STEIN.
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!
Oh, 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----

WALLENSTEIN.
Away! too long already have I loitered.
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-feared 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-swollen 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 seemed unblamable
To my own conscience--and I must stand here
Like one abhorred, 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. Oh, well and truly
Didst thou say, father, I relied too much
On my own heart. My mind moves to and fro--
I know not what to do.

COUNTESS.
What! you know not?
Does not your own heart tell you? Oh! then I
Will tell it you. Your father is a traitor,
A frightful traitor to us--he has plotted
Against our general's life, has plunged us all
In misery--and you're his son! 'Tis yours
To make the amends. Make you the son's fidelity
Outweigh the father's treason,