Samuel Coleridge - The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge

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, 115

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 birthplace;

Delightedly dwells he ‘mong fays and talismans, 120

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, 125

That had their haunts in dale, or piny mountain,

Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly spring,

Or chasms and wat’ry depths; all these have vanished.

They live no longer in the faith of reason!

But still the heart doth need a language, still 130

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; and to the lover

Yonder they move, from yonder visible sky 135

Shoot influence down: and even at this day

‘Tis Jupiter who brings whate’er is great,

And Venus who brings every thing that’s fair!

Thekla. And if this be the science of the stars,

I too, with glad and zealous industry, 140

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, 145

But 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 his gloomy empire reach its close. 150

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 155

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 160

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. 165

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. 170

Max. O, that the sword could win her!

Countess. What was that?

Did you hear nothing? Seem’d, as if I heard

Tumult and larum in the banquet-room. [Exit COUNTESS.

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THEKLA and MAX PICCOLOMINI.

Thekla (as soon us 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: 5

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 Tertskys ——

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

Excellent creature! she deserves from us 10

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 15

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 fortunes! — He is true,

He wears no mask — he hates all crooked ways — 20

He is so good, so noble!

Thekla (falls on his neck). That are you!

Max. You knew him only since this morn; but I

Have liv’d ten years already in his presence,

And who knows whether in this very moment

He is not merely waiting for us both 25

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 — 30

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 Tertskys — we will still be grateful to them

For every kindness, but not trust them further 35

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! 40

I ought to be less open — ought to hide

My heart more from thee — so decorum dictates:

But where in this place could’st thou seek for truth,

If in my mouth thou did’st not find it?

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To them enters the COUNTESS TERTSKY.

Countess. Come!

My husband sends me for you — It is now

The latest moment.

Part you!

Thekla. O, not yet!

It has been scarce a moment.

Countess. Aye! Then time

Flies swiftly with your Highness, Princess niece! 5

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? 10

‘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. Yes! you have hit it, aunt! That is my meaning. 15

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. Farewell, dear lady!

[THEKLA turns away from him with a quick motion.

What say you then, dear lady?

Thekla (without looking at him). Nothing. Go! 20

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 a

while an irregular and melancholy symphony, she

falls gradually into the music and sings.

Thekla (plays and sings).

The cloud doth gather, the greenwood roar,