FIRST SERVANT (comes). Burgundy for the fourth table.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. Now, sir lieutenant, if this aint the seventieth
flask--
FIRST SERVANT. Why, the reason is, that German lord, Tiefenbach, sits at
that table.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR (continuing his discourse to NEUMANN). They are
soaring too high. They would rival kings and electors in their pomp and
splendor; and wherever the duke leaps, not a minute does my gracious
master, the count, loiter on the brink-(to the SERVANTS). What do you
stand there listening for? I will let you know you have legs presently.
Off! see to the tables, see to the flasks! Look there! Count Palfi has
an empty glass before him!
RUNNER (comes). The great service-cup is wanted, sir, that rich gold cup
with the Bohemian arms on it. The count says you know which it is.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. Ay! that was made for Frederick's coronation by
the artist William-there was not such another prize in the whole booty
at Prague.
RUNNER. The same!-a health is to go round in him.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR (shaking his head while he fetches and rinses the
cups). This will be something for the tale-bearers-this goes to Vienna.
NEUMANN. Permit me to look at it. Well, this is a cup indeed! How
heavy! as well it may be, being all gold. And what neat things are
embossed on it! how natural and elegant they look! There, on the first
quarter, let me see. That proud amazon there on horseback, she that is
taking a leap over the crosier and mitres, and carries on a wand a hat
together with a banner, on which there's a goblet represented. Can you
tell me what all this signifies?
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. The woman you see there on horseback is the Free
Election of the Bohemian Crown. That is signified by the round hat and
by that fiery steed on which she is riding. The hat is the pride of man;
for he who cannot keep his hat on before kings and emperors is no free
man.
NEUMANN. But what is the cup there on the banner.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. The cup signifies the freedom of the Bohemian
Church, as it was in our forefathers' times. Our forefathers in the wars
of the Hussites forced from the pope this noble privilege; for the pope,
you know, will not grant the cup to any layman. Your true Moravian
values nothing beyond the cup; it is his costly jewel, and has cost the
Bohemians their precious blood in many and many a battle.
NEUMANN. And what says that chart that hangs in the air there, over it
all?
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. That signifies the Bohemian letter-royal which we
forced from the Emperor Rudolph-a precious, never to be enough valued
parchment, that secures to the new church the old privileges of free
ringing and open psalmody. But since he of Steiermark has ruled over us
that is at an end; and after the battle at Prague, in which Count
Palatine Frederick lost crown and empire, our faith hangs upon the pulpit
and the altar-and our brethren look at their homes over their shoulders;
but the letter-royal the emperor himself cut to pieces with his scissors.
NEUMANN. Why, my good Master of the Cellar! you are deep read in the
chronicles of your country.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. So were my forefathers, and for that reason were
they minstrels, and served under Procopius and Ziska. Peace be with
their ashes! Well, well! they fought for a good cause though. There !
carry it up!
NEUMANN. Stay! let me but look at this second quarter. Look there!
That is, when at Prague Castle, the imperial counsellors, Martinitz and
Stawata, were hurled down head over heels. 'Tis even so! there stands
Count Thur who commands it.
[RUNNER takes the service-cup and goes off with it.
MASTER OF THE CELLAR. Oh, let me never more hear of that day. It was
the three-and-twentieth of May in the year of our Lord one thousand six
hundred and eighteen. It seems to me as it were but yesterday-from that
unlucky day it all began, all the heartaches of the country. Since that
day it is now sixteen years, and there has never once been peace on the
earth.
[Health drunk aloud at the second table.
The Prince of Weimar! Hurrah!
[At the third and fourth tables.
Long live Prince William! Long live Duke Bernard! Hurrah!
[Music strikes up.
FIRST SERVANT. Hear 'em! Hear 'em! What an uproar!
SECOND SERVANT (comes in running). Did you hear? They have drunk the
Prince of Weimar's health.
THIRD SERVANT. The Swedish chief commander!
