ad ever had--I can see it now--one eye, no nose, half an
arm. We were all laughing to see it caper to my music.... My father
flies in through the door, desperately clasping to his breast the Holy
Scroll. We cry out to him to explain, and then we see that in that
beloved mouth of song there is no longer a tongue--only blood. He tries
to bar the door--a mob breaks in--we dash out through the back into the
street. There are the soldiers--and the Face----
[_VERA'S eyes involuntarily seek the face of her father, who
shrinks away as their eyes meet._]

VERA [_In a low sob_]
O God!

DAVID
When I came to myself, with a curious aching in my left shoulder, I saw
lying beside me a strange shapeless Something....
[_DAVID points weirdly to the floor, and VERA, hunched forwards,
gazes stonily at it, as if seeing the horror._]
By the crimson doll in what seemed a hand I knew it must be little
Miriam. The doll was a dream of beauty and perfection beside the
mutilated mass which was all that remained of my sister, of my mother,
of greedy little Solomon-- Oh! You Christians can only see that rosy
splendour on the horizon of happiness. And the Jew didn't see rosily
enough for you, ha! ha! ha! the Jew who gropes in one great crimson
mist.
[_He breaks down in spasmodic, ironic, long-drawn, terrible
laughter._]

VERA [_Trying vainly to tranquillise him_]
Hush, David! Your laughter hurts more than tears. Let Vera comfort you.
[_She kneels by his chair, tries to put her arms round him._]

DAVID [_Shuddering_]
Take them away! Don't you feel the cold dead pushing between us?

VERA [_Unfaltering, moving his face toward her lips_]
Kiss me!

DAVID
I should feel the blood on my lips.

VERA
My love shall wipe it out.

DAVID
Love! Christian love!
[_He unwinds her clinging arms; she sinks prostrate on the floor
as he rises._]
For this I gave up my people--darkened the home that sheltered me--there
was always a still, small voice at my heart calling me back, but I
heeded nothing--only the voice of the butcher's daughter.
[_Brokenly_]
Let me go home, let me go home.
[_He looks lingeringly at VERA'S prostrate form, but overcoming
the instinct to touch and comfort her, begins tottering with
uncertain pauses toward the door leading to the hall._]

BARON [_Extending his arms in relief and longing_]
And here is _your_ home, Vera!
[_He raises her gradually from the floo