Due audience from your wisdom, my Lord Envoy! You will be cautious how you show yourself

In public for some hours to come—or hardly Will that gold key protect you from mal-treatment. [Commotions heard from without.

Wal. A salutary counsel -Thou, Octavio!

Wilt answer for the safety of our guest,

Farewell, Von Questenberg!

[Questenberg is about to speak. Nay, not a word.

Not one word more of that detested subject!

You have perform'd your duty-We know how
To separate the office from the man.

[As Questenberg is going off with Octavio, Goetz,
Tiefenbach, Kolatto, press in, several other
generals following them.

Goetz. Where's he who means to rob us of our

general?

Tief. (at the same time). What are we forc'd to hear? That thou wilt leave us?

Kol. (at the same time). We will live with thee, we will die with thee.

Wal. (with stateliness, and pointing to Illo). There! the Field-Marshal knows our will. [Exit. [While all are going off the stage, the curtain drops.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A small Chamber.

ILLO and TERTSKY.

Ter. Now for this evening's business! How intend

you

To manage with the generals at the banquet?

Illo. Attend! We frame a formal declaration,

Wherein we to the Duke consign ourselves
Collectively, to be and to remain

His both with life and limb, and not to spare
The last drop of our blood for him, provided ·
So doing we infringe no oath or duty

We may be under to the Emp'ror.—Mark!
This reservation we expressly make

In a particular clause, and save the conscience.
Now hear! This formula so framed and worded
Will be presented to them for perusal

Before the banquet. No one will find in it
Cause of offence or scruple. Hear now further!
After the feast, when now the vap❜ring wine
Opens the heart, and shuts the eyes, we let
A counterfeited paper, in the which

This one particular clause has been left out,
Go round for signatures.

Ter.

How? think you then

That they'll believe themselves bound by an oath,
Which we had trick'd them into by a juggle?

Illo. We shall have caught and cag'd them! Let

them then

Beat their wings bare against the wires, and rave
Loud as they may against our treachery,

At court their signatures will be believ'd
Far more than their most holy affirmations.

Traitors they are, and must be; therefore wisely

Will make a virtue of necessity.

Ter. Well, well, it shall content me; let but s. mething

Be done, let only some decisive blow

Set us in motion.

Illo, Besides, 't is of subordinate importance How, or how far, we may thereby propel

The generals. "Tis enough that we persuade

The Duke, that they are his--Let him but act
In his determin'd mood, as if he had them,
And he will have them. Where he plunges in,
He makes a whirlpool, and all stream down to it.
Ter. His policy is such a labyrinth,

That many a time when I have thought myself
Close at his side, he's gone at once, and left me
Ignorant of the ground where I was standing.
He ends the enemy his ear, permits me
To write to them, to Arnheim, to Sesina;
Himself comes forward blank and undisguis'd;
Talks with us by the hour about his plans,
And when I think I have him-off at once-
He has slipp'd from me, and appears as if
He had no scheme, but to retain his place.
Illo. He give up his old plans!

friend!

His soul is occupied with nothing else,

I'll tell you,

Even in his sleep-they are his thoughts, his dreams

That day by day he questions for this purpose

The motions of the planets

Ter.

Aye, you know

This night, that is now coming, he with Seni

Shuts himself up in the astrological tower

To make joint observations-for I hear

It is to be a night of weight and crisis,

And something great, and of long expectation,

Is to make its procession in the heaven.

Illo. Come! be we bold and make despatch. The

work

In this next day or two must thrive and grow
More than it has for years. And let but only

Things first turn up auspicious here below

Mark what I say-the right stars too will snow them

selves.

Come, to the generals. All is in the glow,
And must be beaten while 't is malleable.

Ter. Do you go thither, Illo. I must stay
And wait here for the Countess Tertsky. Know,
That we too are not idle. Break one string,
A second is in readiness.

I saw your Lady smile with such sly meaning.
What's in the wind?

Ter.

A secret. Hush! she comes.

[Exit Illo.

SCENE II.

(The Countess steps out from a Closet.)

COUNT and COUNTESS TERTSKY.

Ter. Well-is she coming? I can keep him back

No longer.

Coun.

She will be there instantly.

You only send him.

Ter.

I am not quite certain,

I must confess it, Countess, whether or not

We are earning the Duke's thanks hereby. You know,

No

ray

has broke out from him on this point. You have o'errul'd me; and yourself know best

How far you dare proceed.

Coun.

I take it on me. [Talking to herself, while she is advancing. Here's no need of full powers and commissionsMy cloudy Duke! we understand each otherAnd without words. What, could I not unriddle Wherefore the daughter should be sent for hither, Why first he, and no other, should be chosen To fetch her hither? This sham of betrothing her

To a bridegroom,* when no one knows-No! no!
This may blind others! I see thro' thee, Brother!
But it beseems thee not, to draw a card

At such a game. Not yet!-It all remains
Mutely deliver'd up to my finessing———

Well-thou shalt not have been deceiv'd, Duke
Friedland!

In her who is thy sister.

Ser. (enters).

The commanders!

Ter. (to the Countess). Take care you heat his fancy and affections—

Possess him with a reverie, and send him,

Absent, and dreaming, to the banquet; that
He may not boggle at the signature.

Coun. Take you care of your guests!-Go, send him hither.

Ter. All rests upon his undersigning.

Coun. (interrupting him). Go to your guests!

Go

Illo. (comes back). Where art staying, Tertsky? The house is full, and all expecting you.

Ter. Instantly! instantly! [To the Countess.

Coun. A truce with your precautions !

[Exeunt Tertsky and Illo.

SCENE III.

COUNTESS, MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

Max. (peeping in on the stage shily). Aunt Tertsky!

* In Germany, after honourable addresses have been paid and formally accepted, the lovers are called Bride and Bridegroom, even though the marriage should not take place till years afterwards.