style="font-size:15px;"> To fall upon his neck, to call him father!But his stern eye o’erpowered the swelling passion —
It dared not but be silent. And those brilliants,
That like a crown of stars enwreathed your brows, 20
They scared me too! O wherefore, wherefore should he
At the first meeting spread as ‘twere the ban
Of excommunication round you, wherefore
Dress up the angel as for sacrifice,
And cast upon the light and joyous heart 25
The mournful burthen of his station? Fitly
May love dare woo for love; but such a splendour
Might none but monarchs venture to approach.
Thekla. Hush! not a word more of this mummery.
You see how soon the burthen is thrown off. 30
[To the COUNTESS.
He is not in spirits. Wherefore is he not?
‘Tis you, aunt, that have made him all so gloomy!
He had quite another nature on the journey —
So calm, so bright, so joyous eloquent. [To MAX.
It was my wish to see you always so, 35
And never otherwise!
Max. You find yourself
In your great father’s arms, belovéd lady!
All in a new world, which does homage to you,
And which, wer’t only by its novelty,
Delights your eye.
Thekla. Yes; I confess to you 40
That many things delight me here: this camp,
This motley stage of warriors, which renews
So manifold the image of my fancy,
And binds to life, binds to reality,
What hitherto had but been present to me 45
As a sweet dream!
Max. Alas! not so to me.
It makes a dream of my reality.
Upon some island in the ethereal heights
I’ve lived for these last days. This mass of men
Forces me down to earth. It is a bridge 50
That, reconducting to my former life,
Divides me and my heaven.
Thekla. The game of life
Looks cheerful, when one carries in one’s heart
The inalienable treasure. ‘Tis a game,
Which having once reviewed, I turn more joyous 55
Back to my deeper and appropriate bliss.
In this short time that I’ve been present here,
What new unheard-of things have I not seen!
And yet they all must give place to the wonder
Which this mysterious castle guards.
Countess. And what 60
Can this be then? Methought I was acquainted
With all the dusky corners of this house.
Thekla. Ay, but the road thereto is watched by spirits,
Two griffins still stand sentry at the door.
Countess (laughs). The astrological tower! — How happens it 65
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 70
Were mine at first sight, opened me the doors.
Max. That is the Duke’s astrologer, old Seni.
Thekla. He questioned 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 wished 75
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? 80
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 stepped in; and now
The narrowing line of daylight, that ran after 85
The closing door, was gone; and all about me
‘Twas 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 90
A sceptre bore, and on his head a star;
And in the tower no other light was there
But from these stars: all seemed to come from them.
‘These are the planets,’ said that low old man,
‘They govern worldly fates, and for that cause 95
Are imaged here as kings. He farthest from you,
Spiteful, and cold, an old man melancholy,
With bent and yellow forehead, he is Saturn.
