The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Iv Part 71

ELECTRESS. No--

THE PRINCE. Not a syllable?

ELECTRESS (_abruptly_).

What matter? Not a suppliant on earth Could I deny today, whate'er he ask, And you, our battle-hero, least of all!

Come!

THE PRINCE. Mother! Oh, what did you speak? Those words-- May I interpret them to suit me best?

ELECTRESS. Be off, I say! More, later, as we ride!

Come, let me have your arm.

THE PRINCE. Oh, Caesar Divus!

Lo, I have set a ladder to thy star!

[_He leads the ladies out. Exeunt omnes._]

SCENE IX

_Scene: Berlin. Pleasure garden outside the old palace. In the background the palace chapel with a staircase leading up to it.

Tolling of bells. The church is brightly illuminated. The body of_ FROBEN _is carried by and set on a splendid catafalque. The_ ELECTOR, FIELD-MARSHAL DoRFLING, COLONEL HENNINGS, COUNT TRUCHSZ _and several other colonels and minor officers enter. From the opposite side enter various officers with dispatches. In the church as well as in the square are men, women and children of all ages._

ELECTOR. What man soever led the cavalry Upon the day of battle, and, before The force of Colonel Hennings could destroy The bridges of the foe, of his own will Broke loose, and forced the enemy to flight Ere I gave order for it, I a.s.sert That man deserves that he be put to death; I summon him therefore to be court-martialed.-- Prince Homburg, then, you say, was not the man?

TRUCHSZ. No, my liege lord!

ELECTOR. What proof have you of that?

TRUCHSZ. Men of the cavalry can testify, Who told me of 't before the fight began: The Prince fell headlong from his horse, and, hurt At head and thigh, men found him in a church Where some one bound his deep and dangerous wounds.

ELECTOR. Enough! Our victory this day is great, And in the church tomorrow will I bear My grat.i.tude to G.o.d. Yet though it were Mightier tenfold, still would it not absolve Him through whom chance has granted it to me.

More battles still than this have I to fight, And I demand subjection to the law.

Whoever led the cavalry to battle, I reaffirm has forfeited his head, And to court-martial herewith order him.-- Come, follow me, my friends, into the church.

SCENE X

_The_ PRINCE of HOMBURG _enters bearing three Swedish flags, followed by_ COLONEL KOTTWITZ, _bearing two,_ COUNT HOHENZOLLERN, CAPTAIN GOLZ, COUNT REUSS, _each with a flag; and several other officers, corporals, and troopers carrying flags, kettle-drums and standards._

DoRFLING (_spying the_ PRINCE OF HOMBURG).

The Prince of Homburg!--Truchsz! What did you mean?

ELECTOR (_amazed_).

Whence came you, Prince?

THE PRINCE (_stepping forward a few paces_).

From Fehrbellin, my liege, And bring you thence these trophies of success!

[_He lays the three flags before him; the officers, corporals and troopers do likewise, each with his own._]

ELECTOR (_frigidly_).

I hear that you are wounded, dangerously?

Count Truchsz!

THE PRINCE (_gaily_). Forgive!

COUNT TRUCHSZ. By heaven, I'm amazed!

THE PRINCE. My sorrel fell before the fight began.

This hand a field-leech bandaged up for me Scarce merits that you call it wounded.

ELECTOR. So?

In spite of it you led the cavalry?

THE PRINCE (_regarding him_).

I? Indeed, I! Must you learn that from me?

Here at your feet I laid the proof of that.

ELECTOR. Relieve him of his sword. He is a prisoner.

DoRFLING (_taken aback_).

Whom?

ELECTOR (_stepping among the flags_).

Ah, G.o.d greet you, Kottwitz!

TRUCHSZ (_aside_). Curses on it!

KOTTWITZ. By G.o.d, I'm utterly--

ELECTOR (_looking at him_). What did you say?

Look, what a crop mown for our glory here!-- That flag is of the Swedish Guards, is't not?

[_He takes up a flag, unwinds it and studies it._]

KOTTWITZ. My liege?

DoRFLING. My lord and master?

ELECTOR. Ah, indeed!

And from the time of Gustaf Adolf too.

How runs the inscription?

KOTTWITZ. I believe--

DoRFLING. "_Per aspera ad astra_!"