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Go to your guests! Go-

ILLO (comes back).

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As among strangers! Not a trace is left

Of all my former wishes, former joys.
Where has it vanish'd to? There was a time

When even, methought, with such a world, as this,

I was not discontented. Now how flat!

Where art staying, Tertsky? How stale! No life, no bloom, no flavour in it!

The house is full, and all expecting you.

Instantly! Instantly!

Stay here too long.
In the old man--

TERTSKY.

My comrades are intolerable to me.

My father-Even to him I can say nothing.

My arms, my military duties-O!

[To the COUNTESS. They are such wearying toys!

And let him not
It might awake suspicion

COUNTESS.

A truce with your precautions!
[Exeunt TERTSKY and ILLO.

SCENE III.

COUNTESS, MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

MAX. (peeping in on the stage shily).

Aunt Tertsky! may I venture?

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I can't but know, is going forward round me.

I see it gathering, crowding, driving on,

In wild uncustomary movements. Well,

[Advances to the middle of the stage, and looks In due time, doubtless, it will reach even me.

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Where think you I have been, dear lady? Nay,
No raillery. The turmoil of the camp,
The spring-tide of acquaintance rolling in,
The pointless jest, the empty conversation,
Oppress'd and stiff'd me. I gasp'd for air-
I could not breathe-I was constrain'd to fly,
To seek a silence out for my full heart;
And a pure spot wherein to feel my happiness.
No smiling, Countess! In the church was I.
There is a cloister here to the heaven's gate,
Thither I went, there found myself alone.
Over the altar hung a holy mother;

A wretched painting 't was, yet 't was the friend
That I was seeking in this moment. Ah,
How oft have I beheld that glorious form
In splendour, 'mid ecstatic worshippers;
Yet, still it moved me not! and now at once
Was my devotion cloudless as my love.

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And Nepomuck, where had join'd us,
That was the last relay of the whole journey!

I am doubtful whether this be the dedication of the cloister or the name of one of the city gates, near which it stood. I have translated it in the former sense; but fearful of having made some blunder, I add the original.-Es ist ein Kloster hier zur Himmelspforte.

1

In a balcony we were standing mute,
And gazing out upon the dreary field:
Before us the dragoons were riding onward,
The safe-guard which the Duke had sent us-heavy
The inquietude of parting lay upon me,
And trembling ventured I at length these words:
This all reminds me, noble maiden, that
To-day I must take leave of my good fortune.
A few hours more, and you will find a father,
Will see yourself surrounded by new friends,
And I henceforth shall be but as a stranger,
Lost in the many-« Speak with my aunt Tertsky!»
With hurrying voice she interrupted me.
She falter'd. I behield a glowing red
Possess her beautiful cheeks, and from the ground
Raised slowly up her eye met mine-no longer
Did I control myself.

[The Princess THEKLA appears at the door, and
remains standing, observed by the COUNTESS,
but not by PicCOLOMINI.

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MAX.

This morning, when I found you in the circle
Of all your kindred, in your father's arms,
Beheld myself an alien in this circle,
O! what an impulse felt I in that moment
To fall upon his neck, to call him father!
But his stern eye o'erpower'd the swelling passion-
It dared not but be silent. And those brilliants,
That like a crown of stars enwreathed your brows,
They scared me too! O wherefore, wherefore should he
At the first meeting spread as 't were the ban
Of excommunication round you,—wherefore
Dress up the angel as for sacrifice,

And cast upon the light and joyous heart
The mournful burthen of his station? Fitly
May love dare woo for love; but such a splendour
Might none but monarchs venture to approach.

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Then you saw me With your eye only-and not with your heart?

And what Can this be then? Methought I was acquainted With all the dusky corners of this house.

THEKLA (smiling).

Ay, but the road thereto is watch'd by spirits,
Two griffins still stand sentry at the door.
COUNTESS (laughs).

The astrological tower!-How happens it
That this same sanctuary, whose access
Is to all others so impracticable,
Opens before you even at your approach?

THEKLA.

A dwarfish old man with a friendly face
And snow-white hairs, whose gracious services
Were mine at first sight, open'd me the doors.

MAX.

That is the Duke's astrologer, old Seni.

THEKLA.

He question'd me on many points; for instance, When I was born, what month, and on what day, Whether by day or in the night.

COUNTESS.

He wish'd

To erect a figure for your horoscope.

THEKLA.

My hand too he examined, shook his head

With much sad meaning, and the lines, methought, Did not square over truly with his wishes.

COUNTESS.

Well, Princess, and what found you in this tower?
My highest privilege has been to snatch
A side-glance, and away!

THEKLA.

It was a strange Sensation that came o'er me, when at first From the broad sunshine I stepp'd in; and now The narrowing line of day-light, that ran after The closing door, was gone; and all about me 'T was pale and dusky night, with many shadows Fantastically cast. Here six or seven Colossal statues, and all kings, stood round me In a half-circle. Each one in his hand A sceptre bore, and on his head a star; And in the tower no other light was there But from these stars: all seem'd to come from them. These are the planets,» said that low old man, They govern worldly fates, and for that cause Are imaged here as kings. He farthest from you, Spiteful, and cold, an old man melancholy, With bent and yellow forehead, he is Saturn. He opposite, the king with the red light, An arm'd man for the battle, that is Mars: And both these bring but little luck to man." But at his side a lovely lady stood, The star upon her head was soft and bright, On that was Venus, the bright star of joy. And the left hand, lo! Mercury, with wings. Quite in the middle glitter'd silver bright A cheerful man, and with a monarch's mien ; And this was Jupiter, my father's star : And at his side I saw the Sun and Moon. MAX.

O never rudely will I blame his faith

In the might of stars and angels! "T is not merely
The human being's Pride that peoples space
With life and mystical predominance;
Since likewise for the stricken heart of Love
This visible nature, and this common world,

Is all too narrow: yea, a deeper import

Lurks in the legend told my infant years

Than lics upon that truth, we live to learn.
For fable is Love's world, his home, his birth-place:
Delightedly dwells he 'mong fays and talismans,
And spirits; and delightedly believes
Divinities, being himself divine.

The intelligible forms of ancient poets,
The fair humanities of old religion,

The Power, the Beauty, and the Majesty,
That had her haunts in dale, or piny mountain,
Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly spring,

Or chasms and wat'ry depths; all these have vanish'd.
They live no longer in the faith of reason!
But still the heart doth need a language, still
Doth the old instinct bring back the old names,
And to yon starry world they now are gone,
Spirits or gods, that used to share this earth
With man as with their friend; and to the lover
Yonder they move, from yonder visible sky
Shoot influence down and even at this day
'T is Jupiter who brings whate'er is great,
And Venus who brings every thing that's fair!

THEKLA.

And if this be the science of the stars,

I too, with glad and zealous industry,

Will learn acquaintance with this cheerful faith.
It is a gentle and affectionate thought,
That in immeasurable heights above us,

At our first birth, the wreath of love was woven,
With sparkling stars for flowers.

COUNTESS.

Not only roses,

But thorns too hath the heaven; and well for you
Leave they your wreath of love inviolate:
What Venus twined, the bearer of glad fortune,
The sullen orb of Mars soon tears to pieces.

MAX.

Soon will his gloomy empire reach its close.
Blest be the General's zeal: into the laurel
Will he inweave the olive-branch, presenting
Peace to the shouting nations. Then no wish
Will have remain'd for his great heart! Enough
Has he perform'd for glory, and can now
Live for himself and his. To his domains
Will he retire; he has a stately seat
Of fairest view at Gitschin; Reichenberg,
And Friedland Castle, both lie pleasantly--
Even to the foot of the huge mountains here
Stretches the chase and covers of his forests:
His ruling passion, to create the splendid,
He can indulge without restraint; can give
A princely patronage to every art,

And to all worth a Sovereign's protection.
Can build, can plant, can watch the starry courses-

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1? Nothing. Only he's so occupiedHe has no leisure time to think about

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MAX.

The happiness of us two. [Taking his hand tenderly. Can I, when you are angry——

Follow me!

Let us not place too great a faith in men.

These Tertskys-we will still be grateful to them
For every kindness, but not trust them further
Than they deserve;-and in all else rely——
On our own hearts!

MAX.

O! shall we e'er be happy?

Nothing. Go!

[He draws up to her, their eyes meet, she stands silent a moment, then throws herself into his arms; he presses her fast to his heart.

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lows him with her eyes at first, walks restlessly across the room, then stops, and remains standing, lost in thought. A guitar lies on the table, she seizes it as by a sudden emotion, and after she has played a while an irregular and melancholy symphony, she falls gradually into the music and sings.

THEKLA (plays and sings).

The cloud doth gather, the greenwood roar,

The damsel paces along the shore;

The billows they tumble with might, with might;
And she flings out her voice to the darksome night;
Her bosom is swelling with sorrow;
The world it is empty, the heart will die,
There's nothing to wish for beneath the sky:
Thou Holy One, call thy child away!
I've lived and loved, and that was to-day-
Make ready my grave-clothes to-morrow. '

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Are you dreaming? Talking in sleep? An excellent jest, forsooth! We shall no doubt right courteously entreat him To honour with his hand the richest heiress In Europe.

THEKLA.

That will not be necessary.
COUNTESS.

Methinks 't were well though not to run the hazard.

THEKLA.

His father loves him; Count Octavio Will interpose no difficulty-

COUNTESS.

His!

His father! his! But yours niece, what of yours?

THEKLA.

So anxiously you hide it from the man!
Why I begin to think you fear his father.
His father, his, I mean.

COUNTESS (looks at her as scrutinizing).、
Niece, you are false.

THEKLA.

Are you then wounded? O, be friends with me!

COUNTESS.

You hold your game for won already. Do not
Triumph too soon!-

THEKLA (interrupting her, and attempting to soothe her.)

Nay now, be friends with me.

COUNTESS.

It is not yet so far gone.

THEKLA.

I believe you.

COUNTESS.

Did you suppose your father had laid out
His most important life in toils of war,
Denied himself each quiet earthly bliss,
Had banish'd slumber from his tent, devoted
His noble head to care, and for this only,
To make a happier pair of you? At length
To draw you from your convent, and conduct

In easy triumph to your arms the man

That chanced to please your eyes! All this, methinks, He might have purchased at a cheaper rate.

THEKLA.

That which he did not plant for me might yet

Bear me fair fruitage of its own accord.
And if my friendly and affectionate fate,

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