WERNER.
Brie. That's not a faithful vasrsai’s likeness.Hen , But
Perhaps a true one.
Eric Pity, as I said,
T1k> war? are over: iu the hall, who likeCount Ulr.c for a well-supported pride,
Which awes, but yet offends not ? iu the field,Who like him with his spear in hand, whengnashing:
His tusks, and ripping up from right to left'the howling hounds, the boar makes for thethicket ?
Who backs a horse, or bears a hawk, or wearsA sword like him ? Whose plume nods knight-lier ?
Hen . No one’s, I grant you. Do not fear ifwar
Be long in coming, he is of that kindWill make it for himself, if he hath notAlready done as much.
Eric. What do you mean ?
Hen . You can’t deny liis train of followers(But lew our native fellow-vassals bomOn the domain) are such a sort of knavesAs-
[Pauses.
Eric. Wliat ?
Hen . The war (you love so much) leaves liv-ing.
Like other parents, she spoils her worst chil-dren.
Brie. Nonsense! they are brave irou-visagedfellows,
Such as old Tilly loved.
Ask that at Magdebourg —or for that matter
Wallenstein either,—they are gone to-
Eric. Rest!
But what beyond ’tis not ours to pronounce.
Hen . I wish they had left us something oftheir rest:
The country (nominally now at peace)
Is over-run with—God knows who: they flyBy night, and disappear with sunrise; butLeave us no less desolation, nay, even more,Than the most open warfare.
Eric. But Count Ulric—
What has all this to do with him ?
He-might prevent it. As you say he’s fond
Of war, why makes he it not on those ma-rauders ?
Brie. You'd better ask himself.
Ask the lion why he laps not milk.
. The dovil! you’ll hold your tongue ?Eric. Why do you turn so pale ?
Be silent.
Brie. I will, upon what you have said.
Hen . I assure you I meant nothing,—a meresport
Of words, no more; besides, had it been other-wise,
He is to espouse the gentle BaronessIda of Stralenbeim, the late Baron’s heiress ;
And she, no doubt, will soften whatsoeverOf fierceness (helate long intestine warsHave given all natures, and most unto thoseWho were bora in them, and bred up uponThe knees of Homicide; sprinkled, as it were,
571
With blood even at their baptism. Prithee,peace
On all that I hare said 1
Enter ULRIC and RODOLPH.
Good morrow, Count.Ulv. Good morrow, worthy Henrick. Kric, isAll ready for the chase ?
Eric. The dogs are ordered
Down to the forest, and the vassals outTo beat the hushes, and the day looks promis-ing.
Shall I call your excellency’s suite ?
What courser will you please to mount ?
Ulr. The dun,
Walstein.
Eric. I fear he scarcely has recover'dThe toils of Monday: ’twas a noble chase:
You spear’d four with your own hand.
Ulr. True, good Eric;
I had forgotten—let it be the grey, then,
Old Ziskat he has not been out this fortnight.Eric. He shall be straight caprison’d. Howmany
Of your immediate retainers shallEscort you ?
Ulr. I leave that to Weilburgh, our
Master of the horse.
[Exit Eric.
Rodolph!
Bod. My lord I
Ulr. The news
Is awkward from the-
[Rodolph points to Henrick.How now, Henrick ? why
Loiter you here ?
Hem For your commands, my lord.
Ulr . Go to my father, and present my duty,And learn if he would aught with me beforeI mount.
[Brit Henrick.Rodolph, our friends have had a checkUpon the frontiers of Franconia, and’Tis rumour’d that the column sent against themIs to be strengthen’d. I must join them soon.Rod. Best wait for further and more sure ad-vices.
Ulr. I mean it—and indeed it could not wellHave fallen out at a time more oppositeTo all my plans.
Rod. It will be difficult
To excuse your absence to the Count yourfather.
Ulr. Yes, but the unsettled state of our do-main
In high Silesia will permit and coverMy journey. In the mean time, when we areEngaged in the chase, draw off the eighty menWhom Wolffe leads—keep the forest on yourroute:
You know it well.
Rod. As well as on that night.
When we-
Ulr. We will not speak of that until
We can repeat the same with like success :
And when yon have join’d, give Rosenberg thisletter.
[Gives a letter.
Add further, that I have sent this slight addi-tion
To our force with you and Wolffe, as herald of