WALLENSTEIN.
51
WALLENSTEIN.
Think'st thou, that fool-like, I shall let thee go,
And act the mock-magnanimous with thee?
Thy father is become a villain to me;
I hold thee for his son, and nothing more;
Nor to no purpose shalt thou have been given
Into my power. Think not, that I will honour
That ancient love, which so remorselessly
He mangled. They are now past by, those hours
Of friendship and forgiveness. Hate and vengeance
Succeed—'tis now their turn—I too can throw
All feelings of the man aside—can prove
Myself as much a monster as thy father!
Think'st thou, that fool-like, I shall let thee go,
And act the mock-magnanimous with thee?
Thy father is become a villain to me;
I hold thee for his son, and nothing more;
Nor to no purpose shalt thou have been given
Into my power. Think not, that I will honour
That ancient love, which so remorselessly
He mangled. They are now past by, those hours
Of friendship and forgiveness. Hate and vengeance
Succeed—'tis now their turn—I too can throw
All feelings of the man aside—can prove
Myself as much a monster as thy father!
MAX. (calmly.)
Thou wilt proceed with me, as thou hast power.
Thou know'st, I neither brave nor fear thy rage.
What hail detain'd me here, that too thou know'st.
(taking Thekla by the hand.)
See, Duke! All—all would I have owed to thee,
Would have receiv'd from thy paternal hand
The lot of blessed spirits. This hast thou
Laid waste for ever—that concerns not thee.
Indifferent thou tramplest in the dust
Their happiness, who most are thine. The god
Whom thou dost serve, is no benignant deity.
Like as the blind irreconcileable
Fierce element, incapable of compact,
Thy heart's wild impulse only dost thou follow[1].
Thou wilt proceed with me, as thou hast power.
Thou know'st, I neither brave nor fear thy rage.
What hail detain'd me here, that too thou know'st.
(taking Thekla by the hand.)
See, Duke! All—all would I have owed to thee,
Would have receiv'd from thy paternal hand
The lot of blessed spirits. This hast thou
Laid waste for ever—that concerns not thee.
Indifferent thou tramplest in the dust
Their happiness, who most are thine. The god
Whom thou dost serve, is no benignant deity.
Like as the blind irreconcileable
Fierce element, incapable of compact,
Thy heart's wild impulse only dost thou follow[1].
Wal-
- ↑ I have here ventured to omit a considerable number of lines. I fear that I should not have done amiss, had I taken
this
