Ter. (whispering to him.) Art in thy senses? For heaven's sake, Illo! think where you are! Illo. (aloud.) What do you mean?-There are none but friends here, are there? (Looks round the whole circle with a jolly and triumphant air.) Not a sneaker among us, thank heaven! Ter. (to Butler, eagerly.) Take him off with you, force him off, I entreat you, Butler ! But. (to Illo.) Field-Marshal! a word with you! [Leads him to the side-board. Illo. A thousand for one; Fill-fill it once more up to the brim. To this gallant man's health! Iso. (to Max. who all the while has been staring on the paper with fixed but vacant eyes.) Slow and sure, my noble brother?Hast parsed it all yet ?-Some words yet to go through ?-Ha? Max. (waking up as from a dream.) What am I to do? Ter. (and at the same time Isolani.) Sign your name. [Octavio directs his eyes on him with intense anxiety. Max. (returns the paper.) Let it stay till to-morrow. It is business-to-day I am not sufficiently collected. Send it to me to-morrow. Ter. Nay, collect yourself a little. Iso. Awake, man! awake!-Come, thy signature, and have done with it! What? Thou art the youngest in the whole company, and wouldest be wiser than all of us together? Look there! thy father has signed-we have all signed. Ter. (to Octavio.) Use your influence. Instruct him. Oct. My son is at the age of discretion. Illo. (leaves the service-cup on the sideboard.) What's the dispute? Ter. He declines subscribing the paper. Max. I say, it may as well stay till to-morrow. Illo. It can not stay. We have all subscribed to it-and so must you. You must subscribe. Max. Illo; good-night! Illo. No! You come not off so! The Duke shall learn who ⚫ are his friends. [All collect round Illo and Max. Max. What my sentiments are towards the Duke the Duke knows, every one knows-what need of this wild stuff? Illo. This is the thanks the Duke gets for his partiality to Italians and foreigners-Us Bohemians he holds for little better than dullards-nothing pleases him but what's outlandish. Ter. (in extreme embarrassment, to the Commanders, who a Illo's words give a sudden start, as preparing to resent them.) It is the wine that speaks, and not his reason. Attend not to him, I entreat you. Iso. (with a bitter laugh.) Wine invents nothing it only tattles. Illo. He who is not with me, is against me. Your tender consciences! Unless they can slip out by a back-door, by a puny proviso Ter. (interrupting him.) He is stark mad-don't listen to him! Illo. (raising his voice to the highest pitch.) Unless they can slip out by a proviso. What of the proviso? The devil take this proviso! Max. (has his attention roused and looks again into the paper.) What is there here then of such perilous import? You make me curious--I must look closer at it. Ter. (in a low voice to Illo.) What are you doing, Illo? You are ruining us. Tief. (to Kolatto.) Ay, ay! I observed, that before we sat down to supper, it was read differently. Goetz. Why, I seemed to think so too. Iso. What do I care for that? Where there stands other names, mine can stand too. Tief. Before supper there was a certain proviso therein, or short clause concerning our duties to the Emperor. One But. (to one of the Commanders.) For shame, for shame! Behink you. What is the main business here? The question now s, whether we shall keep our General, or let him retire. nust not take these things too nicely and over-scrupulously. Iso. (to one of the Generals.)—Did the Duke make any of hese provisos when he gave you your regiment? Ter. (to Goetz.) Or when he gave you the office of army pur<eyancer, which brings you in yearly a thousand pistoles! If Illo. He is a rascal who makes us out to be rogues. there be any one that wants satisfaction, let him say so, I am his man. Tief. Softly, softly! 'Twas but a word or two. Max. (having read the paper gives it back.) Till to-morrow therefore! Illo. (stammering with rage and fury, loses all command over himself, and presents the paper to Max, with one hand, and his sword in the other.) Subscribe-Judas! Iso. Out upon you, Illo! Oct. Ter. But. (all together.) Down with the sword! Max. (rushes on him suddenly and disarms him, then to Count Tertsky.) Take him off to bed. [Max leaves the stage. Illo cursing and raving is held back by some of the officers, and amidst a universal confusion the curtain drops. ACT III. SCENE I-A chamber in Piccolomini's Mansion. It is Night. Octavio Piccolomini. A valet de Chambre, with Lights. Oct. And when my son comes in conduct him hither What is the hour? Valet. 'Tis on the point of morning Oct. Set down the light. We mean not to undress may retire to sleep. You [Exit Valet. Octavio paces, musing, across the chamber. Max. Piccolomini enters unobserved, and looks at his father for some moments in silence. Max. Art thou offended with me? Heaven knows That odious business was no fault of mine. 'Tis true, indeed, I saw thy signature. What thou hadst sanctioned, should not, it might seem, Have come amiss to me. But-'tis my nature Thou know'st that in such matters I must follow My own light, not another's. Oct. (goes up to him and embraces him.) Follow it, To-night, dear boy! it hath more faithfully I will do so, Oct. There must remain no secrets 'twixt us two. [Both seat themselves. Max. Piccolomini! what think'st thou of Oct. And on no other ground hast thou refused Oct. Be open, Max. Thou hadst then no suspicion? He drew thee back unconscious from the abyss. I will tell thee. Fain would they have extorted from thee, son, Yea, with a single flourish of thy pen, Made thee renounce thy duty and thy honor! Oct. Patience! Seat yourself. Much yet Hast thou to hear from me, friend!—hast for years Lived in incomprehensible illusion. Before thine eyes is treason drawing out As black a web as e'er was spun for venom : No longer see thee wondering on in darkness, Nor pluck the bandage from thine eyes. Max. My father! Yet, ere thou speak'st, a moment's pause of thought! If your disclosures should appear to be Conjectures only-and almost I fear They will be nothing further-spare them! I Am not in that collected mood at present, That I could listen to them quietly. Oct. The deeper cause thou hast to hate this light, The more impatient cause have I, my son, To force it on thee. To the innocence And wisdom of thy heart I could have trusted thee Preparing and it is thy heart itself [Fixing his eye steadfastly on his son's face. Alarms me for thine innocence-that secret, Which thou concealest, forces mine from me. Max. attempts to answer, but hesitates, and casts his the ground, embarrassed. Oct. (after a pause.) Know, then, they are duping thee—a most foul game With thee and with us all-nay, hear me calmly— The Duke even now is playing. He assumes The mask, as if he would forsake the army: That army from the Emperor to steal, And carry it over to the enemy! Max. That low priest's legend I know well, but did not Expect to hear it from thy mouth. Oct. That mouth, From which thou hearest it at this present moment, Max. How mere a maniac they supposed the Duke; A deed that brands them scoundrels ? Such a deed Oct. And for his trouble will retain in payment (What he has already in his gripe)-Bohemia ! |
