Works - v. 4 Author:Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: in a more propitious moment, accomplish what at present appears impossible. In this hope I take my leave. Alva. (who at the same time makes a sign to FerDinan... more »d) Hold, Egmont! — Your sword ! — (The centre door opens and discloses the gallery, which is occupied with guards, who remain motionless.) Egmont. (after a pause of astonishment) This was the intention ? For this thou hast summoned me ? (Grasping his sword as if to defend himself.) Am I then weaponless ? Alva. The king commands. Thou art my prisoner. (At the same time guards enter from both sides.) Egmont. (after a pause) The king? — Orange! Orange! (After a pause, resigning his sword.) Take it! It has been employed far oftener in defending the cause of my king than in protecting this breast. (He retires by the centre door, followed by the guard and Alva's son. Alva remains standing while the curtain falls.) ACT V. SCENE I. — A Street. Twilight. Clara, Brackenburg, Burghers. Brackenburg. Dearest, for heaven's sake, what wouldst thou do ? Clara. Come with me, Brackenburg! Thou canst not know the people, we are certain to rescue him; for what can equal their love for him ? Each feels, I could swear it, the burning desire to deliver him, to avert danger from a life so precious, and to restore freedom to the most free. Come! A voice only is -wanting to call them together. In their souls the memory is still fresh of all they owe him, and well A r v ..,! tr . ..I '.-- "- "Come -udth me., Brackenburg!" Photogravure after the painting by V. V. Kaulbach they know that his mighty arm alone shields them from destruction. For his sake, for their own sake, they must peril everything. And what do we peril ? At most our lives, which, if he perish, are not worth preserving. Brackenburg. Unhappy gir...« less