Into a scruple of his power, he shewed me 180
His written evidences — shewed me letters,
Both from the Saxon and the Swede, that gave
Promise of aidance, and defin’d the amount.
Max. It cannot be! — can not be! can not be!
Dost thou not see, it cannot! 185
Thou wouldest of necessity have shewn him
Such horror, such deep loathing — that or he
Had taken thee for his better genius, or
Thou stood’st not now a living man before me —
Octavio. I have laid open my objections to him, 190
Dissuaded him with pressing earnestness;
But my abhorrence, the full sentiment
Of my whole heart — that I have still kept sacred
To my own consciousness.
Max. And thou hast been
So treacherous? That looks not like my father! 195
I trusted not thy words, when thou didst tell me
Evil of him; much less can I now do it,
That thou calumniatest thy own self.
Octavio. I did not thrust myself into his secrecy.
Max. Uprightness merited his confidence. 200
Octavio. He was no longer worthy of sincerity.
Max. Dissimulation, sure, was still less worthy
Of thee, Octavio!
Octavio. Gave I him a cause
To entertain a scruple of my honour?
Max. That he did not, evinced his confidence. 205
Octavio. Dear son, it is not always possible
Still to preserve that infant purity
Which the voice teaches in our inmost heart.
Still in alarm, for ever on the watch
Against the wiles of wicked men, e’en Virtue 210
Will sometimes bear away her outward robes
Soiled in the wrestle with Iniquity.
This is the curse of every evil deed,
That, propagating still, it brings forth evil.
I do not cheat my better soul with sophisms: 215
I but perform my orders; the Emperor
Prescribes my conduct to me. Dearest boy,
Far better were it, doubtless, if we all
Obeyed the heart at all times; but so doing,
In this our present sojourn with bad men, 220
We must abandon many an honest object.
‘Tis now our call to serve the Emperor,
By what means he can best be served — the heart
May whisper what it will — this is our call!
Max. It seems a thing appointed, that to-day 225
I should not comprehend, not understand thee.
The Duke thou say’st did honestly pour out
His heart to thee, but for an evil purpose;
And thou dishonestly hast cheated him
For a good purpose! Silence, I entreat thee — 230
My friend thou stealest not from me —
Let me not lose my father!
Octavio. As yet thou know’st not all, my son. I have
Yet somewhat to disclose to thee. [After a pause.
Duke Friedland
Hath made his preparations. He relies 235
Upon his stars. He deems us unprovided,
And thinks to fall upon us by surprise.
Yea, in his dream of hope, he grasps already
The golden circle in his hand. He errs.
We too have been in action — he but grasps 240
His evil fate, most evil, most mysterious!
Max. O nothing rash, my sire! By all that’s good
Let me invoke thee — no precipitation!
Octavio. With light tread stole he on his evil way,
With light tread hath Vengeance stole on after him. 245
Unseen she stands already, dark behind him —
But one step more — he shudders in her grasp!
Thou hast seen Questenberg with me. As yet
Thou know’st but his ostensible commission;
He brought with him a private one, my son! 250
And that was for me only.
Max. May I know it?
Octavio (seizes the patent). Max! [A pause.
—— In this disclosure place I in thy hands
The Empire’s welfare and thy father’s life.
Dear to thy inmost heart is Wallenstein:
A powerful tie of love, of veneration, 255
Hath knit thee to him from thy earliest youth.
Thou nourishest the wish. — O let me still
Anticipate thy loitering confidence!
The hope thou nourishest to knit thyself
Yet closer to him ——
Max. Father ——
Octavio. O my son! 260
I trust thy heart undoubtingly. But am I
Equally sure of thy collectedness?
Wilt thou be able, with calm countenance,
To enter this man’s presence, when that I
Have trusted to thee his whole fate?
Max. According 265
As thou dost trust me, father, with his crime.
[OCTAVIO takes a paper out of his escrutoire, and gives
it to him.
Max. What? how? a full Imperial patent!
Octavio. Read it.
Max (just glances on it). Duke Friedland sentenced and condemned!
Octavio. Even so.
Max (throws down the paper). O this is too much! O unhappy
error! 270
Octavio. Read on. Collect thyself.
Max (after he has read further, with a look of affright and
astonishment on his father). How! what! Thou! thou!
Octavio. But for the present moment, till the King
Of Hungary may safely join the army,
Is the command assigned to me.
Max. And think’st thou,
Dost thou believe, that thou wilt tear it from him? 275
O never hope it! — Father! father! father!
An inauspicious office is enjoined thee.
This paper here — this! and wilt thou enforce it?
The mighty in the middle