COUNTESS.

Is it then,
Can it have come to this?—­What!  Cousin, cousin! 
Have you the heart?

MAX.

The regiments that are trusted to my care
I have pledged my troth to bring away from Pilsen
True to the Emperor; and this promise will I
Make good, or perish.  More than this no duty
Requires of me.  I will not fight against thee,
Unless compell’d; for though an enemy,
Thy head is holy to me still.

[Two reports of cannon.  ILLO and TERZKY hurry to the window.]

WALLENST.

What’s that?

TERZKY.

He falls.

WALLENSTEIN.

Falls!  Who?

ILLO.

Tiefenbach’s corps
Discharged the ordnance.

WALLENSTEIN.

Upon whom?

ILLO.

On Neumann,
Your messenger.

WALLENSTEIN (starting up).

Ha!  Death and hell!  I will—­

TERZKY.

Expose thyself to their blind frenzy?

DUCHESS and COUNTESS.

No! 
For God’s sake, no!

ILLO.

Not yet, my General
O hold him! hold him!

WALLENSTEIN.

Leave me.

MAX.

Do it not;
Not yet!  This rash and bloody deed has thrown them
Into a frenzy-fit—­allow them time—­

WALLENST.

Away! too long already have I loiter’d. 
They are emboldened to these outrages,
Beholding not my face.  They shall behold
My countenance, shall hear my voice—­
Are they not my troops?  Am I not their General,
And their long-fear’d commander?  Let me see
Whether indeed they do no longer know
That countenance, which was their sun in battle! 
From the balcony (mark!) I show myself
To these rebellious forces, and at once
Revolt is mounded, and the high-swoln current
Shrinks back into the old bed of obedience.

[Exit WALLENSTEIN; ILLO, TERZKY, and BUTLER follow.]

SCENE XXI

COUNTESS, DUCHESS, MAX and THEKLA

COUNTESS (to the DUCHESS).

Let them but see him—­there is hope still, sister.

DUCHESS.

Hope!  I have none!

MAX (who during the last scene has been standing at a distance, in a visible struggle of feelings, advances).

This can I not endure. 
With most determined soul did I come hither;
My purposed action seem’d unblamable
To my own conscience—­and I must stand here
Like one abhorr’d, a hard inhuman being: 
Yea, loaded with the curse of all I love! 
Must see all whom I love in this sore anguish,
Whom I with one word can make happy—­O! 
My heart revolts within me, and two voices
Make themselves audible within my bosom. 
My soul’s benighted; I no longer can
Distinguish the right track.  O, well and truly
Didst thou say, father, I relied too much
On my own heart.  My mind moves to and fro—­
know not what to do.