The Piccolomini (play)

Home > Other > The Piccolomini (play) > Page 8
The Piccolomini (play) Page 8

by Friedrich Schiller


  MAX.

  That is the duke's astrologer, old Seni.

  THEKLA.

  He questioned me on many points; for instance,

  When I was born, what month, and on what day,

  Whether by day or in the night.

  COUNTESS.

  He wished

  To erect a figure for your horoscope.

  THEKLA.

  My hand too he examined, shook his head

  With much sad meaning, and the lines, methought,

  Did not square over truly with his wishes.

  COUNTESS.

  Well, princess, and what found you in this tower?

  My highest privilege has been to snatch

  A side-glance, and away!

  THEKLA.

  It was a strange

  Sensation that came o'er me, when at first

  From the broad sunshine I stepped in; and now

  The narrowing line of daylight, that ran after

  The closing door, was gone; and all about me

  'Twas pale and dusky night, with many shadows

  Fantastically cast. Here six or seven

  Colossal statues, and all kings, stood round me

  In a half-circle. Each one in his hand

  A sceptre bore, and on his head a star;

  And in the tower no other light was there

  But from these stars all seemed to come from them.

  "These are the planets," said that low old man,

  "They govern worldly fates, and for that cause

  Are imaged here as kings. He farthest from you,

  Spiteful and cold, an old man melancholy,

  With bent and yellow forehead, he is Saturn.

  He opposite, the king with the red light,

  An armed man for the battle, that is Mars;

  And both these bring but little luck to man."

  But at his side a lovely lady stood,

  The star upon her head was soft and bright,

  Oh, that was Venus, the bright star of joy.

  And the left hand, lo! Mercury, with wings

  Quite in the middle glittered silver bright.

  A cheerful man, and with a monarch's mien;

  And this was Jupiter, my father's star

  And at his side I saw the Sun and Moon.

  MAX.

  Oh, never rudely will I blame his faith

  In the might of stars and angels. 'Tis not merely

  The human being's pride that peoples space

  With life and mystical predominance;

  Since likewise for the stricken heart of love

  This visible nature, and this common world,

  Is all too narrow; yea, a deeper import

  Lurks in the legend told my infant years

  Than lies upon that truth, we live to learn.

  For fable is love's world, his home, his birth-place;

  Delightedly dwells he among fays and talismans,

  And spirits; and delightedly believes

  Divinities, being himself divine

  The intelligible forms of ancient poets,

  The fair humanities of old religion,

  The power, the beauty, and the majesty,

  That had her haunts in dale, or piny mountain,

  Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly spring,

  Or chasms, and watery depths, all these have vanished.

  They live no longer in the faith of reason!

  But still the heart doth need a language, still

  Doth the old instinct bring back the old names;

  And to yon starry world they now are gone,

  Spirits or gods, that used to share this earth

  With man as with their friend [11], and to the lover

  Yonder they move, from yonder visible sky

  Shoot influence down: and even at this day

  'This Jupiter who brings whate'er is great,

  And Venus who brings everything that's fair!

  THEKLA.

  And if this be the science of the stars,

  I, too, with glad and zealous industry,

  Will learn acquaintance with this cheerful faith.

  It is a gentle and affectionate thought,

  That in immeasurable heights above us,

  At our first birth, the wreath of love was woven,

  With sparkling stars for flowers.

  COUNTESS.

  Not only roses

  And thorns too hath the heaven, and well for you

  Leave they your wreath of love inviolate:

  What Venus twined, the bearer of glad fortune,

  The sullen orb of Mars soon tears to pieces.

  MAX.

  Soon will this gloomy empire reach its close.

  Blest be the general's zeal: into the laurel

  Will he inweave the olive-branch, presenting

  Peace to the shouting nations. Then no wish

  Will have remained for his great heart. Enough

  Has he performed for glory, and can now

  Live for himself and his. To his domains will

  He retire; he has a stately seat

  Of fairest view at Gitschin, Reichenberg,

  And Friedland Castle, both lie pleasantly;

  Even to the foot of the huge mountains here

  Stretches the chase and covers of his forests:

  His ruling passion to create the splendid

  He can indulge without restraint; can give

  A princely patronage to every art,

  And to all worth a sovereign's protection.

  Can build, can plant, can watch the starry courses--

  COUNTESS.

  Yet I would have you look, and look again,

  Before you lay aside your arms, young friend!

  A gentle bride, as she is, is well worth it,

  That you should woo and win her with the sword.

  MAX.

  Oh, that the sword could win her!

  COUNTESS.

  What was that?

  Did you hear nothing? Seemed as if I heard

  Tumult and larum in the banquet-room.

  [Exit COUNTESS.

  SCENE V.

  THEKLA and MAX. PICCOLOMINI.

  THEKLA (as soon as the COUNTESS is out of sight, in a quick,

  low voice to PICCOLOMINI).

  Don't trust them! They are false!

  MAX.

  Impossible!

  THEKLA.

  Trust no one here but me. I saw at once,

  They had a purpose.

  MAX.

  Purpose! but what purpose?

  And how can we be instrumental to it?

  THEKLA.

  I know no more than you; but yet believe me

  There's some design in this; to make us happy,

  To realize our union-trust me, love!

  They but pretend to wish it.

  MAX.

  But these Terzkys-

  Why use we them at all? Why not your mother?

  Excellent creature! She deserves from us

  A full and filial confidence.

  THEKLA.

  She doth love you,

  Doth rate you high before all others-but-

  But such a secret-she would never have

  The courage to conceal it from my father.

  For her own peace of mind we must preserve it

  A secret from her too.

  MAX.

  Why any secret?

  I love not secrets. Mark what I will do.

  I'll throw me at your father's feet-let him

  Decide upon my fortune! He is true,

  He wears no mask-he hates all crooked ways-

  He is so good, so noble!

  THEKLA. (falls on his neck).

  That are you!

  MAX.

  You knew him only from this morn! But I

  Have lived ten years already in his presence;

  And who knows whether in this very moment

  He is not merely waiting for us both

 
To own our loves in order to unite us?

  You are silent!

  You look at me with such a hopelessness!

  What have you to object against your father?

  THEKLA.

  I? Nothing. Only he's so occupied-

  He has no leisure time to think about

  The happiness of us two.

  [Taking his hand tenderly.

  Follow me

  Let us not place too great a faith in men.

  These Terzkys-we will still be grateful to them

  For every kindness, but not trust them further

  Than they deserve;-and in all else rely

  On our own hearts!

  MAX.

  O! shall we e'er be happy?

  THEKLA.

  Are we not happy now? Art thou not mine?

  Am I not thine? There lives within my soul

  A lofty courage-'tis love gives it me!

  I ought to be less open-ought to hide

  My heart more from thee-so decorum dictates:

  But where in this place couldst thou seek for truth,

  If in my mouth thou didst not find it?

  We now have met, then let us hold each other

  Clasped in a lasting and a firm embrace.

  Believe me this was more than their intent.

  Then be our loves like some blest relic kept

  Within the deep recesses of the heart.

  From heaven alone the love has been bestowed,

  To heaven alone our gratitude is due;

  It can work wonders for us still.

  SCENE VI.

  To them enters the COUNTESS TERZKY.

  COUNTESS (in a pressing manner).

  Come, come!

  My husband sends me for you. It is now

  The latest moment.

  [They not appearing to attend to what she says,

  she steps between them.

  Part you!

  THEKLA.

  Oh, not yet!

  It has been scarce a moment.

  COUNTESS.

  Ay! Then time

  Flies swiftly with your highness, princess niece!

  MAX.

  There is no hurry, aunt.

  COUNTESS.

  Away! Away!

  The folks begin to miss you. Twice already

  His father has asked for him.

  THEKLA.

  Ha! His father!

  COUNTESS.

  You understand that, niece!

  THEKLA.

  Why needs he

  To go at all to that society?

  'Tis not his proper company. They may

  Be worthy men, but he's too young for them;

  In brief, he suits not such society.

  COUNTESS.

  You mean, you'd rather keep him wholly here?

  THEKLA (with energy).

  Yes! You have hit it aunt! That is my meaning,

  Leave him here wholly! Tell the company--

  COUNTESS.

  What! have you lost your senses, niece?

  Count, you remember the conditions. Come!

  MAX (to THEKLA).

  Lady, I must obey. Fairwell, dear lady!

  [THEKLA turns away from him with a quick motion.

  What say you then, dear lady?

  THEKLA (without looking at him).

  Nothing. Go!

  MAX.

  Can I when you are angry--

  [He draws up to her, their eyes meet, she stands silent a moment,

  then throws herself into his arms; he presses her fast to his heart.

  COUNTESS.

  Off! Heavens! if any one should come!

  Hark! What's that noise! It comes this way. Off!

  [MAX. tears himself away out of her arms and goes. The COUNTESS

  accompanies him. THEKLA follows him with her eyes at first, walks

  restlessly across the room, then stops, and remains standing, lost

  in thought. A guitar lies on the table, she seizes it as by a

  sudden emotion, and after she has played awhile an irregular and

  melancholy symphony, she falls gradually into the music and sings.

  SCENE VII.

  THEKLA (plays and sings).

  The cloud doth gather, the greenwood roar,

  The damsel paces along the shore;

  The billows, they tumble with might, with might;

  And she flings out her voice to the darksome night;

  Her bosom is swelling with sorrow;

  The world it is empty, the heart will die,

  There's nothing to wish for beneath the sky

  Thou Holy One, call thy child away!

  I've lived and loved, and that was to-day;

  Make ready my grave-clothes to-morrow. [12]

  SCENE VIII.

  COUNTESS (returns), THEKLA.

  COUNTESS.

  Fie, lady niece! to throw yourself upon him

  Like a poor gift to one who cares not for it,

  And so must be flung after him! For you,

  Duke Friedland's only child, I should have thought

  It had been more beseeming to have shown yourself

  More chary of your person.

  THEKLA (rising).

  And what mean you?

  DUCHESS.

  I mean, niece, that you should not have forgotten

  Who you are, and who he is. But perchance

  That never once occurred to you.

  THEKLA.

  What then?

  COUNTESS.

  That you're the daughter of the Prince Duke Friedland.

  THEKLA.

  Well, and what farther?

  DUCHESS.

  What? A pretty question!

  THEKLA.

  He was born that which we have but become.

  He's of an ancient Lombard family,

  Son of a reigning princess.

  COUNTESS.

  Are you dreaming?

  Talking in sleep? An excellent jest, forsooth!

  We shall no doubt right courteously entreat him

  To honor with his hand the richest heiress

  In Europe.

  THEKLA.

  That will not be necessary.

  COUNTESS.

  Methinks 'twere well, though, not to run the hazard.

  THEHLA.

  His father loves him; Count Octavio

  Will interpose no difficulty--

  COUNTESS.

  His!

  His father! His! But yours, niece, what of yours?

  THERLA.

  Why, I begin to think you fear his father,

  So anxiously you hide it from the man!

  His father, his, I mean.

  COUNTESS (looks at her as scrutinizing).

  Niece, you are false.

  THEBLA.

  Are you then wounded? O, be friends with me!

  COUNTESS.

  You hold your game for won already. Do not

  Triumph too soon!

  THEKLA (interrupting her, and attempting to soothe her).

  Nay now, be friends with me.

  COUNTESS.

  It is not yet so far gone.

  THEKLA.

  I believe you.

  COUNTESS.

  Did you suppose your father had laid out

  His most important life in toils of war,

  Denied himself each quiet earthly bliss,

  Had banished slumbers from his tent, devoted

  His noble head to care, and for this only,

  To make a happier pair of you? At length

  To draw you from your convent, and conduct

  In easy triumph to your arms the man

  That chanced to please your eyes! All this, methinks,

  He might have purchased at a cheaper rate.

  THEKLA.

  That which he did not plant for me might yet

  Bear me fair fruitage of its own accord.

  And if my friendly and affectionate fate,

  Out of his fearful
and enormous being,

  Will but prepare the joys of life for me--

  COUNTESS.

  Thou seest it with a lovelorn maiden's eyes,

  Cast thine eye round, bethink thee who thou art;-

  Into no house of joyance hast thou stepped,

  For no espousals dost thou find the walls

  Decked out, no guests the nuptial garland wearing;

  Here is no splendor but of arms. Or thinkest thou

  That all these thousands are here congregated

  To lead up the long dances at thy wedding!

  Thou see'st thy father's forehead full of thought,

  Thy mother's eye in tears: upon the balance

  Lies the great destiny of all our house.

  Leave now the puny wish, the girlish feeling;

  Oh, thrust it far behind thee! Give thou proof

  Thou'rt the daughter of the mighty-his

  Who where he moves creates the wonderful.

  Not to herself the woman must belong,

 

‹ Prev