What is there here, then, So against nature? Help me to perceive it! O let not Superstition's nightly goblins Subdue thy clear bright spirit! Art thou bid To murder?--with abhorr'd, accursed poinard, To violate the breasts that nourish'd thee? That _were_ against our nature, that might aptly Make thy flesh shudder, and thy whole heart sicken,[26] Yet not a few, and for a meaner object, Have ventured even this, ay, and perform'd it. What is there in thy case so black and monstrous? Thou art accused of treason--whether with Or without justice is not now the question-- Thou art lost if thou dost not avail thee quickly Of the power which thou possessest--Friedland! _Duke!_ Tell me where lives that thing so meek and tame, That doth not all his living faculties Put forth in preservation of his life? What deed so daring, which necessity And desperation will not sanctify?
Once was this Ferdinand so gracious to me; He loved me; he esteem'd me; I was placed The nearest to his heart. Full many a time We like familiar friends, both at one table, Have banqueted together. He and I-- And the young kings themselves held me the basin Wherewith to wash me--and is't come to this?
So faithfully preserves thou each small favor, And hast no memory for contumelies? Must I remind thee, how at Regensburg This man repaid thy faithful services? All ranks and all conditions in the empire Thou hadst wronged, to make him great,--hadst loaded on thee, On _thee_, the hate, the curse of the whole world. No friend existed for thee in all Germany, And why? because thou hadst existed only For the Emperor. To the Emperor alone Clung Friedland in that storm which gather'd round him At Regensburg in the Diet--and he dropp'd thee! He let thee fall! he let thee fall a victim To the Bavarian, to that insolent! Deposed, stript bare of all thy dignity And power, amid the taunting of thy foes, Thou wert let drop into obscurity.-- Say not the restoration of thy honor Has made atonement for that first injustice. No honest good-will was it that replaced thee; The law of hard necessity replaced thee, Which they had fain opposed, but that they could not.
Not to their good wishes, that is certain, Nor yet to his affection I'm indebted For this high office: and if I abuse it, I shall therein abuse no confidence.