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

Tertsky. A secret. Hush! she comes.

SCENE II

The COUNTESS steps out from a Closet.

COUNT and COUNTESS TERTSKY.

[Exit ILLO.

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

No longer.

Countess. She will be there instantly.

You know, 5

You only send him.
Tertsky.
I am not quite certain,
I must confess it, Countess, whether or not
We are earning the Duke's thanks hereby.
No ray has broken from him on this point.
You have o'er-ruled me, and yourself know best
How far you dare proceed.

Countess.

I take it on me.

10

[Talking to herself, while she is advancing.
Here's no need of full powers and commissions-
My cloudy Duke! we understand each other-
And without words. What, could I not unriddle,
Wherefore the daughter should be sent for hither,
Why first he, and no other, should be chosen

To fetch her hither! This sham of betrothing her
To a bridegroom,' whom no one knows-No! no!-
This may blind others! I see through thee, Brother!
But it beseems thee not, to draw a card

At such a game. Not yet!-It all remains

Mutely delivered up to my finessing

15

Well-thou shalt not have been deceived, Duke Friedland! In her who is thy sister.

Servant (enters).

Tertsky (to the Countess).

and affections

Possess him with a reverie, and send him,
Absent and dreaming, to the banquet; that

He may not boggle at the signature.

25

1 In Germany, after honourable addresses have been paid and formally accepted, the lovers are called Bride and Bridegroom, even though the marriage should not take place till years afterwards.

6 broken] broke out 1800, 1828, 1829. 15 whom] when 1800, 1828, 1829.

13 he 1800, 1828, 1829.

Countess. Take you care of your guests!-Go, send him

hither.

Tertsky. All rests upon his undersigning.

Countess. Go to your guests! Go

Illo (comes back). Where art staying, Tertsky? The house is full, and all expecting you.

Tertsky. Instantly! Instantly!

And let him not

30

[To the COUNTESS.

Stay here too long.
In the old man

It might awake suspicion

Countess.

A truce with your precautions!
[Exeunt TERTSKY and ILLO,

SCENE III

COUNTESS, MAX PICCOLOMINI.

Max. Aunt Tertsky? may I venture?

[Advances to the middle of the stage, and looks around him with uneasiness.

Where is she?

She's not here!

Countess. Look but somewhat narrowly In yonder corner, lest perhaps she lie Conceal'd behind that screen.

Max.

There lie her gloves!1

[Snatches at them, but the COUNTESS takes them herself.

You unkind Lady! You refuse me this

You make it an amusement to torment me.

5

Countess. And this the thanks you give me for my trouble?
Max. O, if you felt the oppression at my heart!
Since we've been here, so to constrain myself-

With such poor stealth to hazard words and glances—
These, these are not my habits!

Countess.

You have still

Many new habits to acquire, young friend!

10

1 All this is terribly childish, at least appears so to an English lover. Besides it is modern French Comedy-for which, by the by, we want a word to distinguish it from the toto caelo different Comedy which Shakespere and his contemporaries worked up into their Tragedy with such felicity of action and reaction. MS. R.

28 Countess (interrupting him). 1800, 1828, 1829.

Scene III. Max (peeping in on the stage shyly). 1800, 1828, 1829. thanks] thank 1800, 1828, 1829. 8 my 1800, 1828, 1829.

7

But on this proof of your obedient temper
I must continue to insist; and only
On this condition can I play the agent

For your concerns.

Max.

Where is she?

But wherefore comes she not?

Countess. Into my hands you must place it
Whole and entire. Whom could you find, indeed,
More zealously affected to your interest?

No soul on earth must know it-not your father.
He must not above all.

Max.
Alas! what danger?
Here is no face on which I might concentre
All the enraptured soul stirs up within me.
O Lady! tell me. Is all changed around me?
Or is it only I?

I find myself,

As among strangers! Not a trace is left

Of all my former wishes, former joys.
Where has it vanished to? There was a time

When even, methought, with such a world as this
I was not discontented. Now how flat!

How stale! No life, no bloom, no flavour in it!
My comrades are intolerable to me.

My father-Even to him I can say nothing.
My arms, my military duties-O!

They are such wearying toys!

Countess.

But, gentle friend!

I must entreat it of your condescension,

You would be pleased to sink your eye, and favour
With one short glance or two this poor stale world,
Where even now much, and of much moment,
Is on the eve of its completion.

Max.

Something,

I can't but know, is going forward round me.
I see it gathering, crowding, driving on,
In wild uncustomary movements. Well,
In due time, doubtless, it will reach even me.
Where think you I have been, dear lady? Nay,
No raillery. The turmoil of the camp,
The spring-tide of acquaintance rolling in,
The pointless jest, the empty conversation,
Oppress'd and stifled me. I gasped for air-

7 my 1800, 1828, 1829.

21 He 1800, 1828, 1829.

I could not breathe-I was constrain'd to fly,
To seek a silence out for my full heart;
And a pure spot wherein to feel my happiness.
No smiling, Countess! In the church was I.
There is a cloister here to the heaven's gate,'
Thither I went, there found myself alone.
Over the altar hung a holy mother;

A wretched painting 'twas, yet 'twas the friend
That I was seeking in this moment.

Ah,

How oft have I beheld that glorious form

In splendour, mid ecstatic worshippers;

50

55

60

Yet, still it moved me not! and now at once
Was my devotion cloudless as my love.

Countess. Enjoy your fortune and felicity!

Forget the world around you. Meantime, friendship
Shall keep strict vigils for you, anxious, active.
Only be manageable when that friendship

Points you the road to full accomplishment.

How long may it be since you declared your passion?
Max. This morning did I hazard the first word.

65

Countess. This morning the first time in twenty days? 70 Max. "Twas at that hunting-castle, betwixt here And Nepomuck, where you had joined us, and— That was the last relay of the whole journey! In a balcony we were standing mute,

And gazing out upon the dreary field:
Before us the dragoons were riding onward,

75

The safe-guard which the Duke had sent us-heavy
The inquietude of parting lay upon me,

And trembling ventured I at length these words:
This all reminds me, noble maiden, that
To-day I must take leave of my good fortune.
A few hours more, and you will find a father,
Will see yourself surrounded by new friends,
And I henceforth shall be but as a stranger,
Lost in the many-'Speak with my aunt Tertsky!
With hurrying voice she interrupted me.
She faltered. I beheld a glowing red

80

85

1 I am doubtful whether this be the dedication of the cloister or the name of one of the city gates, near which it stood. I have translated it in the former sense; but fearful of having made some blunder, I add the original-Es ist ein Kloster hier zur Himmelspforte.

72 you 1800, 1828, 1829.

Possess her beautiful cheeks, and from the ground
Raised slowly up her eye met mine-no longer
Did I control myself.

[The PRINCESS THEKLA appears at the door, and remains standing, observed by the COUNTESS, but not by PICCOLOMINI.

With instant boldness

I caught her in my arms, my mouth touched hers;
There was a rustling in the room close by;

It parted us-'Twas you. What since has happened,
You know.

Countess. And is it your excess of modesty ;
Or are you so incurious, that you do not
Ask me too of my secret?

Max.

Of your secret ?

Countess. Why, yes! When in the instant after you I stepped into the room, and found my niece there, What she in this first moment of the heart

Ta'en with surprise

Max.

90

95

100

Well?

SCENE IV

THEKLA (hurries forward), COUNTESS, MAX PICCOLOMINI.
Thekla (to the Countess). Spare yourself the trouble:
That hears he better from myself.

Max.
My Princess!
What have you let her hear me say, aunt Tertsky?
Thekla (to the Countess). Has he been here long?

Yes; and soon must go.

Wept so again! and I-I see her suffer,

Yet cannot keep myself from being happy.

Max. Now once again I have courage to look on you.

To-day at noon I could not.

The dazzle of the jewels that play'd round you

Hid the beloved from me.

Thekla.

91 mouth] lips MS. R.

at Thekla). 1800, 1828, 1829. eagerness). 1800, 1828, 1829.

Then you saw me

10

94 Countess (after a pause, with a stolen glance 96 your 1800 1828, 1829.

Scene IV. 2 Max (stepping backward). 1800, 1828, 1829. 1828, 1829,

100 Max (with

5 you 1800,