LADY NEUBRUNN.OCTAVIO PICCOLOMINI, Lieutenant-General.
MAX PICCOLOMINI, his Son, Colonel of a Regiment of Cuirassiers.
COUNT TERTSKY, the Commander of several Regiments, and Brother-in-law
of Wallenstein.
ILLO, Field Marshal, Wallenstein’s confidant.
BUTLER, an Irishman, Commander of a Regiment of Dragoons.
GORDON, Governor of Egra.
MAJOR GERALDIN.
CAPTAIN DEVEREUX.
CAPTAIN MACDONALD.
NEUMANN, Captain of Cavalry, Aide-de-Camp to Tertsky.
SWEDISH CAPTAIN.
SENI.
BURGOMASTER of Egra.
ANSPESSADE of the Cuirassiers.
GROOM OF THE CHAMBER, } belonging to the Duke.
A PAGE, }
CUIRASSIERS, DRAGOONS, SERVANTS.
ACT I
SCENE I
SCENE — A Chamber in the House of the DUCHESS OF FRIEDLAND.
COUNTESS TERTSKY, THEKLA, LADY NEUBRUNN (the two latter sit at the same
table at work).
Countess (watching them from the opposite side). So you have
nothing, niece, to ask me? Nothing?
I have been waiting for a word from you.
And could you then endure in all this time
Not once to speak his name?
[The COUNTESS rises and advances to her.
Why, how comes this?
Perhaps I am already grown superfluous, 5
And other ways exist, besides through me?
Confess it to me, Thekla! have you seen him?
Thekla. To-day and yesterday I have not seen him.
Countess. And not heard from him either? Come, be open!
Thekla. No syllable.
Countess. And still you are so calm? 10
Thekla. I am.
Countess. May’t please you, leave us, Lady Neubrunn!
[Exit LADY NEUBRUNN.
SCENE II
The COUNTESS, THEKLA.
Countess. It does not please me, Princess! that he holds
Himself so still, exactly at this time.
Thekla. Exactly at this time?
Countess. He now knows all.
‘Twere now the moment to declare himself.
Thekla. If I’m to understand you, speak less darkly. 5
Countess. ‘Twas for that purpose that I bade her leave us.
Thekla, you are no more a child. Your heart
Is now no more in nonage: for you love,
And boldness dwells with love — that you have proved.
Your nature moulds itself upon your father’s 10
More than your mother’s spirit. Therefore may you
Hear, what were too much for her fortitude.
Thekla. Enough! no further preface, I entreat you.
At once, out with it! Be it what it may,
It is not possible that it should torture me 15
More than this introduction. What have you
To say to me? Tell me the whole and briefly!
Countess. You’ll not be frightened —
Thekla. Name it, I entreat you.
Countess. It lies within your power to do your father
A weighty service —
Thekla. Lies within my power? 20
Countess. Max Piccolomini loves you. You can link him
Indissolubly to your father.
Thekla. I?
What need of me for that? And is he not
Already linked to him?
Countess. He was.
Thekla. And wherefore
Should he not be so now — not be so always? 25
Countess. He cleaves to the Emperor too.
Thekla. Not more than duty
And honour may demand of him.
Countess. We ask
Proofs of his love, and not proofs of his honour.
Duty and honour!
Those are ambiguous words with many meanings. 30
You should interpret them for him: his love
Should be the sole definer of his honour.
Thekla. How?
Countess. The Emperor or you must he renounce.
Thekla. He will accompany my father gladly
In his retirement. From himself you heard, 35
How much he wished to lay aside
