!

[_He kisses him again and draws him to his feet._]

THE PRINCE. Behold, now have you given me life indeed!
Now every blessing on you I implore
That from their cloudy thrones the seraphim
Pour forth exultant over hero-heads.
Go, and make war, and conquer, oh, my liege,
The world that fronts you--for you merit it!

ELECTOR. Guards! Lead the prisoner back to his cell!

SCENE VIII

NATALIE _and the_ ELECTRESS _appear in the doorway, followed by
ladies-in-waiting. The others as before._

NATALIE. Mother! Decorum! Can you speak that word?
In such an hour there's none but just to love him--
My dear, unhappy love!

THE PRINCE (_turning_). Now I shall go!

TRUCHSZ (_holding him_).
No, nevermore, my Prince!

[_Several officers step in his way._]

THE PRINCE. Take me away!

HOHENZOLL. Liege, can your heart--

THE PRINCE (_tearing himself free_).
You tyrants, would you drag me
In fetters to my execution-place?
Go! I have closed my reckoning with this world.

[_He goes out under guard._]

NATALIE (_on the_ ELECTRESS' _breast_).
Open, O earth, receive me in your deeps.
Why should I look upon the sunlight more?

SCENE IX

_The persons, as in the preceding scene, with the exception of the_
PRINCE OF HOMBURG.

MARSHAL. God of earth! Did it have to come to that?

[_The_ ELECTOR _speaks in a low voice to an officer._]

KOTTWITZ (_frigidly_).
My sovereign, after all that has occurred
Are we dismissed?

ELECTOR. Not for the present, no!
I'll give you notice when you are dismissed!

[_He regards him a moment straightly and steadily; then takes the
papers which the page has brought him from the table and turns to the_
FIELD-MARSHAL.]

This passport, take it, for Count Horn the Swede.
Tell him it is my cousin's wish, the Prince's,
Which I have pledged myself to carry out.
The war begins again in three days' time!

[_Pause. He casts a glance at the death warrant._]

Judge for yourselves, my lords. The Prince of Homburg
Through disobedience and recklessness
Of two of my best victories this year
Deprived me, and indeed impaired the third.
Now that he's had his schooling these last days
Come, will you risk it with him for a fourth?

KOTTWITZ _and_ TRUCHSZ (_helter-skelter_).
What, my adored--my worshipped--What, my liege?-