The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries - novelonlinefull.com
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[_His eyes glance on_ THEKLA.]
What other angel seek I? To this heart, To this unerring heart, will I submit it; Will ask thy love, which has the power to bless The happy man alone, averted ever From the disquieted and guilty--_canst_ thou Still love me, if I stay? Say that thou canst, And I am the Duke's--
COUNTESS.
Think, niece--
MAX.
Think, nothing, Thekla!
Speak what thou _feelest_.
COUNTESS.
Think upon your father.
MAX.
I did not question thee, as Friedland's daughter.
Thee, the beloved and the unerring G.o.d Within thy heart, I question. What's at stake?
Not whether diadem of royalty Be to be won or not--that mightst thou _think_ on.
Thy friend, and his soul's quiet, are at stake: The fortune of a thousand gallant men, Who will all follow me; shall I forswear My oath and duty to the Emperor?
Say, shall I send into Octavio's camp The parricidal ball? For when the ball Has left its cannon, and is on its flight, It is no longer a dead instrument!
It lives, a spirit pa.s.ses into it, The avenging furies seize possession of it, And with sure malice guide it the worst way.
THEIKLA.
O! Max--
MAX (_interrupting her_).
Nay, not precipitately either, Thekla, I understand thee. To thy n.o.ble heart The hardest duty might appear the highest.
The human, not the great part, would I act Even from my childhood to this present hour.
Think what the Duke has done--for me, how loved me And think, too, how my father has repaid him.
O likewise the free lovely impulses Of hospitality, the pious friend's Faithful attachment, these, too, are a holy Religion to the heart; and heavily The shudderings of nature do avenge Themselves on the barbarian that insults them.
Lay all upon the balance, all--then speak, And let thy heart decide it.
THEKLA.
O, thy own Hath long ago decided. Follow thou Thy heart's first feeling--
COUNTESS.
Oh! ill-fated woman.
THEKLA.
Is it possible that that can be the right, The which thy tender heart did not at first Detect and seize with instant impulse? Go, Fulfil thy duty! I should ever love thee What'er thou hadst chosen, thou wouldst still have acted n.o.bly and worthy of thee--but repentance Shall ne'er disturb thy soul's fair peace.
MAX.
Then I Must leave thee, must part from thee!
THEKLA.
Being faithful To thine own self, thou art faithful, too, to me; If our fates part, our hearts remain united.
A b.l.o.o.d.y hatred will divide forever The houses Piccolomini and Friedland; But we belong not to our houses. Go!
Quick! quick! and separate thy righteous cause From our unholy and unblessed one!
The curse of Heaven lies upon our head: 'Tis dedicate to ruin. Even me My father's guilt drags with it to perdition.
Mourn not for me: My destiny will quickly be decided.
[MAX _clasps her in his arms in extreme emotion. There is heard from behind the scenes a loud, wild, long continued cry_, Vivat Ferdinandus! _accompanied by warlike instruments_. MAX _and_ THEKLA _remain without motion in each other's embraces_.]
SCENE XXII
_To the above enter_ TERZKY
COUNTESS (_meeting him_).
What meant that cry? What was it?
TERZKY.
All is lost!
COUNTESS.
What! they regarded not his countenance?
TERZKY.
'Twas all in vain.
d.u.c.h.eSS.
They shouted Vivat!--
TERZKY.
To the Emperor.
COUNTESS.
The traitors!
TERZIBY.
