Butler. Already a full year.

Wallenstein. And 'tis the hire
That constitutes the hireling's name and duties,
[[634]] The soldier's pay is the soldier's covenant.[634:1] [105]

Questenberg. Ah! this is a far other tone from that
In which the Duke spoke eight, nine years ago.

Wallenstein. Yes! 'tis my fault, I know it: I myself
Have spoilt the Emperor by indulging him.
Nine years ago, during the Danish war, 110
I raised him up a force, a mighty force,
Forty or fifty thousand men, that cost him
Of his own purse no doit. Through Saxony
The fury goddess of the war marched on,
E'en to the surf-rocks of the Baltic, bearing 115
The terrors of his name. That was a time!
In the whole Imperial realm no name like mine
Honoured with festival and celebration—
And Albrecht Wallenstein, it was the title
Of the third jewel in his crown! 120
But at the Diet, when the Princes met
At Regenspurg, there, there the whole broke out,
There 'twas laid open, there it was made known,
Out of what money-bag I had paid the host.
And what was now my thank, what had I now, 125
That I, a faithful servant of the Sovereign,
Had loaded on myself the people's curses,
And let the Princes of the empire pay
The expenses of this war, that aggrandizes
The Emperor alone—What thanks had I! 130
What? I was offered up to their complaints,
Dismissed, degraded!

Questenberg. But your Highness knows
What little freedom he possessed of action
In that disastrous diet.

Wallenstein. Death and hell!
I had that which could have procured him freedom. [135]
No! Since 'twas proved so inauspicious to me
[[635]] To serve the Emperor at the empire's cost,
I have been taught far other trains of thinking
Of the empire, and the diet of the empire.
From the Emperor, doubtless, I received this staff, 140
But now I hold it as the empire's general—
For the common weal, the universal interest,
And no more for that one man's aggrandizement!
But to the point. What is it that's desired of me?

Questenberg. First, his imperial Majesty hath willed 145
That without pretexts of delay the army
Evacuate Bohemia.

Wallenstein. In this season?
And to what quarter wills the Emperor
That we direct our course?

Questenberg. To the enemy.
His Majesty resolves, that Regenspurg 150
Be purified from the enemy, ere Easter,
That Lutheranism may be no longer preached
In that cathedral, nor heretical
Defilement desecrate the celebration
Of that pure festival.

Wallenstein. My generals, 155
Can this be realized?