VERA:

Where are the letters from Poland?

PROFESSOR:

Here.

VERA:

Unhappy Poland! The eagles of Russia have fed on her heart. We must not forget our brothers there.

PRESIDENT:

Is it true, Michael?

MICHAEL:

Ay, I stake my life on it.

PRESIDENT:

Let the doors be locked, then. Alexis Ivanacievitch entered on our roll of the brothers as a student of the School of Medicine at Moscow. Why did you not tell us of this bloody scheme of martial law?

ALEXIS:

I, President?

MICHAEL:

Ay, you! You knew it, none better. Such weapons as these are not forged in a day. Why did you not tell us of it? A week ago there had been time to lay the mine, to raise the barricade,

to strike one blow at least for liberty. But now the hour is past! It is too late, it is too late! Why did you keep it a secret from us I say?

ALEXIS:

Now by the hand of freedom, Michael, my brother, you wrong me. I knew nothing of this hideous law. By my soul, my brothers, I knew not of it! How should I know?

MICHAEL:

Because you are a traitor! Where did you go when you left us the night of our last meeting here?

ALEXIS:

To mine own house, Michael.

MICHAEL:

Liar! I was on your track. You left here an hour after midnight. Wrapped in a large cloak, you crossed the river by a boat a mile below the second bridge, and gave the ferryman a gold piece, you, the poor student of medicine! You doubled back twice and hid in an archway so long that I had almost made up my mind to stab you at once, only that I am fond of hunting. So! you thought you had baffled all pursuit, did you? Fool! I am a bloodhound that never loses the scent. I followed you from street to street. At last I saw you pass swiftly across the Place St. Isaac, whisper to the guards some secret password, enter the palace by a private door with your own key.

CONSPIRATORS:

The palace!

VERA:

Alexis!

MICHAEL:

I waited. All through the dreary watches of our long Russian night I waited, that I might kill you with your Judas hire still hot in your hand. But you never came back; you never left that palace. I saw the blood-red sun rise through the yellow fog over the murky town; I saw a new day of oppression dawn on Russia; but you never came back. So you pass nights in the palace, do you? You know the password for the guards; you have a key to a secret door. You are a spy---I never trusted you, with your soft white hands, your curled hair, your pretty graces. You have no mark of suffering about you; you cannot be of the people. You are a spy---a spy---traitor!

OMNES:

Kill him! Kill him! [(Draw their knives.)]

VERA:

[(rushing in front of ALEXIS)]Stand back, I say, Michael! Stand back all! Do not dare lay a hand upon him! He is the noblest heart amongst us.

OMNES:

Kill him! Kill him! He is a spy!

VERA:

Dare to lay a finger on him, and I leave you all to yourselves.

PRESIDENT:

Vera, did you not hear what Michael said of him? He stayed all night in the Czar's palace. He has a password and a private key. What else should he be but a spy?

VERA:

Bah! I do not believe Michael. It is a lie! It is a lie! Alexis, say it is a lie!

ALEXIS:

It is true. Michael has told what he saw. I did pass that night in the Czar's palace. Michael has spoken the truth.