Czare. Because I am a Nihilist! (The ministers start to their feet; there is dead silence for a few minutes.)
Czar. A Nihilist! a Nihilist! Scorpion whom I have nurtured, traitor whom I have fondled, is this your bloody secret? Prince Paul Maraloffski, Marechale of the Russian Empire, arrest the Czarevitch!
Ministers. Arrest the Czarevitch!
Czar. A Nihilist! If you have sown with them, you shall reap with them! If you have talked with them, you shall rot with them! If you have lived with them, with them you shall die!
Prince Petro. Die!
Czar. A plague on all sons, I say! There should be no more marriages in Russia when one can breed such vipers as you are! Arrest the Czarevitch, I say!
Prince Paul. Czarevitch! by order of the Emperor, I demand your sword. (Czarevitch gives up sword; Prince Paul places it on the table.) Foolish boy! you are not made for a conspirator; you have not learned to hold your tongue. Heroics are out of place in a palace.
Czar (sinks into his chair with his eyes fixed on the Czarevitch). O God!
Czare. If I am to die for the people, I am ready; one Nihilist more or less in Russia, what does that matter?
Prince Paul (aside). A good deal I should say to the one Nihilist.
Czare. The mighty brotherhood to which I belong has a thousand such as I am, ten thousand better still! (The Czar starts in his seat.) The star of freedom is risen already, and far off I hear the mighty wave democracy break on these cursed shores.
Prince Paul (to Prince Petrovitch). In that case you and I had better learn how to swim.
Czare. Father, Emperor, Imperial Master, I plead not for my own life, but for the lives of my brothers, the people.
Prince Paul (bitterly). Your brothers, the people, Prince, are not content with their own lives, they always want to take their neighbour’s too.
Czar (standing up). I am sick of being afraid. I have done with terror now. From this day I proclaim war against the people — war to their annihilation. As they have dealt with me, so shall I deal with them. I shall grind them to powder, and strew their dust upon the air. There shall be a spy in every man’s house, a traitor on every hearth, a hangman in every village, a gibbet in every square. Plague, leprosy, or fever shall be less deadly than my wrath; I will make every frontier a graveyard, every province a lazar-house, and cure the sick by the sword. I shall have peace in Russia, though it be the peace of the dead. Who said I was a coward? Who said I was afraid? See, thus shall I crush this people beneath my feet! (Takes up sword of Czarevitch off table and tramples on it.)
Czare. Father, beware, the sword you tread on may turn and wound you. The people suffer long, but vengeance comes at last, vengeance with red hands and bloody purpose.
Prince Paul. Bah! the people are bad shots; they always miss one.
Czare. There are times when the people are instruments of God.
Czar. Ay! and when kings are God’s scourges for the people. Oh, my own son, in my own house! My own flesh and blood against me! Take him away! Take him away! Bring in my guards. (Enter the Imperial Guard. Czar points to Czarevitch, who stands alone at the side of the stage.) To the blackest prison in Moscow! Let me never see his face again. (Czarevitch is being led out.) No, no, leave him! I don’t trust guards. They are all Nihilists! They would let him escape and he would kill me, kill me! No, I’ll bring him to prison myself, you and I (to Prince Paul). I trust you, you have no mercy. I shall have no mercy. Oh, my own son against me! How hot it is! The air stifles me! I feel as if I were going to faint, as if something were at my throat. Open the windows, I say! Out of my sight! Out of my sight! I can’t bear his eyes. Wait, wait for me. (Throws window open and goes out on balcony.)
Prince Paul (looking at his watch). The dinner is sure to be spoiled. How annoying politics are and eldest sons!
Voice (outside, in the street). God save the people! (Czar is shot, and staggers back into the room.)
Czare. (breaking from the guards, and rushing over). Father!
Czar. Murderer! Murderer! You did it! Murderer! (Dies.)
TABLEAU.
End of Act II.
ACT III.
Same scene and business as Act I. Man in yellow dress, with drawn sword, at the door.
Password outside. Væ tyrannis.
Answer. Væ victis (repeated three times).
(Enter Conspirators, who form a semicircle, masked and cloaked.) President. What hour is it?
First Consp. The hour to strike.
Pres. What day?
Second Consp. The day of Marat.
Pres. In what month?
Second Consp. The month of liberty.
Pres. What is our duty?
Fourth Consp. To obey.
Pres. Our creed?
Fifth Consp. Parbleu, Mons. le President, I never knew you had one.
Consps. A spy! A spy! Unmask! Unmask! A spy!
Pres. Let the doors be shut. There are others but Nihilists present.
Consps. Unmask! Unmask! Kill him! kill him! (Masked Conspirator unmasks.) Prince Paul!
Vera. Devil! Who lured you into the lion’s den?
Consps. Kill him! kill him!
Prince Paul. En vérité, Messieurs, you are not over-hospitable in your welcome.
Vera. Welcome! What welcome should we give you but the dagger or the noose?
Prince Paul. I had no idea, really, that the Nihilists were so exclusive. Let me assure you that if I had not always had an entree to the very best society, and the very worst conspiracies, I could never have been Prime Minister in Russia.
Vera. The tiger cannot change its nature, nor the snake lose its venom; but are you turned a lover of the people?
Prince Paul. Mon Dieu, non, Mademoiselle! I would much sooner talk scandal in a drawing-room than treason in a cellar. Besides, I hate the common mob, who smell of garlic, smoke bad tobacco, get up early, and dine off one dish.
Pres. What have you to gain, then, by a revolution?
Prince Paul. Mon ami, I have nothing left to lose. That scatter-brained boy, this new Czar, has banished me.
Vera. To Siberia?
Prince Paul. No, to Paris. He has confiscated my estates, robbed me of my office and my cook. I have nothing left but my decorations. I am here for revenge.
Pres. Then you have a right to be one of us. We also meet daily for revenge.
Prince Paul. You want money, of course. No one ever joins a conspiracy who has any. Here. (Throws money on table.) You have so many spies that I should think you want information. Well, you will find me the best informed man in Russia on the abuses of our Government. I made them nearly all myself.
Vera. President, I don’t trust this man. He has done us too much harm in Russia to let him go in safety.
Prince Paul. Believe me, Mademoiselle, you are wrong; I will be a most valuable addition to your circle; as