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To the other, every hand's against the other.

Each one is party and no one a judge.

Where shall this end? Where's he that will unravel

This tangle, ever tangling more and more.

It must be cut asunder.

I feel that I am the man of destiny,

And trust, with your assistance, to accomplish it.

SCENE IV.

To these enter BUTLER.

BUTLER. (passionately.)

General! This is not right!

WALLENSTEIN.

What is not right?

BUTLER.

It must needs injure us with all honest men,

[blocks in formation]

BUTLER.

Count Tertsky's regiments tear the Imperial Eagle From off the banners, and instead of it,

Have reared aloft thy arms.

ANSPESSADE. (abruptly to the Cuirassiers.)

Right about! March!

WALLENSTEIN.

Cursed be this counsel, and accursed who gave it! [to the Cuirassiers, who are retiring.

Halt, children, halt! There's some mistake in this; Hark!--I will punish it severely. Stop!

They do not hear. (to Illo.) Go after them, assure

them,

And bring them back to me, cost what it may. (Illo hurries out.)

This hurls us headlong. Butler! Butler!

You are my evil genius, wherefore must you
Announce it in their presence? It was all

In a fair way. They were half won, those madmen
With their improvident over-readiness-

A cruel game is Fortune playing with me.
The zeal of friends it is that razes me,

And not the hate of enemies.

SCENE V.

To these enter the DUCHESS, who rushes into the Chamber. THEKLA and the COUNTESS follow

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Forgive me, brother! It was not in my power.

They know all.

DUCHESS.

What hast thou done?

COUNTESS. (to Tertsky.)

Is there no hope? Is all lost utterly?

TERTSKY.

All lost. No hope. Prague in the Emperor's hands, The soldiery have ta'en their oaths anew.

COUNTESS.

That lurking hypocrite, Octavio !

Count Max. is off too?

TERTSKY.

Where can he be? He's

Gone over to the Emperor with his father.

(Thekla rushes out into the arms of her mother, hiding her face in her bosom.)

DUCHESS. (enfolding her in her arms.)
Unhappy child! and more unhappy mother!
WALLENSTEIN. (aside to Tertsky.)

Quick! Let a carriage stand in readiness
In the court behind the palace. Scherfenberg
Be their attendant; he is faithful to us;
To Egra he'll conduct them, and we follow.
(to Illo who returns.)

Thou hast not brought them back?

ILLO.

Hear'st thou the uproar?

The whole corps of the Pappenheimers is
Drawn out the younger Piccolomini,
Their colonel, they require; for they affirm,
That he is in the palace here, a prisoner;
And if thou dost not instantly deliver him,
They will find means to free him with the sword.
(all stand amazed.)

TERTSKY.

What shall we make of this?

WALLENSTEIN.

Said I not so?

O my prophetic heart! he is still here.

-he could not betray me.

He has not betrayed me~]

I never doubted of it.

COUNTESS.

If he be

Still here, then all goes well; for I know what

(embracing Thekla.)

Will keep him here for ever.

TERTSKY.

It can't be.

His father has betrayed us, is gone over

To the Emperor-the son could not have ventured To stay behind.

THEKLA. (her eye fixed on the door.)

There he is!

SCENE VI.

To these enter MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

MAX.

Yes! here he is! I can endure no longer

To creep on tiptoe round this house, and lurk
In ambush for a favourable moment.

This loitering, this suspense exceeds my powers.

(advancing to Thekla, who has thrown herself into her mother's arms.)

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