Chapter III: Act II

SCENE I.--_A room at Jaxthausen_. Marie _and_ Weislingen.

MARIE: You say you love me. I willingly believe it, and hope to be
happy with you and to make you happy.

WEISLINGEN: Blessed be your brother and the day he rode out to
capture me! [_Enter_ Goetz.

GOETZ: Your page is back. Whatever his news, Adelbert, you are
free! All I ask is your word that you will not aid and abet my
enemies.

WEISLINGEN: I take your hand. And may I at the same time take
the hand of this noblest of all women?

GOETZ: May I say "yes" for you, Marie? You need not blush--your
eyes have answered clearly. Well, then, Weislingen, take her hand,
and I say Amen, friend and brother! I must call my wife. Elizabeth!
(_Enter_ ELIZABETH.) Join your hand in theirs and say "God bless
you!" They are a pair. Adelbert is going back to Bamberg to detach
himself openly from the bishop, and then to his estates to settle
his affairs. And now we'll leave him undisturbed to hear his boy's
report.
[_Exit with_ Marie _and_ Elizabeth.

WEISLINGEN: Such bliss for one so unworthy!
[_Enter_ Franz.

FRANZ: God save you, noble sir! I bring you greetings from
everybody in Bamberg--from the bishop down to the jester. How they
are distressed at your mishap! I am to tell you to be patient--they
will think the more impatiently of your deliverance; for they cannot
spare you.

WEISLINGEN: They will have to. I'll return, but not to stay long.

FRANZ: Not to stay? My lord, if you but knew what I know! If you
had but seen her--the angel in the shape of woman, who makes Bamberg
a forecourt of heaven--Adelheid von Walldorf!

WEISLINGEN: I have heard much of her beauty. Is her husband at
court?

FRANZ: She has been widowed for four months, and is at Bamberg for
amusement. If she looks upon you, it is as though you were basking in
spring sunshine.

WEISLINGEN: Her charms would be lost on me. I am betrothed. Marie
will be the happiness of my life. And now pack up. First to Bamberg,
and then to my castle. [_Exeunt._

SCENE II.--_A forest. Some Nuremberg merchants, who, attacked on their
way to the Frankfurt Fair by_ Goetz _and his men, have
escaped, leaving their goods in the hands of the knights.
The page_ George _has, however, recaptured two of the
merchants as_ Goetz _and his men enter_.

GOETZ: Search the forest! Let none escape!

GEORGE (_stepping forward_): I've done some preparatory work. Here
they are.

GOETZ: Welcome, good lad! Keep them well guarded! (_Exit his men
with the merchants_.) And now, what news of Weislingen?

GEORGE: Bad news! He looked confused when I said to him, "A few
words from your Berlichingen." He tried to put me off with empty words,
but when I pressed him he said he was under no obligation to you, and
would have nothing to do with you.

GOETZ: Enough! I shall not forget this infamous treachery. Whoever
gets into my power shall feel it. (_Exit_ GEORGE.) I'll revel in their
agony, deride their fear. And how, Goetz, are you thus changed? Should
other people's faults and vices make you renounce your chivalry, and
abandon yourself to vulgar cruelty? I'll drag him back in chains, if
I can't get him any other way. And there's an end of it, Goetz; think
of your duty!
[_Enter_ GEORGE _with a casket_.

GEORGE: Now let your joke be ended, they are frightened enough. One
of them, a handsome young man, gave me this casket, and said, "Take
this as ransom! The jewels I meant to take to my betrothed. Take them,
and let me escape."

GOETZ (_examining the jewels_): This time, Marie, I shall not be
tempted to bring it to you as a birthday gift. Even in your misfortune
you would rejoice in the happiness of others. Take it, George. Give
it back to the lad. Let him take it to his bride, with greeting from
Goetz! And let all the prisoners free at sunset.