SELBITZ: Lerse saved me, too. See what work he has done here! GOETZ: Good luck, Lerse! And God bless my George's first brave deed! Now back to the castle, and let us gather our scattered men. ACT IV SCENE I.--_Jaxthausen. A small room_. MARIE _and_ SICKINGEN. SICKINGEN: You may smile, but I felt the desire to possess you when you first looked upon me with your blue eyes, when you were with your mother at the Diet of Speier. I have long been separated from you; but that wish remained, with the memory of that glance. [_Enter_ GOETZ. SICKINGEN: Good luck! MARIE: Welcome, a thousand times! GOETZ: Now quickly to the chapel! I've thought it all out, and time presses. SCENE II.--_Large hall; in the background a door, leading to the chapel_. LERSE _and men-at-arms. Enter_ GOETZ _from chapel_. GOETZ: How now, Lerse? The men had better be distributed over the walls. Let them take any breastplates, helmets, and arms they may want. Are the gates well manned? LERSE: Yes, sir. GOETZ: Sickingen will leave us at once. You will lead him through the lower gate, along the water, and across the ford. Then look around you, and come back. [_Enter_ SICKINGEN, MARIE, ELIZABETH, _from chapel_. _Drums in distance announce the enemy's approach_. GOETZ: May God bless you and send you merry, happy days! ELIZABETH: And may He let your children be like you! SICKINGEN: I thank you, and I thank you, Marie, who will lead me to happiness. GOETZ: A pleasant journey! Lerse will show you the way. MARIE: That is not what we meant. We shall not leave you. GOETZ: You must, sister! (_To_ SICKINGEN) You understand? Talk to Marie; she is your wife. Take her to safety, and then think of me. [_Exeunt_ LERSE, SICKINGEN _and_ MARIE. _Enter_ GEORGE. GEORGE: They approach from all sides. I saw their pikes glitter from the tower. GOETZ: Have the gate barricaded with beams and stones. [_Exit_ GEORGE. _A trumpeter is dimly heard from the distance, requesting_ GOETZ _to surrender unconditionally_. GOETZ _refuses angrily, and slams the window. Enter_ LERSE. LERSE: There is plenty of powder, but bullets are scarce. GOETZ: Look round for lead! Meanwhile, we must make the crossbows do. [_Distant shooting is heard at intervals. Exit_ GOETZ _with crossbow_. LERSE (_breaking a window and detaching the lead from the glass_): This lead has rested long enough; now it may fly for a change. [_Enter_ GOETZ. GOETZ: They have ceased firing, and offer a truce with all sorts of signs and white rags. They will probably ask me to surrender on knightly parole. LERSE: I'll go and see. 'Tis best to know their mind.