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to me:

       And having construed my astonishment

       Into a scruple of his power, he shewed me 180

       His written evidences — shewed me letters,

       Both from the Saxon and the Swede, that gave

       Promise of aidance, and defin’d the amount.

      Max. It cannot be! — can not be! can not be!

       Dost thou not see, it cannot! 185

       Thou wouldest of necessity have shewn him

       Such horror, such deep loathing — that or he

       Had taken thee for his better genius, or

       Thou stood’st not now a living man before me —

      Octavio. I have laid open my objections to him, 190

       Dissuaded him with pressing earnestness;

       But my abhorrence, the full sentiment

       Of my whole heart — that I have still kept sacred

       To my own consciousness.

      Max. And thou hast been

       So treacherous? That looks not like my father! 195

       I trusted not thy words, when thou didst tell me

       Evil of him; much less can I now do it,

       That thou calumniatest thy own self.

      Octavio. I did not thrust myself into his secrecy.

      Max. Uprightness merited his confidence. 200

      Octavio. He was no longer worthy of sincerity.

      Max. Dissimulation, sure, was still less worthy

       Of thee, Octavio!

      Octavio. Gave I him a cause

       To entertain a scruple of my honour?

      Max. That he did not, evinced his confidence. 205

      Octavio. Dear son, it is not always possible

       Still to preserve that infant purity

       Which the voice teaches in our inmost heart.

       Still in alarm, for ever on the watch

       Against the wiles of wicked men, e’en Virtue 210

       Will sometimes bear away her outward robes

       Soiled in the wrestle with Iniquity.

       This is the curse of every evil deed,

       That, propagating still, it brings forth evil.

       I do not cheat my better soul with sophisms: 215

       I but perform my orders; the Emperor

       Prescribes my conduct to me. Dearest boy,

       Far better were it, doubtless, if we all

       Obeyed the heart at all times; but so doing,

       In this our present sojourn with bad men, 220

       We must abandon many an honest object.

       ‘Tis now our call to serve the Emperor,

       By what means he can best be served — the heart

       May whisper what it will — this is our call!

      Max. It seems a thing appointed, that to-day 225

       I should not comprehend, not understand thee.

       The Duke thou say’st did honestly pour out

       His heart to thee, but for an evil purpose;

       And thou dishonestly hast cheated him

       For a good purpose! Silence, I entreat thee — 230

       My friend thou stealest not from me —

       Let me not lose my father!

      Octavio. As yet thou know’st not all, my son. I have

       Yet somewhat to disclose to thee. [After a pause.

       Duke Friedland

       Hath made his preparations. He relies 235

       Upon his stars. He deems us unprovided,

       And thinks to fall upon us by surprise.

       Yea, in his dream of hope, he grasps already

       The golden circle in his hand. He errs.

       We too have been in action — he but grasps 240

       His evil fate, most evil, most mysterious!

      Max. O nothing rash, my sire! By all that’s good

       Let me invoke thee — no precipitation!

      Octavio. With light tread stole he on his evil way,

       With light tread hath Vengeance stole on after him. 245

       Unseen she stands already, dark behind him —

       But one step more — he shudders in her grasp!

       Thou hast seen Questenberg with me. As yet

       Thou know’st but his ostensible commission;

       He brought with him a private one, my son! 250

       And that was for me only.

      Max. May I know it?

      Octavio (seizes the patent). Max! [A pause.

       —— In this disclosure place I in thy hands

       The Empire’s welfare and thy father’s life.

       Dear to thy inmost heart is Wallenstein:

       A powerful tie of love, of veneration, 255

       Hath knit thee to him from thy earliest youth.

       Thou nourishest the wish. — O let me still

       Anticipate thy loitering confidence!

       The hope thou nourishest to knit thyself

       Yet closer to him ——

      Max. Father ——

      Octavio. O my son! 260

       I trust thy heart undoubtingly. But am I

       Equally sure of thy collectedness?

       Wilt thou be able, with calm countenance,

       To enter this man’s presence, when that I

       Have trusted to thee his whole fate?

      Max. According 265

       As thou dost trust me, father, with his crime.

      [OCTAVIO takes a paper out of his escrutoire, and gives

       it to him.

      Max. What? how? a full Imperial patent!

      Octavio. Read it.

      Max (just glances on it). Duke Friedland sentenced and condemned!

      Octavio. Even so.

      Max (throws down the paper). O this is too much! O unhappy

       error! 270

      Octavio. Read on. Collect thyself.

      Max (after he has read further, with a look of affright and

       astonishment on his father). How! what! Thou! thou!

      Octavio. But for the present moment, till the King

       Of Hungary may safely join the army,

       Is the command assigned to me.

      Max. And think’st thou,

       Dost thou believe, that thou wilt tear it from him? 275

       O never hope it! — Father! father! father!

       An inauspicious office is enjoined thee.

       This paper here — this! and wilt thou enforce it?

       The

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