MEN. Have mercy upon us! Hunger gnaws our bowels; our
children die of famine; fear is upon us day and night; have pity upon
us!

VOICES OF MEN. It still is time! Listen to the herald--dismiss not the
envoy!

GODFATHER. I regard not your reproaches, Count Henry, for my whole life
has been that of a good citizen.

If I have assumed the office of ambassador, which I am at this moment
fulfilling, it is because I understand the age in which we live, and
estimate our times aright.

Pancratius is, if I may so express myself, the representative of the
people....

THE MAN. Out of my sight, old man!--(_Aside to Jacob._) Bring a
detachment of soldiers hither!

Exit Jacob.

The women rise from their knees weeping and sobbing, and the men
draw back a few paces.

A BARON.--We are all lost, and through you alone, Count Henry!

SECOND BARON. We renounce all further obedience.

A PRINCE. Let us arrange for ourselves the terms of the surrender of
this castle with the worthy envoy!

GODFATHER. The great man who sent me here secures life to you all, if
you will enter into a league with him and acknowledge the justice of the
struggle of the century.

MANY VOICES. We acknowledge it.

THE MAN. You have sworn to me, and I have sworn to you, to die upon
these walls; I intend to keep my oath, and you shall be true to yours.
You are all to die with me!

Ha! can you indeed still wish to live?

Ha! ask the spirits of your fathers why, when living, they were guilty
of such continuous oppression, and why they ruled with so much
cruelty!--(_To a Count._) Why have you, count, oppressed your
serfs?--(_To another._) Why have you passed your youth in cards and
dice, and your life in the land of the stranger?--(_To another._) Why
have you crept before the great, and scorned the lowly?-(_To one of the
women._) Why did you not bring up your sons to defend you? As knights
and soldiers, they might then have served you now; but you have
preferred dealings with Jews and lawyers: call upon them, then, for life
and safety.--(_He rises and extends his arms toward them._) Why hasten
ye thus to shame? why wrap your last hours in shrouds of infamy?

On with me, ye knights and nobles! On, where bayonets glitter, swift
balls whistle!

Oh seek not the accursed gallows prepared for you by the New Men;
believe me, the masked and silent hangman stands waiting to throw the
rope of shame around your high-born throats!

A VOICE. He speaks