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Yet somewhat to disclose to thee.

[After a pause.

Duke Friedland

Hath made his preparations. He relies
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
His evil fate, most evil, most mysterious!

Max. O nothing rash, my sire. By all that's good Let me invoke thee—no precipitation.

Oct. With light tread stole he on his evil way, And light tread hath Vengeance stole on after him. 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 commissionHe brought with him a private one, my son, And that was for me only.

Max.

Oct. (seizes the patent).

May I know it?

Max!

ГА 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,
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.

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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

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!

Oct.

Read it. Max. (just glances on it). Duke Friedland sentenc'd and condemn'd!

Oct.

Even so.

Max. (throws down the paper). O this is too much! -O unhappy error!

Oct. Read on. Collect thyself.

Max. (after he has read further, with a look of affright and astonishment on his father.)

How!-what!-Thou !-thou!

Oct. But for the present moment, till the King Of Hungary may safely join the army,

Is the command assign'd to me.

Max.

And think'st thou,

Dost thou believe, that thou wilt tear it from him?

O never hope it!-Father! father! father!

An inauspicious office is enjoin'd 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
Disarm-degrade! Thou art lost, both thou and all

of us.

Oct. 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.

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 warn'd-the dangerous
Are closely watch'd. I wait but the first step,
And then immediately—

Max.

Immediately?
Oct.

What! on suspicion?

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,
He will be silently displac'd 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

Max. What call'st thou such a step? A wicked

step

Ne'er will he take; but thou might'st easily,

Yea, thou hast done it, misinterpret him.

Oct. Nay, howsoever punishable were
Duke Friedland's purposes, yet still the steps
Which he hath taken openly, permit

A mild construction. It is my intention
To leave this paper wholly unenforc'd

Till some act is committed which convicts him
Of a high-treason, without doubt or plea,

And that shall sentence him.

Max.

Oct. Thyself.

But who the judge?

Max. For ever, then, this paper will hede.

Oct. Too soon, I fear, its powers must all be

prov'd.

After the counter-promise of this evening.

It cannot be but he must deem himself

Secure of the majority with us;

And of the army's general sentiment
He hath a pleasing proof in that petition

Which thou deliver'st to him from the regiments.
Add this too-I have letters that the Rhinegrave
Hath chang'd his route, and travels by forc'd marches
To the Bohemian Forest. What this purports,
Remains unknown; and, to confirm suspicion,
This night a Swedish nobleman arriv'd here.
Max. I have thy word

action

Thou'lt not proceed to

Before thou hast convinc'd me-me myself.

Oct. Is it possible? Still, after all thou know'st, Canst thou believe still in his innocence?

Max. (with enthusiasm). Thy judgment may mistake; my heart cannot.

[Moderates his voice and manner.
These reasons might expound thy spirit or mine,
But they expound not Friedland—I have faith:
For as he knits his fortunes to the stars,
Even so doth he resemble them in secret,
Wonderful, still inexplicable courses!

Trust me, they do him wrong. All will be solv'd.
These smokes, at once, will kindle into flame—
The edges of this black and stormy cloud
Will brighten suddenly, and we shall view
The Unapproachable glide out in splendour.
Oct. I will await it.

SCENE II.

OCTAVIO and MAX. as before. To them the VALET OF THE CHAMBER.

Oct. How now, then?

Val.

A despatch is at the door.

Oct. So early? From whom comes he then? Who

is it?

Val. That he refus'd to tell me.

Oct.

And, hark you-let it not transpire.

Lead him in:

[Exit Valet-the Cornet steps in.

Ha! Cornet-is it you? and from Count Galas?

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Cor. He bade me tell you-Dare I speak openly

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The old negociator.

Oct. (eagerly). And you have him?

Cor. In the Bohemian forest, Captain Mohrbrand

Found and secur'd him yester morning early:

He was proceeding then to Regensburg,

And on him were despatches for the Swede.
Oct. And the despatches—

Cor.

Sent them that instant to Vienna, and

The prisoner with them.

Oct.

The Lieutenant-general

This is, indeed, a tiding!

That fellow is a precious casket to us,

Enclosing weighty things.-Was much found on

him?

Cor. I think, six packets, with Count Tertsky's

arms.

Oct. None in the Duke's own hand?

Cor.

Not that I know

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