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The Prince-duke's horses wait for you below. [Exit Servant. Oct. [reads.] "Be sure, make haste! Your

faithful Isolan."

-O that I had but left this town behind me. To split upon a rock so near the haven!— Away! this is no longer a safe place for me! Where can my son be tarrying?

his

SCENE VI.-OCTAVIO and MAX PICCOLOMINI.-MAX enters in a state of derangement from extreme agitation, eyes roll wildly, his walk is unsteady, he appears not to observe his father, who stands at a distance, and gazes at him with a countenance expressive of compassion. He paces with long strides through the chamber, then stands still again, and at last throws himself into a chair, staring vacantly at the object directly before him.

Oct. [advances to MAX.] I am going off, my son. [Receiving no answer, he takes his hand.

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Thy way is crooked-it is not my way.

[OCTAVIO drops his hand, and starts back.

O, hadst thou been but simple and sincere,

Ne'er had it come to this-all had stood otherwise. He had not done that foul and horrible deed: The virtuous had retained their influence o'er him : He had not fallen into the snares of villains. Wherefore so like a thief, and thief's accomplice

Did'st creep behind him-lurking for thy prey?
O, unblest falsehood! Mother of all evil!
Thou misery-making demon, it is thou
That sink'st us in perdition. Simple truth,
Sustainer of the world, had saved us all!
Father, I will not, I cannot excuse thee!
Wallenstein has deceived me- -O, most foully!
But thou hast acted not much better.

Oct.

My son, ah! I forgive thy agony !

Son!

Max. [rises and contemplates his father with looks of suspicion.] Was't possible? had'st thou the heart, my father,

Had'st thou the heart to drive it to such lengths, With cold premeditated purpose? ThouHad'st thou the heart, to wish to see him guilty, Rather than saved? Thou risest by his fall. Octavio, 'twill not please me.

Oct.

God in heaven!

Max. O woe is me! sure I have changed my

nature.

How comes suspicion here-in the free soul?
Hope, confidence, belief, are gone; for all
Lied to me, all what I e'er loved or honoured.
No! No! Not all! She-she yet lives for me,
And she is true, and open as the heavens!
Deceit is everywhere, hypocrisy,
Murder, and poisoning, treason, perjury:
The single holy spot is now our love,
The only unprofaned in human nature.

Oct. Max.!-we will go together. "Twill be better.

Max. What? ere I've taken a last parting leave, The very last-no, never!

Oct.

Spare thyself

The pang of necessary separation.

Come with me! Come, my son!

[Attempts to take him with him.

Max. No! as sure as God lives, no!

Oct. [more urgently.] Come with me, I command thee! I, thy father.

Max. Command me what is human. I stay here.

Oct. Max! in the Emperor's name I bid thee

come.

Max. No Emperor has power to prescribe Laws to the heart! and would'st thou wish to

rob me

Of the sole blessing which my fate has left me,
Her sympathy? Must then a cruel deed

Be done with cruelty? The unalterable
Shall I perform ignobly-steal away,

With stealthy coward flight forsake her? No!
She shall behold my suffering, my sore anguish,
Hear the complaints of the disparted soul,
And weep tears o'er me. Oh! the human race
Have steely souls-but she is as an angel.
From the black deadly madness of despair
Will she redeem my soul, and in soft words
Of comfort, plaining, loose this pang of death!
13

VOL. III.

Oct. Thou will not tear thyself away; thou

canst not.

O, come, my son! I bid thee save thy virtue. Max. Squander not thou thy words in vain. The heart I follow, for I dare trust to it.

Oct. [trembling and losing all self-command.] Max! Max! if that most damned thing could be, If thou-my son-my own blood-(dare I think it?)

Do sell thyself to him, the infamous,

Do stamp this brand upon our noble house, Then shall the world behold the horrible deed, And in unnatural combat shall the steel

Of the son trickle with the father's blood.

Max. O hadst thou always better thought of

men,

Thou hadst then acted better. Curst suspicion! Unholy miserable doubt! To him

Nothing on earth remains unwrenched and firm, Who has no faith.

Oct.

And if I trust thy heart,

Will it be always in thy power to follow it? Max. The heart's voice thou hast not o'erpower'd-as little

Will Wallenstein be able to o'erpower it.

Oct. O, Max! I see thee never more again! Max. Unworthy of thee wilt thou never see me. Oct. I go to Frauenberg-the Pappenheimers I leave thee here, the Lothrings too; Toscana And Tiefenbach remain here to protect thee.

They love thee, and are faithful to their oath,
And will far rather fall in gallant contest
Than leave their rightful leader, and their honour.
Max. Rely on this, I either leave my life
In the struggle, or conduct them out of Pilsen.
Oct. Farewell, my son!

Мах.

Oct.

Farewell!

How? not one look

Of filial love? No grasp of th' hand at parting?
It is a bloody war, to which we are going,
And the event uncertain and in darkness.
So used we not to part-it was not so!
Is it then true, I have a son no longer?

[MAX falls into his arms; they hold each other for a long
time in a speechless embrace, then go away at different
sides.]

The Curtain drops.

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