VERA:

Stand back, I say; stand back! Alexis, I do not care.

I trust you; you would not betray us; you would not sell the people for money. You are honest, true! Oh, say you are no spy!

ALEXIS:

Spy? You know I am not. I am with you, my brothers, to the death.

MICHAEL:

Ay, to your own death.

ALEXIS:

Vera, you know I am true.

VERA:

I know it well.

PRESIDENT:

Why are you here, traitor?

ALEXIS:

Because I love the people.

MICHAEL:

Then you can be a martyr for them?

VERA:

You must kill me first, Michael, before you lay a finger on him.

PRESIDENT:

Michael, we dare not lose Vera. It is her whim to let this boy live. We can keep him here to-night. Up to this he has not betrayed us. Tramp of soldiers outside, knocking at door.

VOICE:

Open, in the name of the Emperor!

MICHAEL:

He has betrayed us. This is your doing, spy!

PRESIDENT:

Come, Michael, come. We have no time to cut one another's throats while we have our own heads to save.

VOICE:

Open, in the name of the Emperor!

PRESIDENT:

Brothers, be masked, all of you. Michael, open the door. It is our only chance.

Enter GENERAL KOTEMKIN and soldiers.

GENERAL:

All honest citizens should be in their own houses an hour before midnight, and not more than five people have a right to meet privately. Have you not noticed the proclamation fellows?

MICHAEL:

Ay, you have spoiled every honest wall in Moscow with it.

VERA:

Peace, Michael, peace. Nay, Sir, we know it not. We are a company of strolling players travelling from Samara to Moscow to amuse his Imperial Majesty the Czar.

GENERAL:

But I heard loud voices before I entered. What was that?

VERA:

We were rehearsing a new tragedy.

GENERAL:

Your answers are too honest to be true. Come, let me see who you are. Take off those players' masks. By St. Nicholas, my beauty, if your face matches your figure, you must be a choice morsel! Come, I say, pretty one, I would sooner see your face than those of all the others.

PRESIDENT:

O God! If he sees it is Vera, we are all lost!

GENERAL:

No coquetting, my girl. Come, unmask, I say, or I shall tell my guards to do it for you.

ALEXIS:

Stand back, I say, General Kotemkin!

GENERAL:

Who are you, fellow, that talk with such a tripping

tongue to your betters? [(ALEXIS takes his mask off.)] His Imperial Highness the Czarevitch!

OMNES:

The Czarevitch! It is all over!

PRESIDENT:

I knew he was a spy. He will give us up to the soldiers.

MICHAEL:

[(to VERA)] Why did you not let me kill him? Come, we must fight to the death for it.

VERA:

Peace! he will not betray us.

ALEXIS:

A whim of mine, General! You know how my father keeps me from the world and imprisons me in the palace. I should really be bored to death if I could not get out at night in disguise sometimes, and have some romantic adventure in town. I tell in with these honest folks a few hours ago.

GENERAL:

Actors, are they, Prince?

ALEXIS:

Ay, and very ambitious actors, too. They only care to play before kings.