geht Der Wolken Zug, die Mondes-sichel wankt, Und durch die Nacht zucht ungewisse Helle. The word "moon-sickle," reminds me of a passage in Harris, as quoted by Johnson, under the word "falcated." "The enlightened part of the moon appears in the form of a sickle or reaping-hook, which is while she is moving from the conjunction to the opposition, or from the new moon to the full: but from full to a new again, the enlightened part appears gibbous, and the dark falcated." The words "wanken" and "schweben" are not easily translated. The English words, by which we attempt to render them, are either vulgar or pedantic, or not of sufficiently general application. So "der Wolken Zug"-The Draft, the Procession of Clouds.-The Masses of the Clouds sweep onward in swift stream. COUNTESS (looks on him mournfully, then grasps his hand). What art thou brooding on? WALLENSTEIN. Methinks, If I but saw him, 'twould be well with me. He is the star of my nativity, And often marvelously hath his aspect Shot strength into my heart. COUNTESS. Thou'lt see him again. WALLENSTEIN (remains for a while with absent mind, then assumes a livelier manner, and turns suddenly to the Countess. See him again? O never, never again. How? COUNTESS. WALLENSTEIN. He is gone is dust. COUNTESS. Whom meanest thou then? WALLENSTEIN. He, the more fortunate! yea, he hath finished! His life is bright-bright without spot it was, Knocks at his door with tidings of mishap. Far off is he, above desire and fear; No more submitted to the change and chance With him but who knows what the coming hour Veil'd in thick darkness brings for us! COUNTESS. Thou speakest Of Piccolomini. What was his death? The courier had just left thee as I came. [Wallenstein by a motion of his hand makes signs to her to be silent. Turn not thine eyes upon the backward view, Forget what it has cost thee. Not to day, This anguish will be wearied down,* I know; * A very inadequate translation of the original. "Verschmerzen werd ich diesen Schlag, das weiss ich, Dennwas verschmerzte nicht der Mensch!" LITERALLY. I shall grieve down this blow, of that I'm conscious: |