Page:Poet Lore, volume 33, 1922.pdf/206

 Beauvalle.—I hardly know but what you promise is a bit premature. I have been a mere onlooker, gazing at occurring events; I doubt whether I could, in the end, be anything else.

Dejm.—You must, Count, but you must! Now, today, every individual must come to some decision, and determine how he stands with regard to his country’s welfare. An onlooker, a mere witness of passing events, you no longer can continue to be! You are a citizen of this state; you must align yourself with one side or the other!

Beauvalle.—I know not whether I would be actuated by the same motives that seem to prompt others!

Dejm.—Aj, I do not know, indeed.

Beauvalle (Advancing).—You, my dear Dejm, you belong to the old nobility,—my family is settled here a little more than a century.

Dejm.—Yes, your family is settled here over a century, and yet you would not think and feel as any one of us do? We hold to the state, we represent a branch, a mighty order of the empire; we were raised here, and we must continue to represent the highest nobility of the country,—and one grave concern that the moment must decide is this,—whether in a year, or in a thousand years, this one or another order will be ruling here.

Beauvalle.—And who are the others,—those who wish to aid in the overthrow of the Empress?

Dejm.—There is a great number, half of the entire nobility!

Beauvalle.—The leaders?

Dejm.—Bechyně from Lazan, Cernin, Kolovrat, Count Bubna, both of the Lazanšti, Count Felix Vršovec, Martin Michna, Count Vrbna, Dohalský from Dohalic, the highest counsellors—

Beauvalle (Interrupting with a laugh).—So far, these represent old Bohemian families, native to the country. But you have not as yet mentioned one family which has, like mine, come in from foreign parts.

Dejm.—Aj, I will now come to one; Count Schaffgotsche—

Countess (to ).—The highest burgrave.

Dejm.— Counts Morzin, Mansfeld, Kuenburg, Poeting, General and War Commissioner, George, Count of Kaiserstein, Count Bouquoy—

Beauvalle (With surprise).—Count Bouquoy Longuevalle?

Dejm.—Yes, the descendant of Karl Bouquy, who, ages ago, overthrew the rule of the Bohemian king, Ferdinand. Even he is