The Complete Poetical Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge Volume II Part 49

[70] _not_ 1800.

[72] _me_ 1800.

[76] _would_ 1800.

[79] _power_ 1800.

SCENE XI

_ILLO, WALLENSTEIN, TERTSKY._

_Wallenstein._ How stand affairs without? Are they prepared?

_Illo._ You'll find them in the very mood you wish.

They know about the Emperor's requisitions, And are tumultuous.

_Wallenstein._ How hath Isolan Declared himself?

_Illo._ He's yours, both soul and body, 5 Since you built up again his Faro-bank.

_Wallenstein._ And which way doth Kolatto bend? Hast thou Made sure of Tiefenbach and Deodate?

_Illo._ What Piccolomini does, that they do too.

_Wallenstein._ You mean then I may venture somewhat with them? 10

_Illo._--If you are a.s.sured of the Piccolomini.

_Wallenstein._ Not more a.s.sured of mine own self.

_Tertsky._ And yet I would you trusted not so much to Octavio, The fox!

_Wallenstein._ Thou teachest me to know my man?

Sixteen campaigns I have made with that old warrior. 15 Besides, I have his horoscope, We both are born beneath like stars--in short To this belongs its own particular aspect, If therefore thou canst warrant me the rest----

_Illo._ There is among them all but this one voice, 20 You must not lay down the command. I hear They mean to send a deputation to you.

_Wallenstein._ If I'm in aught to bind myself to them, They too must bind themselves to me.

_Illo._ Of course.

_Wallenstein._ Their words of honour they must give, their oaths, 25 Give them in writing to me, promising Devotion to my service unconditional.

_Illo._ Why not?

_Tertsky._ Devotion unconditional?

The exception of their duties towards Austria They'll always place among the premises. 30 With this reserve----

_Wallenstein._ All unconditional!

No premises, no reserves.

_Illo._ A thought has struck me.

Does not Count Tertsky give us a set banquet This evening?

_Tertsky._ Yes; and all the Generals Have been invited.

_Illo (to Wallenstein)._ Say, will you here fully 35 Commission me to use my own discretion?

I'll gain for you the Generals' words of honour, Even as you wish.

_Wallenstein._ Gain me their signatures!

How you come by them, that is your concern.

_Illo._ And if I bring it to you, black on white, 40 That all the leaders who are present here Give themselves up to you, without condition; Say, will you then--then will you shew yourself In earnest, and with some decisive action Make trial of your luck?

_Wallenstein._ The signatures! 45 Gain me the signatures.

_Illo._ [628:1]Seize, seize the hour Ere it slips from you. Seldom comes the moment In life, which is indeed sublime and weighty.

To make a great decision possible, O! many things, all transient and all rapid, 50 Must meet at once: and, haply, they thus met May by that confluence be enforced to pause Time long enough for wisdom, though too short, Far, far too short a time for doubt and scruple!

This is that moment. See, our army chieftains, 55 Our best, our n.o.blest, are a.s.sembled around you, Their kinglike leader! On your nod they wait.

The single threads, which here your prosperous fortune Hath woven together in one potent web Instinct with destiny, O let them not 60 Unravel of themselves. If you permit These chiefs to separate, so unanimous Bring you them not a second time together.

'Tis the high tide that heaves the stranded ship, And every individual's spirit waxes 65 In the great stream of mult.i.tudes. Behold They are still here, here still! But soon the war Bursts them once more asunder, and in small Particular anxieties and interests Scatters their spirit, and the sympathy 70 Of each man with the whole. He, who to-day Forgets himself, forced onward with the stream, Will become sober, seeing but himself, Feel only his own weakness, and with speed Will face about, and march on in the old 75 High road of duty, the old broad-trodden road, And seek but to make shelter in good plight.

_Wallenstein._ The time is not yet come.

_Tertsky._ So you say always.

But when will it be time?

_Wallenstein._ When I shall say it.

_Illo._ You'll wait upon the stars, and on their hours, 80 Till the earthly hour escapes you. O, believe me, In your own bosom are your destiny's stars.

Confidence in yourself, prompt resolution, This is your Venus! and the sole malignant, The only one that harmeth you is Doubt. 85

_Wallenstein._ Thou speakest as thou understand'st. How oft And many a time I've told thee, Jupiter, That l.u.s.trous G.o.d, was setting at thy birth.

Thy visual power subdues no mysteries; Mole-eyed, thou mayest but burrow in the earth, 90 [629:1]Blind as that subterrestrial, who with wan, Lead-coloured shine lighted thee into life.

The common, the terrestrial, thou mayest see, With serviceable cunning knit together The nearest with the nearest; and therein 95 I trust thee and believe thee! but whate'er Full of mysterious import Nature weaves, And fashions in the depths--the spirit's ladder, That from this gross and visible world of dust Even to the starry world, with thousand rounds, 100 Builds itself up; on which the unseen powers Move up and down on heavenly ministries-- The circles in the circles, that approach The central sun with ever-narrowing orbit-- These see the glance alone, the unsealed eye, 105 Of Jupiter's glad children born in l.u.s.tre.

[_He walks across the chamber, then returns, and standing still, proceeds._

The heavenly constellations make not merely The day and nights, summer and spring, not merely Signify to the husbandman the seasons Of sowing and of harvest. Human action, 110 That is the seed too of contingencies, Strewed on the dark land of futurity In hopes to reconcile the powers of fate.

Whence it behoves us to seek out the seed-time, To watch the stars, select their proper hours, 115 And trace with searching eye the heavenly houses, Whether the enemy of growth and thriving Hide himself not, malignant, in his corner.

Therefore permit me my own time. Meanwhile Do you your part. As yet I cannot say 120 What I shall do--only, give way I will not.

Depose me too they shall not. On these points You may rely.

_Page (entering)._ My Lords, the Generals.

_Wallenstein._ Let them come in.