THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN. THEKLA (falls on LADY NEUBRUNN'S neck). Now, gentle Neubrunn, show me the affection Which thou hast ever promised-prove thyself My own true friend and faithful fellow-pilgrim. And where This night we must away! Where is You have not told me all. This morning NEUBRUNN (to THEKLA, who has hidden her coun tenance). Look up, my dearest lady THEKLA. CAPTAIN. Is now the only place, Where life yet dwells for me: detain me not! Where is his grave? Come and make preparations: let us think At Neustadt, lady; in a cloister church Are his remains deposited, until We can receive directions from his father. THEKLA. What is the cloister's name? CAPTAIN. Saint Catherine's. THEKLA. And how far is it thither? CAPTAIN. Near twelve leagues. THEKLA. And which the way? CAPTAIN. You go by Tirschenreit And Falkenberg, through our advanced posts. THEKLA. Is their commander? CAPTAIN. Colonel Seckendorf. NEUBRUNN. This rough tempestuous night THEKLA. Had he a soft bed [THEKLA steps to the table, and takes a ring from Under the hoofs of his war-horses? COUNTESS. At a banquet-he and Illo. WALLENSTEIN (rises and strides across the saloon). COUNTESS. Thou speakest Of Piccolomini. What was his death? The night's far spent. Betake thee to thy chamber. The courier had just left thee as I came. COUNTESS. Bid me not go, O let me stay with thee! There is a busy motion in the Heaven, White stain of light, that single glimmering yonder, Is from Cassiopeia, and therein Is Jupiter. (A pause). But now The blackness of the troubled element hides him! [He sinks into profound melancholy, and looks vacantly into the distance. COUNTESS (looks on him mournfully, then grasps his hand). What art thou brooding on? WALLENSTEIN. [WALLENSTEIN by a motion of his hand makes signs to her to be silent. WALLENSTEIN. This anguish will be wearied down,* I know; To-day I dreamt that I was seeking thee The word "moon-sickle," reminds me of a passage in Har- enlightened part of the moon appears in the form of a sickle or At Gitschin 't was, which thou thyself hast founded, Well, it has lasted long enough. Here give it. The words "wanken" and "schweben" are not easily translated. The English words, by which we attempt to render them, are either vulgar or pedantic, or not of sufficiently general application. So "der Wolken Zug"-The Draft, the Procession of clouds. The Masses of the Clouds sweep onward in swift stream. * A very inadequate translation of the original. Verschmerzen werd' ich diesen Schlag, das weiss ich, Denn was verschmerzte nicht der Mensch! LITERALLY. I shall grieve down this blow, of that I'm conscious: And where it is thy will that thou shouldst be Interr'd. WALLENSTEIN. Thy soul is busy with these thoughts. COUNTESS. What! dost thou not believe that oft in dreams A voice of warning speaks prophetic to us? WALLENSTEIN. There is no doubt that there exist such voices. Voices of warning that announce to us Felt in his breast the phantom of the knife, And still with boding sense he heard the tread COUNTESS. And to thee The voice within thy soul bodes nothing? WALLENSTEIN. Be wholly tranquil. COUNTESS. And another time WALLENSTEIN. I hear a boisterous music! and the Castle Is lighted up. Who are the revellers? GORDON. There is a banquet given at the Castle WALLENSTEIN. In honor of the victory-This tribe [Rings. The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER enters Unrobe me. I will lay me down to sleep. [WALLENSTEIN takes the keys from GORDON So we are guarded from all enemies, [Fixing his eye on GORDON. Was ne'er a hypocrite's mask. [The GROOM OF THE CHAMBER takes off his mantle, collar, and scarf. WALLENSTEIN. Take care-what is that? GROOM OF THE CHAMBER. The golden chain is snapped in two. WALLENSTEIN. [He takes and looks at the chain. "Twas the first present of the Emperor. Nothing. From superstition, if you will. Belike, It was to be a Talisman to me; And while I wore it on my neck in faith, Of this charm is dissolved. GROOM OF THE CHAMBER retires with the vest- How the old time returns upon me! I That I strove after things too high for me, GORDON. My Prince! With light heart the poor fisher moors his boat, And watches from the shore the lofty ship Stranded amid the storm. WALLENSTEIN. Art thou already In harbor then, old man? Well! I am not. SENI. Flee ere the day-break! Trust not thy person to the Swedes! WALLENSTEIN. What now The unconquer'd spirit drives me o'er life's billows; [He moves with long strides across the Saloon, and Who now persists in calling Fortune false ? GORDON. And yet remember I the good old proverb, WALLENSTEIN (smiling). Is in thy thoughts? SENI (with louder voice). Trust not thy person to these Swedes. WALLENSTEIN. What is it then? SENI (still more urgently). O wait not the arrival of these Swedes! An evil near at hand is threatening thee From false friends. All the signs stand full of horror' Near, near at hand the net-work of perditionYea, even now 'tis being cast around thee! WALLENSTEIN. Baptista, thou art dreaming!-Fear befools then SENI. Believe not that an empty fear deludes me. Come, read it in the planetary aspects; Read it thyself, that ruin threatens thee From false friends! WALLENSTEIN. From the falseness of my friends Has risen the whole of my unprosperous fortunes. The warning should have come before. At present I need no revelation from the stars To know that. SENI Come and see! trust thine own eyes' A fearful sign stands in the house of life- I hear the very Gordon that of old |