Читать книгу The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition) - Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Страница 219
SCENE V
ОглавлениеTHEKLA 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?
