CZAR:
[(holding dagger out of her reach)] Death is in my heart too; we shall die together!
VERA:
Oh, love! love! love! be merciful to me! The wolves are hot upon you! you must live for liberty, for Russia, for me ! Oh, you do not love me! You offered me an empire once! Give me this dagger, now! Oh, you are cruel! My life for yours! What does it matter? [(Loud shout in the street, 'VERA! VERA! To the rescue! To the rescue!')]
CZAR:
The bitterness of death is past for me
VERA:
Oh, they are breaking in below! See! The bloody man behind you! [(CZAR turns round for an instant.)] Ah! [(VERA snatches dagger and flings it out of window.)]
CONSPIRATORS:
[(below)] Long live the people!
CZAR:
What have you done?
VERA:
I have saved Russia! [(Dies.)]
TABLEAU
CURTAIN.
