ow all.

DUCHESS.

What hast thou done?

COUNTESS (_to_ TERZKY).

Is there no hope? Is all lost utterly?

TERZKY.

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.

TERZKY.

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_ TERZKY).

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_.]

TERZKY.

What shall we make of this?

WALLENSTEIN.

Said I not so?
O my prophetic heart! he is still here.
He has not betray'd me--he could not betray 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 forever.

TERZKY.

It can't be.
His father has betray'd us, is gone over
To the Emperor--the son could not have ventured
To stay behind.

THEKLA (_her eyes fixed on the door_).

There he is!

SCENE XVIII

_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 favorable moment:
This loitering, this suspense exceeds my powers.

[_Advancing to_ THEKLA, _who has thrown herself into her
mother's arms_.]

Turn not thine eyes away. O look upon me!
Confess it freely before all. Fear no one.
Let who will hear that we both love each other;
Wherefore continue to conceal it? Secrecy
Is for the happy--misery, hopeless misery,
Needeth no veil! Beneath a thousand suns
It dares act openly.

[_He observes the_ COUNTESS _looking on_ THEKLA _with
ex