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 of his host,
Surrounded by his thousands, him would’st thou 280
Disarm — degrade! Thou art lost, both thou and all of us.
Octavio. What hazard I incur thereby, I know.
In the great hand of God I stand. The Almighty
Will cover with his shield the Imperial house,
And shatter, in his wrath, the work of darkness. 285
The Emperor hath true servants still; and even
Here in the camp, there are enough brave men,
Who for the good cause will fight gallantly.
The faithful have been warned — the dangerous
Are closely watched. I wait but the first step, 290
And then immediately ——
Max. What! on suspicion?
Immediately?
Octavio. The Emperor is no tyrant.
The deed alone he’ll punish, not the wish.
The Duke hath yet his destiny in his power.
Let him but leave the treason uncompleted, 295
He will be silently displaced from office,
And make way to his Emperor’s royal son.
An honourable exile to his castles
Will be a benefaction to him rather
Than punishment. But the first open step —— 300
Max. What callest thou such a step? A wicked step
Ne’er will he take; but thou mightest easily,
Yea, thou hast done it, misinterpret him.
Octavio. Nay, howsoever punishable were
Duke Friedland’s purposes, yet still the steps 305
Which he hath taken openly, permit
A mild construction. It is my intention
To leave this paper wholly uninforced
Till some act is committed
