Will go to wreck—all go to instant wreck.
What then? another chieftain is soon found,
Another army likewise (who dares doubt it?)
Will flock from all sides to the Emperor
At the first beat of his recruiting drum.

[During this speech, ISOLANI, TErtsky, Illo, and
MARADAS talk confusedly with great agitation.

Max Pic. [busily and passionately going from one to another, and soothing them.] Hear, my commander! Hear me, generals!

Let me conjure you, Duke! Determine nothing,
Till we have met and represented to you
Our joint remonstrances.-Nay, calmer! Friends!
I hope all may be yet set right again.

Ter. Away! let us away! in th' antechamber Find we the others.

[They go. But. [to QUESTENBERG.] If good counsel gain Due audience from your wisdom, my Lord Envoy, You will be cautious how you show yourself In public for some hours to come-or hardly

Will that gold key protect you from maltreat

ment.

[Commotions heard from without.

Wal. A salutary counsel- -Thou, Octavio,

Wilt answer for the safety of our guest.

Farewell, Von Questenberg.

[QUESTENBERG is about to speak.

Nay, not a word,

Not one word more of that detested subject!

You have performed your duty-We know how To separate the office from the man.

[AS QUESTENBERG is going off with OCTAVIO, GOETZ, TIEFENBACH, KOLALTO, press in; several other Generals following them.

Goetz. Where's he who means to rob us of our

general?

Tief. [at the same time.] What are we forced to hear? That thou wilt leave us?

Kol. [at the same time.] We will live with thee, we will die with thee.

Wal. [pointing to ILLO.] There! the FieldMarshal knows our will.

[Exit.

[While all are going off the stage, the curtain drops.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-A small Chamber.

ILLO and TERTSKY.

Ter. Now for this evening's business! How

intend you

To manage with the generals at the banquet? Illo. Attend! We frame a formal declaration Wherein we to the Duke consign ourselves Collectively, to be and to remain

His both with life and limb, and not to spare

The last drop of our blood for him, provided
So doing we infringe no oath nor duty,
We may be under to the Emp'ror.-Mark!
This reservation we expressly make

In a particular clause, and save the conscience.
Now hear! This formula so framed and worded
Will be presented to them for perusal

Before the banquet. No one will find in it
Cause of offence or scruple. Hear now further!
After the feast, when now the vapʼring wine
Opens the heart, and shuts the eyes, we let
A counterfeited paper, in the which

This one particular clause has been left out,
Go round for signatures.

Ter.

How? think you then That they'll believe themselves bound by an

oath,

Which we had tricked them into by a juggle?

Illo. We shall have caught and caged them! Let them then

Beat their wings bare against the wires, and rave
Loud as they may against our treachery,

At court their signatures will be believed
Far more than their most holy affirmations.
Traitors they are, and must be; therefore wisely
Will make a virtue of necessity.

Ter. Well, well, it shall content me; let but something

Be done, let only some decisive blow

Set us in motion.

Illo. Besides, 'tis of subordinate importance
How, or how far, we may thereby propel
The generals. 'Tis enough that we persuade
The Duke, that they are his-Let him but act
In his determined mood, as if he had them,
And he will have them. Where he plunges in,
He makes a whirlpool, and all stream down to it.
Ter. His policy is such a labyrinth,

That many a time when I have thought myself
Close at his side, he's gone at once and left me
Ignorant of the ground where I was standing.
He lends the enemy his ear, permits me
To write to them, to Arnheim; to Sesina
Himself comes forward blank and undisguised;
Talks with us by the hour about his plans,
And when I think I have him-off at once-
He has slipped from me, and appears as if
He had no scheme, but to retain his place.
Illo. He give up his old plans! I'll tell you,
friend!

His soul is occupied with nothing else,

Even in his sleep-They are his thoughts, his dreams,

That day by day he questions for this purpose
The motions of the planets-

Ter.

Ay! you know

This night, that is now coming, he with Seni
Shuts himself up in the astrological tower
To make joint observations—for I hear,
It is to be a night of weight and crisis;

And something great, and of long expectation,
Is to make its procession in the heaven.

Illo.

Come! be we bold and make dispatch.
The work

In this next day or two must thrive and grow
More than it has for years. And let but only
Things first turn up auspicious here below
Mark what I say—the right stars too will show
themselves.

Come, to the generals. All is in the glow,
And must be beaten while 'tis malleable.

Ter. Do you go thither, Illo. I must stay
And wait here for the Countess Tertsky. Know,
That we too are not idle. Break one string,
A second is in readiness.

Illo.

Yes! Yes!

I saw your lady smile with such sly meaning.
What's in the wind?

Ter.

A secret. Hush! she comes.

Exit ILLO.

SCENE II. (The COUNTESS steps out from a Closet.) COUNT and COUNTESS TERTSKY.

Ter. Well-is she coming?-I can keep him back

No longer.

Coun. She will be there instantly.

You only send him.

Ter.

I am not quite certain

I must confess it, Countess, whether or not [know We e are earning the Duke's thanks hereby. You