empire pay
The expenses of this war that aggrandizes
The emperor alone. What thanks had I?
What? I was offered up to their complaint
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
No! since 'twas proved so inauspicious to me
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,
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
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 Regensburg
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,
Can this be realized?

ILLO.
'Tis not possible.

BUTLER.
It can't be realized.

QUESTENBERG.
The emperor
Already hath commanded Colonel Suys
To advance towards Bavaria.

WALLENSTEIN.
What did Suys?

QUESTENBERG.
That which his duty prompted. He advanced.

WALLENSTEIN.
What! he advanced? And I, his general,
Had given him orders, peremptory orders
Not to desert his station! Stands it thus
With my authority? Is this the obedience
Due to my office, which being thrown aside,
No war can be conducted? Chieftains, speak
You be the judges, generals. What deserves
That officer who, of his oath neglectful,
Is guilty of contempt of orders?

ILLO.
Death.

WALLENSTEIN (raising his voice, as all but ILLO had remained silent
and seemingly scrupulous).
Count Piccolomini! what has he deserved?

MAX. PICCOLOMINI (after a long pause).
According to the letter of the law,
Death.

ISOLANI.
Death.

BUTLER.
Death, by the laws of war.

[QUESTENBERG rises from his seat, WALLENSTEIN follows, all
the rest rise.

WALLENSTEIN.
To this the law condem