Wallenstein/The Piccolomini/A2S11

by Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

SCENE XI.

To them enter Butler from a second table.

BUTLER.

Don't disturb yourselves;

Field-marshal, I have understood you perfectly.
Good luck be to the scheme; and as to me,
[With an air of mystery)
You may depend upon me.

ILLO (with vivacity)

May we, Butler?

BUTLER.

With or without the clause, all one to me!

You understand me! My fidelity

The Duke may put to any proof—I'm with him!
Tell him so! I'm the Emperor's officer,
As long as 'tis his pleasure to remain
The Emperor's General! and Friedland's servant,
As soon as it shall please him to become
His own lord.

TERTSKY.

You would make a good exchange.

No stern economist, no Ferdinand,
Is he to whom you plight your services.

BUTLER (with a haughty look)

I do not put up my fidelity

To sale, Count Tertsky! Half a year ago
I would not have advised you to have made me
An overture to that, to which I now
Offer myself of my own free accord.—
But that is past! and to the Duke, Field Marshal,
I bring myself, together with my regiment.
And mark you, 'tis my humour to believe,
The example which I give will not remain
Without an influence.

ILLO.

Who is ignorant,

That the whole army looks to Colonel Butler,
As to a light that moves before them?

BUTLER.

Ey?

Then I repent me not of that fidelity
Which for the length of forty years I held,
If in my sixtieth year my good old name
Can purchase for me a revenge so full.

Start not at what I say, sir Generals!
My real motives—they concern not you.
And you yourselves, I trust, could not expect
That this your game had crook'd my judgment—or
That fickleness, quick blood, or such like cause,
Has driven the old man from the track of honour,
Which he so long had trodden.—Come, my friends!
I'm not thereto determin'd with less firmness,
Because I know and have look'd steadily
At that on which I have determined.

ILLO.

Say,

And speak roundly, what are we to deem you?

BUTLER.

A friend! I give you here my hand! I'm your's

With all I have. Not only men, but money
Will the Duke want.——Go, tell him, sirs!
I've earn'd and laid up somewhat in his service,
I lend it him; and is he my survivor,
It has been already long ago bequeath'd to him.
He is my heir. For me, I stand alone
Here in the world; naught know I of the feeling
That binds the husband to a wife and children.
My name dies with me, my existence ends.

ILLO.

'Tis not your money that he needs—a heart

Like yours weighs tons of gold down, weighs down millions!

BUTLER.

I came a simple soldier's boy from Ireland

To Prague—and with a master, whom I buried.

From lowest stable duty I climb'd up,
Such was the fate of war, to this high rank,
The plaything of a whimsical good fortune.
And Wallenstein too is a child of luck,
I love a fortune that is like my own.

ILLO.

All powerful souls have kindred with each other.

BUTLER.

This is an awful moment! to the brave,

To the determin'd, an auspicious moment.
The Prince of Weimar arms, upon the Main
To found a mighty dukedom. He of Halberstadt,
That Mansfeld, wanted but a longer life
To have mark'd out with his good sword a lordship
That should reward his courage. Who of these
Equals our Friedland? There is nothing, nothing
So high, but he may set the ladder to it!

TERTSKY.

That's spoken like a man!

BUTLER.

Do you secure the Spaniard and Italian—

I'll be your warrant for the Scotchman Lesly.
Come! to the company!

TERTSKY.

Where is the master of the cellar? Ho!

Let the best wines come up. Ho! cheerly, boy!
Luck comes to-day, so give her hearty welcome.
[Exeunt, each to his table.