r King!

Bang. They love their King!

The King. And that white dove, who came confidently to my hand--she had
some experience of what their love was!

The Mayor. The King's associates may displease the people; ideas may
alter; but love for their King endures!

The Others. Endures!

The King. Cease! Cease!

The General (warmly). Your Majesty may command us to do anything except
refrain from giving utterance to a free people's freely offered homage
of devotion, loyalty, and love for its royal house!

The Mayor (emotionally). There is no one who would not give his life for
his King!

Bang, The General, and The Priest. No one!

The General. Try us! (They all press forward.)

The King. Done with you! (Takes a revolver from his pocket.) Since
yesterday I have carried this little thing in my pocket. (They all look
alarmed.)

The Priest. Merciful heavens!

The King (holding out the revolver to him). Will you die for me? If so,
I will continue to be King.

The Priest. I? What does your Majesty mean? It would be a great sin!

The King. You love me, I suppose?

All (desperately). Yes, your Majesty!

The King. Those who love, believe. Therefore, believe me when I say
this: If there is a single one of you who, without thinking twice about
it, will die for his King now--here--at once--then I shall consider that
as a command laid upon me to go on living and working.

The Mayor (in a terrified whisper). He is insane!

The General (whispers). Yes!

The King. I can hear you!--But I suppose you love your King, even if he
is insane?

All (in agitated tones). Yes, your Majesty!

The King. Majesty, majesty! There is only One who has any majesty about
Him--certainly not a madman! But if I have been driven mad by the lies
that surround me, it would be a holy deed to make me sound again. You
said you would die for me. Redeem your words! That will make me well
again!--You, General?

The General. My beloved King, it would be--as our reverend friend so
aptly put it--a most dreadful sin.

The King. You have let slip a splendid opportunity for showing your
heroism.--You ought to have seen that I was only putting you to the
test!--Good-bye! (Goes into the room on the left.)

The General. Absolutely insane!

The Others. Absolutely.

The Mayor. Such great abilities, too! What might not have been made of
him!

Bang. The pity of it!

The Priest. I got so alarmed.

Bang. So did I! (A loud pistol-shot is heard.)