Kitabı oku: «Wallenstein's Camp», sayfa 2

SCENE V

The above – Two Yagers. Afterwards Sutler-woman, Soldier-boy, Schoolmaster, Servant-girl.

FIRST YAGER

 
             See! see!
  Here meet we a jovial company!
 

TRUMPETER

 
  Who can these greencoats be, I wonder,
  That strut so gay and sprucely yonder!
 

SERGEANT

 
  They're the Yagers of Holk – and the lace they wear,
  I'll be sworn, was ne'er purchased at Leipzig fair.
 

SUTLER-WOMAN (bringing wine)

 
  Welcome, good sirs!
 

FIRST YAGER

 
            Zounds, how now?
  Gustel of Blasewitz here, I vow!
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
  The same in sooth – and you I know,
  Are the lanky Peter of Itzeho:
  Who at Glueckstadt once, in revelling night,
  With the wags of our regiment, put to flight
  All his father's shiners – then crowned the fun —
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  By changing his pen for a rifle-gun.
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
  We're old acquaintance, then, 'tis clear.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  And to think we should meet in Bohemia here!
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
  Oh, here to-day – to-morrow yonder —
  As the rude war-broom, in restless trace,
  Scatters and sweeps us from place to place.
  Meanwhile I've been doomed far round to wander.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  So one would think, by the look of your face.
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
  Up the country I've rambled to Temsewar,
  Whither I went with the baggage-car,
  When Mansfeld before us we chased away;
  With the duke near Stralsund next we lay,
  Where trade went all to pot, I may say.
  I jogged with the succors to Mantua;
  And back again came, under Feria:
  Then, joining a Spanish regiment,
  I took a short cut across to Ghent;
  And now to Bohemia I'm come to get
  Old scores paid off, that are standing yet,
  If a helping hand by the duke be lent —
  And yonder you see my sutler's tent.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Well, all things seem in a flourishing way,
  But what have you done with the Scotchman, say,
  Who once in the camp was your constant flame?
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
  A villain, who tricked me clean, that same
  He bolted, and took to himself whate'er
  I'd managed to scrape together, or spare,
  Leaving me naught but the urchin there.
 

SOLDIER-BOY (springing forward)

 
  Mother, is it my papa you name?
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Well, the emperor now must father this elf,
  For the army must ever recruit itself.
 

SCHOOLMASTER

 
  Forth to the school, ye rogue – d'ye hear?
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  He, too, of a narrow room has fear.
  SERVANT GIRL (entering).
  Aunt, they'll be off.
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
             I come apace.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  What gypsy is that with the roguish face?
 

SUTLER-WOMAN

 
  My sister's child from the south, is she.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Ay, ay, a sweet little niece – I see.
  SECOND YAGER (holding the girl).
  Softly, my pretty one! stay with me.
 

GIRL

 
  The customers wait, sir, and I must go.
 

[Disengages herself, and exit.

FIRST YAGER

 
  That maiden's a dainty morsel, I trow!
  And her aunt – by heaven! I mind me well, —
  When the best of the regiment loved her so,
  To blows for her beautiful face they fell.
  What different folks one's doomed to know!
  How time glows off with a ceaseless flow!
  And what sights as yet we may live to see!
 

(To the Sergeant and Trumpeter.)

 
  Your health, good sirs, may we be free,
  A seat beside you here to take?
 

SCENE VI

The Yagers, Sergeant, and Trumpeter.

SERGEANT

 
  We thank ye – and room will gladly make.
  To Bohemia welcome.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
             Snug enough here!
  In the land of the foe our quarters were queer.
 

TRUMPETER

 
  You haven't the look on't – you're spruce to view.
 

SERGEANT

 
  Ay, faith, on the Saal, and in Meissen, too,
  Your praises are heard from the lips of few.
 

SECOND YAGER

 
  Tush, man! why, what the plague d'ye mean?
  The Croat had swept the fields so clean,
  There was little or nothing for us to glean.
 

TRUMPETER

 
  Yet your pointed collar is clean and sightly,
  And, then, your hose that sit so tightly!
  Your linen so fine, with the hat and feather,
  Make a show of smartness altogether!
 

(To Sergeant.)

 
  That fortune should upon younkers shine —
  While nothing in your way comes, or mine.
 

SERGEANT

 
  But then we're the Friedlander's regiment
  And, thus, may honor and homage claim.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  For us, now, that's no great compliment,
  We, also, bear the Friedlander's name.
 

SERGEANT

 
  True – you form part of the general mass.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  And you, I suppose, are a separate class!
  The difference lies in the coats we wear,
  And I have no wish to change with you there.
 

SERGEANT

 
  Sir Yager, I can't but with pity melt,
  When I think how much among boors you've dwelt.
  The clever knack and the proper tone,
  Are caught by the general's side alone.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Then the lesson is wofully thrown away, —
  How he hawks and spits, indeed, I may say
  You've copied and caught in the cleverest way;
  But his spirit, his genius – oh, these I ween,
  On your guard parade are but seldom seen.
 

SECOND YAGER

 
  Why, zounds! ask for us wherever you will,
  Friedland's wild hunt is our title still!
  Never shaming the name, all undaunted we go
  Alike through the field of a friend, or a foe;
  Through the rising stalk, or the yellow corn,
  Well know they the blast of Holk's Yager horn.
  In the flash of an eye, we are far or near,
  Swift as the deluge, or there or here —
  As at midnight dark, when the flames outbreak
  In the silent dwelling where none awake;
  Vain is the hope in weapons or flight,
  Nor order nor discipline thwart its might.
  Then struggles the maid in our sinewy arms,
  But war hath no pity, and scorns alarms.
  Go, ask – I speak not with boastful tongue —
  In Bareuth, Westphalia, Voigtland, where'er
  Our troops have traversed – go, ask them there —
  Children and children's children long,
  When hundreds and hundreds of years are o'er,
  Of Holk will tell and his Yager corps.
 

SERGEANT

 
  Why, hark! Must a soldier then be made
  By driving this riotous, roaring trade!
  'Tis drilling that makes him, skill and sense —
  Perception – thought – intelligence.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  'Tis liberty makes him! Here's a fuss!
  That I should such twaddle as this discuss.
  Was it for this that I left the school?
  That the scribbling desk, and the slavish rule,
  And the narrow walls, that our spirits cramp,
  Should be met with again in the midst of the camp?
  No! Idle and heedless, I'll take my way,
  Hunting for novelty every day;
  Trust to the moment with dauntless mind,
  And give not a glance or before or behind.
  For this to the emperor I sold my hide,
  That no other care I might have to bide.
  Through the foe's fierce firing bid me ride,
  Through fathomless Rhine, in his roaring flow,
  Where ev'ry third man to the devil may go,
  At no bar will you find me boggling there;
  But, farther than this, 'tis my special prayer,
  That I may not be bothered with aught like care.
 

SERGEANT

 
  If this be your wish, you needn't lack it,
  'Tis granted to all with the soldier's jacket.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  What a fuss and a bother, forsooth, was made
  By that man-tormentor, Gustavus, the Swede,
  Whose camp was a church, where prayers were said
  At morning reveille and evening tattoo;
  And, whenever it chanced that we frisky grew,
  A sermon himself from the saddle he'd read.
 

SERGEANT

 
  Ay, that was a man with the fear of God.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Girls he detested; and what's rather odd,
  If caught with a wench you in wedlock were tacked, —
  I could stand it no longer, so off I packed.
 

SERGEANT

 
  Their discipline now has a trifle slacked.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Well, next to the League I rode over; their men
  Were mustering in haste against Magdeburg then.
  Ha! that was another guess sort of a thing!
  In frolic and fun we'd a glorious swing;
  With gaming, and drinking, and girls at call,
  I'faith, sirs, our sport was by no means small.
  For Tilly knew how to command, that's plain;
  He held himself in but gave us the rein;
  And, long as he hadn't the bother of paying,
  "Live and let live!" was the general's saying.
  But fortune soon gave him the slip; and ne'er
  Since the day of that villanous Leipzig affair
  Would aught go aright. 'Twas of little avail
  That we tried, for our plans were sure to fail.
  If now we drew nigh and rapped at the door,
  No greeting awaited, 'twas opened no more;
  From place to place we went sneaking about,
  And found that their stock of respect was out;
  Then touched I the Saxon bounty, and thought
  Their service with fortune must needs be fraught.
 

SERGEANT

 
  You joined them then just in the nick to share
  Bohemia's plunder?
 

FIRST YAGER

 
            I'd small luck there.
  Strict discipline sternly ruled the day,
  Nor dared we a foeman's force display;
  They set us to guard the imperial forts,
  And plagued us all with the farce of the courts.
  War they waged as a jest 'twere thought —
  And but half a heart to the business brought,
  They would break with none; and thus 'twas plain
  Small honor among them could a soldier gain.
  So heartily sick in the end grew I
  That my mind was the desk again to try;
  When suddenly, rattling near and far,
  The Friedlander's drum was heard to war.
 

SERGEANT

 
  And how long here may you mean to stay?
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  You jest, man. So long as he bears the sway,
  By my soul! not a thought of change have I;
  Where better than here could the soldier lie?
  Here the true fashion of war is found,
  And the cut of power's on all things round;
  While the spirit whereby the movement's given
  Mightily stirs, like the winds of heaven,
  The meanest trooper in all the throng.
  With a hearty step shall I tramp along
  On a burgher's neck as undaunted tread
  As our general does on the prince's head.
  As 'twas in the times of old 'tis now,
  The sword is the sceptre, and all must bow.
  One crime alone can I understand,
  And that's to oppose the word of command.
  What's not forbidden to do make bold,
  And none will ask you what creed you hold.
  Of just two things in this world I wot,
  What belongs to the army and what does not,
  To the banner alone is my service brought.
 

SERGEANT

 
  Thus, Yager, I like thee – thou speakest, I vow,
  With the tone of a Friedland trooper now.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  'Tis not as an office he holds command,
  Or a power received from the emperor's hand;
  For the emperor's service what should he care,
  What better for him does the emperor fare?
  With the mighty power he wields at will,
  Has ever he sheltered the land from ill?
  No; a soldier-kingdom he seeks to raise,
  And for this would set the world in a blaze,
  Daring to risk and to compass all —
 

TRUMPETER

 
  Hush – who shall such words as these let fall?
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  Whatever I think may be said by me,
  For the general tells us the word is free.
 

SERGEANT

 
  True – that he said so I fully agree,
  I was standing by. "The word is free —
  The deed is dumb – obedience blind!"
  His very words I can call to mind.
 

FIRST YAGER

 
  I know not if these were his words or no,
  But he said the thing, and 'tis even so.
 

SECOND YAGER

 
  Victory ne'er will his flag forsake,
  Though she's apt from others a turn to take:
  Old Tilly outlived his fame's decline,
  But under the banner of Wallenstein,
  There am I certain that victory's mine!
  Fortune is spell-bound to him, and must yield;
  Whoe'er under Friedland shall take the field
  Is sure of a supernatural shield: