Chapter 42

_Enter OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI and QUESTENBERG._

_Octavio._ Ay, ay! more still! Still more new visitors! Acknowledge, friend! that never was a camp, Which held at once so many heads of heroes. Welcome, Count Isolani!

_Isolani._ My noble brother, Even now am I arrived; it had been else my duty-- 5

_Octavio._ And Colonel Butler--trust me, I rejoice Thus to renew acquaintance with a man Whose worth and services I know and honour. See, see, my friend! There might we place at once before our eyes 10 The sum of war's whole trade and mystery--

[_To QUESTENBERG, presenting BUTLER and ISOLANI at the same time to him._

These two the total sum--Strength and Dispatch.

_Questenberg (to Octavio)._ And lo! betwixt them both experienced Prudence!

_Octavio (presenting Questenberg to Butler and Isolani)._ The Chamberlain and War-commissioner Questenberg, The bearer of the Emperor's behests, 15 The long-tried friend and patron of all soldiers, We honour in this noble visitor.

_Illo._ 'Tis not the first time, noble Minister, You have shewn our camp this honour.

_Questenberg._ Once before I stood before these colours. 20

_Illo._ Perchance too you remember where that was. It was at Znäim[604:1] in Moravia, where You did present yourself upon the part Of the Emperor, to supplicate our Duke That he would straight assume the chief command. 25

_Questenberg._ To supplicate? Nay, noble General! So far extended neither my commission (At least to my own knowledge) nor my zeal.

_Illo._ Well, well, then--to compel him, if you choose. I can remember me right well, Count Tilly 30 Had suffered total rout upon the Lech. Bavaria lay all open to the enemy, Whom there was nothing to delay from pressing Onwards into the very heart of Austria. At that time you and Werdenberg appeared 35 Before our General, storming him with prayers, And menacing the Emperor's displeasure, Unless he took compassion on this wretchedness.

_Isolani._ Yes, yes, 'tis comprehensible enough, Wherefore with your commission of to-day 40 You were not all too willing to remember Your former one.

_Questenberg._ Why not, Count Isolan? No contradiction sure exists between them. It was the urgent business of that time 45 To snatch Bavaria from her enemy's hand; And my commission of to-day instructs me To free her from her good friends and protectors.

_Illo._ A worthy office! After with our blood We have wrested this Bohemia from the Saxon, 50 To be swept out of it is all our thanks, The sole reward of all our hard-won victories.

_Questenberg._ Unless that wretched land be doomed to suffer Only a change of evils, it must be Freed from the scourge alike of friend and foe. 55

_Illo._ What? 'Twas a favourable year; the Boors Can answer fresh demands already.

_Questenberg._ Nay, If you discourse of herds and meadow-grounds--

_Isolani._ The war maintains the war. Are the Boors ruined, The Emperor gains so many more new soldiers. 60

_Questenberg._ And is the poorer by even so many subjects.

_Isolani._ Poh! We are all his subjects.

_Questenberg._ Yet with a difference, General! The one fill With profitable industry the purse, The others are well skilled to empty it. 65 The sword has made the Emperor poor; the plough Must reinvigorate his resources.

_Isolani._ Sure! Times are not yet so bad. Methinks I see

[_Examining with his eye the dress and ornaments of QUESTENBERG._

Good store of gold that still remains uncoined.

_Questenberg._ Thank Heaven! that means have been found out to hide 70 Some little from the fingers of the Croats.

_Illo._ There! The Stawata and the Martinitz, On whom the Emperor heaps his gifts and graces, To the heart-burning of all good Bohemians-- Those minions of court favour, those court harpies, 75 Who fatten on the wrecks of citizens Driven from their house and home--who reap no harvests Save in the general calamity-- Who now, with kingly pomp, insult and mock The desolation of their country--these, 80 Let these, and such as these, support the war, The fatal war, which they alone enkindled!

_Butler._ And those state-parasites, who have their feet So constantly beneath the Emperor's table, Who cannot let a benefice fall, but they 85 Snap at it with dog's hunger--they, forsooth, Would pare the soldier's bread, and cross his reckoning!

_Isolani._ My life long will it anger me to think, How when I went to court seven years ago, To see about new horses for our regiment, 90 How from one antechamber to another They dragged me on, and left me by the hour To kick my heels among a crowd of simpering Feast-fattened slaves, as if I had come thither A mendicant suitor for the crumbs of favour 95 That fall beneath their tables. And, at last, Whom should they send me but a Capuchin! Straight I began to muster up my sins For absolution--but no such luck for me! This was the man, this Capuchin, with whom 100 I was to treat concerning the army horses: And I was forced at last to quit the field, The business unaccomplished. Afterwards The Duke procured me in three days, what I Could not obtain in thirty at Vienna. 105

_Questenberg._ Yes, yes! your travelling bills soon found their way to us: Too well I know we have still accounts to settle.

_Illo._ War is a violent trade; one cannot always Finish one's work by soft means; every trifle Must not be blackened into sacrilege. 110 If we should wait till you, in solemn council, With due deliberation had selected The smallest out of four-and-twenty evils, I'faith, we should wait long.-- 'Dash! and through with it!'--That's the better watch-word. 115 Then after come what may come. 'Tis man's nature To make the best of a bad thing once past. A bitter and perplexed 'what shall I do?' Is worse to man than worst necessity.

_Questenberg._ Ay, doubtless, it is true: the Duke does spare us 120 The troublesome task of choosing.

_Butler._ Yes, the Duke Cares with a father's feelings for his troops; But how the Emperor feels for us, we see.

_Questenberg._ His cares and feelings all ranks share alike, Nor will he offer one up to another. 125

_Isolani._ And therefore thrusts he us into the deserts As beasts of prey, that so he may preserve His dear sheep fattening in his fields at home.

_Questenberg._ Count, this comparison you make, not I.

_Butler._ Why, were we all the Court supposes us, 130 'Twere dangerous, sure, to give us liberty.

_Questenberg._ You have taken liberty--it was not given you. And therefore it becomes an urgent duty To rein it in with curbs.

_Octavio._ My noble friend, This is no more than a remembrancing 135 That you are now in camp, and among warriors. The soldier's boldness constitutes his freedom. Could he act daringly, unless he dared Talk even so? One runs into the other. The boldness of this worthy officer, [_pointing to BUTLER._ 140 Which now has but mistaken in its mark, Preserved, when nought but boldness could preserve it, To the Emperor his capital city, Prague, In a most formidable mutiny Of the whole garrison. [_Military music at a distance._ 145 Hah! here they come!

_Illo._ The sentries are saluting them: this signal Announces the arrival of the Duchess.

_Octavio._ Then my son Max too has returned. 'Twas he Fetched and attended them from Carnthen hither. 150

_Isolani (to Illo)._ Shall we not go in company to greet them?

_Illo._ Well, let us go.--Ho! Colonel Butler, come.

[_To OCTAVIO._

You'll not forget, that yet ere noon we meet The noble Envoy at the General's palace.

[_Exeunt all but QUESTENBERG and OCTAVIO._

FOOTNOTES:

[604:1] A town not far from the Mine-mountains, on the high road from Vienna to Prague.

LINENOTES:

[Before 1] _Octavio (still in the distance)._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[After 4] [_Approaching nearer._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[17]

We honour in this noble visitor. [_Universal silence._

_Illo (moving towards Questenberg)._ 'Tis not, &c.

1817, 1828, 1829.

[21] _where_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[26] _supplicate_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[30] _compel_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 39] _Isolani (steps up to them)._ _1817_, _1828_, _1829_.

[51] _out_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[58] _you_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[80] _these_ 1800.

[81] _these_ 1800.

[87] _pare_ 1800.

[99] _me_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[100] _This was, &c._ 1800.

[120] _does_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[124] _His_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 129] _Questenberg (with a sneer)._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[134] _Octavio (interposing and addressing Questenberg)._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[138] _act_ 1800, 1828, 1829.

[Before 149] _Octavio (to Questenberg)._ 1817, 1828, 1829.

[149] _Max_ 1800.