And his supreme behests. The proud Bavarian, He and the Spaniards stand up your accusers— That there's a storm collecting over you

Of far more fearful menace than that former one Which whirled you headlong down at Regenspurg. And people talk, said he, ofAh!

[Strides across the room in vehement agitation.
O they force, they thrust me

With violence, against my own will, onward! Duch. [presses near to him, in entreaty.] O! if there yet be time, my husband! if

By giving way and by submission, this
Can be averted-my dear lord, give way!

Win down your proud heart to it! Tell that heart,

It is your sovereign lord, your Emperor

Before whom you retreat. O! let no longer

Low tricking malice blacken your good meaning
With abhorred venomous glosses. Stand you up
Shielded and helmed and weaponed with the truth,
And drive before you into uttermost shame
These slanderous liars! Few firm friends have

we

You know it!—the swift growth of our good fortune It hath but set us up, a mark for hatred.

What are we, if the sovereign's grace and favour Stand not before us?

SCENE VIII.-Enter the COUNTESS TERTSKY, leading in her hand the PRINCESS THEKLA, richly adorned with brilliants. COUNTESS, THEKLA, WALLENSTEIN, DUCHESS.

Coun. How, sister? What already upon business,

[Observing the countenance of the DUCHESS.

And business of no pleasing kind I see,
Ere he has gladdened at his child. The first
Moment belongs to joy. Here, Friedland! father!
This is thy daughter.

THEKLA approaches with a shy and timid air, and bends
herself as about to kiss his hand. He receives her in
his arms, and remains standing for some time lost in
the feeling of her presence,

Wai. Yes! pure and lovely hath hope risen on

me:

I take her as the pledge of greater fortune.

Duch. 'Twas but a little child when you departed

To raise up that great army for the Emperor:
And after, at the close of the campaign,
When you returned home out of Pomerania,
Your daughter was already in the convent,
Wherein she has remained till now.

Wal.
The while
We in the field here gave our cares and toils
To make her great, and fight her a free way
To the loftiest earthly good; lo! mother Nature
Within the peaceful silent convent walls
Has done her part, and out of her free grace
Hath she bestowed on the beloved child
The godlike; and now leads her thus adorned
To meet her splendid fortune, and my hope.
Duch. [to THEKLA.] Thou wouldst not have
recognized thy father,

Wouldst thou, my child? She counted scarce eight years,

When last she saw your face.

Thek.

O yes, yes, mother!

At the first glance !—My father is not altered.

The form that stands before me, falsifies

No feature of the image that hath lived

So long within me!

Wal.

The voice of my child!

I was indignant at my destiny

[Then after a pause.

That it denied me a man-child, to be

Heir of my name and of my prosperous fortune,
And re-illume my soon extinguished being,
In a proud line of princes.

I wronged my destiny. Here upon this head
So lovely in its maiden bloom will I
Let fall the garland of a life of war,
Nor deem it lost, if only I can wreathe it
Transmitted to a regal ornament,

Around these beauteous brows.

[He clasps her in his arms, as PicCOLOMINI enters.

SCENE IX.-Enter MAX PICCOLOMINI and some time after COUNT TERTSKY, the others remaining as before.

Coun. There comes the Paladin who protect

ed us.

Wal. Max! Welcome, ever welcome! Always

wert thou

The morning star of my best joys!

Max.

My General

Wal. 'Till now it was the Emperor who reward

ed thee,

I but the instrument. This day thou hast bound The father to thee, Max! the fortunate father, And this debt Friedland's self must pay.

Max. My prince You made no common hurry to transfer it. I come with shame: yea, not without a pang! For scarce have I arrived here, scarce delivered The mother and the daughter to your arms,

But there is brought to me from your equerry
A splendid richly-plated hunting dress,
So to remunerate me for my troubles-
Yes, yes, remunerate me! Since a trouble
It must be, a mere office, not a favour
Which I leaped forward to receive, and which
I came already with full heart to thank you for.
No! 'twas not so intended, that my business
Should be my highest best good fortune!

[TERTSKY enters, and delivers letters to the DUKE, which
he breaks open hurryingly.

Coun. [to MAX.] Remunerate your trouble! For his joy

He makes you recompense. 'Tis not unfitting For you, Count Piccolomini, to feel

So tenderly-my brother it beseems

To show himself for ever great and princely.
Thek. Then I too must have scruples of his love:
For his munificent hands did ornament me
Ere yet the father's heart had spoken to me.
Max. Yes; 'tis his nature ever to be giving,
And making happy.

[He grasps the hand of the DUCHESS with still increasing
warmth.

How my heart pours out

Its all of thanks to him: O! how I seem

To utter all things in the dear name Friedland.
While I shall live, so long will I remain
The captive of this name: in it shall bloom