A gentle bride, as she is, is well worth it,
That you should woo and win her with the sword. 170
Max. O, that the sword could win her!
Countess. What was that?
Did you hear nothing? Seem’d, as if I heard
Tumult and larum in the banquet-room. [Exit COUNTESS.
SCENE V
THEKLA and MAX PICCOLOMINI.
Thekla (as soon us the Countess is out of sight, in a quick low
voice to Piccolomini). Don’t trust them! They are false!
Max. Impossible!
Thekla. Trust no one here but me. I saw at once,
They had a purpose.
Max. Purpose! but what purpose?
And how can we be instrumental to it?
Thekla. I know no more than you; but yet believe me: 5
There’s some design in this! to make us happy,
To realize our union — trust me, love!
They but pretend to wish it.
Max. But these Tertskys ——
Why use we them at all? Why not your mother?
Excellent creature! she deserves from us 10
A full and filial confidence.
Thekla. She doth love you,
Doth rate you high before all others — but —
But such a secret — she would never have
The courage to conceal it from my father.
For her own peace of mind we must preserve it 15
A secret from her too.
Max. Why any secret?
I love not secrets. Mark, what I will do.
I’ll throw me at your father’s feet — let him
Decide upon my fortunes! — He is true,
He wears no mask — he hates all crooked ways — 20
He is so good, so noble!
Thekla (falls on his neck). That are you!
Max. You knew him only since this morn; but I
Have liv’d ten years already in his presence,
And who knows whether in this very moment
He is not merely waiting for us both 25
To own our loves, in order to unite us.
You are silent! ——
You look at me with such a hopelessness!
What have you to object against your father?
Thekla. I? Nothing. Only he’s so occupied — 30
He has no leisure time to think about
The happiness of us two. [Taking his hand tenderly.
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 35
Than they deserve; — and in all else rely ——
On our own hearts!
Max. O! shall we e’er be happy?
Thekla. Are we not happy now? Art thou not mine?
Am I not thine? There lives within my soul
A lofty courage—’tis love gives it me! 40
I ought to be less open — ought to hide
My heart more from thee — so decorum dictates:
But where in this place could’st thou seek for truth,
If in my mouth thou did’st not find it?
SCENE VI
To them enters the COUNTESS TERTSKY.
Countess. Come!
My husband sends me for you — It is now
The latest moment.
Part you!
Thekla. O, not yet!
It has been scarce a moment.
Countess. Aye! Then time
Flies swiftly with your Highness, Princess niece! 5
Max. There is no hurry, aunt.
Countess. Away! Away!
The folks begin to miss you. Twice already
His father has asked for him.
Thekla. Ha! his father?
Countess. You understand that, niece!
Thekla. Why needs he
To go at all to that society? 10
‘Tis not his proper company. They may
Be worthy men, but he’s too young for them.
In brief, he suits not such society.
Countess. You mean, you’d rather keep him wholly here?
Thekla. Yes! you have hit it, aunt! That is my meaning. 15
Leave him here wholly! Tell the company —
Countess. What? have you lost your senses, niece? —
Count, you remember the conditions. Come!
Max (to Thekla). Lady, I must obey. Farewell, dear lady!
[THEKLA turns away from him with a quick motion.
What say you then, dear lady?
Thekla (without looking at him). Nothing. Go! 20
Max. Can I, when you are angry ——
[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.
Countess. Off! Heavens! if any one should come!
Hark! What’s that noise? It comes this way. —— Off!
[MAX tears himself away out of her arms, and goes. The
COUNTESS accompanies him. THEKLA follows 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; 25
The billows they tumble with might, with might;
And she flings out her voice to the darksome night;
Her