Werner. wahrlich, nie in deinem Fürstenglanz 950 955 Dort muß von dir noch ein Gedächtniß sein. Des Schwarzwalds dichter Schatten nehm' uns auf! Ernst. Dir folg' ich, und wenn alles mich verschmäht, Werner. 960 Sichst du hier? Der Handschuh, den ich aus dem Koller ziel', Der Kriegsknecht hob ihn auf und gab ihn mir, (Beide ab.) 965 . ARGUMENT TO ACT III. Count Hugo of Egisheim is about to return to Burgundy, sent thither by Konrad to prevent any new outbreak: and Gisela, bound by her oath not to help Ernest, nor to plead for him, begs Hugo to do all he can to confirm the weak King Rudolf in adherence to the contract by which Burgundy has been assigned to the empire, to restrain Odo from his bold and ambitious plans, and to quiet and conciliate the turbulent vassals, that Ernest may not gain new adherents and again rise in active revolt. In this way she hopes that peace may be established, and that the Emperor may then be inclined to remove the sentence of outlawry from her son's head. But fresh news has just been brought to the Emperor by Count Mangold, that Swabia is again in revolt, that Ernest and Werner are ranging the Black Forest at the head of a small band of followers, and that a legendary tale has sprung up among the people about their wonderful adventures during the years when Ernest was really in prison, a story of which Gisela makes a figurative application to the actual vicissitudes of Ernest's fortunes. Konrad forthwith despatches Mangold to quell the rebellion, promising quickly to follow in person. Gisela, contemplating Mangold's sword, about to be drawn against her son, appeals in agony to the Mother of Sorrows. Moved to charity by her own trouble, she calls to her a pilgrim standing near, who reveals himself as Adalbert of Falkenstein, a Swabian noble who in the excitement of the chase had slain her former husband, Ernest I. of Swabia. Adalbert has wandered about for years as a pilgrim, doing penance, but nowhere finding peace; he believes that the murdered man still haunts him, because his last wish, conveyed by Adalbert, that Gisela should preserve her widowhood, has not been carried out. He reproaches her with the unhappy consequences to her son of her marriage with Konrad, and calls upon her to renounce it. Gisela explains and justifies her remarriage, pointing with dignified pride to the sphere of usefulness and benevolence that she fills; and indignantly shows him that the true way to deliver himself from the curse is to cease from his vain and worthless penance, and to do his duty as a knight, a father, and the loyal vassal of an exiled lord. Her words rouse him to energy and enthusiasm; he resolves to expiate his guilt towards the father by devoting himself, even to death, for the son. Dritter Aufzug. Palast zu Aachen, wie am Anfang des Stücks. Gisela. Ihr kehrt zurück nach Basel, edler Graf? Hugo. Dem Kaiser meldet' ich den neusten Stand Gisela. Befürchtet nicht, wie ihr zu fürchten scheint, 970 975 Allwärts zur Söhnung und Beruhigung! Mein Oheim, König Rudolf, schägt euch hoch. 980 Daß er nicht wieder wanke dem Vertrag! Die gährenden Vasallen, dämpft den Muth Verehrend ahn' ich eurer Worte Grund. 985 Zu wirken scheinet, seid ihr überzeugt, 990 Sein Heil zu fördern; ist Burgund nur erst 995 Da ich, dem Kaiser dienend, euch zugleich und eurem Sohne frommen darf. Gisela. Noch eins! Wenn ihr jetzt wieder das Ottilienstift Grüßt sie von mir! Hugo. Huldreiche Kaiserin! I COO Gisela. O! schöne Hoffnungen sind mir zerknickt! 1005 Mußt' ich ihr flechten in das blonde Haar. ΙΟΙΟ Den Sohn gekrönt zu sehn mit Ruhm und Macht, Der liebenden, die ihm das Leben schmückt. So seligem Empfang. Lebt wohl, Herr Graf! (Graf Hugo ab. Indem Gisela abgehen will, tritt von der andern Seite der Kaiser mit dem Grafen Mangold auf.) Kunrad. Verweile, Gisela, wenn nicht zu sehr Gisela. Auf dich zu hören, gehet jedem vor. Kunrad. Aus Schwaben ist mir Botschaft zugekommen, Dein Ohr verschonte, wenn sie anders dir 1015 1020 Graf Mangold, melde dir, was dort geschehn! 1025 Mangold. Erlauchte Frau, laßt es den Boten nicht |