ock.

CZARE. The headsman's block! Ay! you have killed their souls at your
pleasure, you would kill their bodies now.

CZAR. Insolent boy! Have you forgotten who is Emperor of Russia?

CZARE. No! The people reign now, by the grace of God.[20] You should
have been their shepherd; you have fled away like the hireling, and let
the wolves in upon them.

CZAR. Take him away! Take him away, Prince Paul!

CZARE. God hath given this people tongues to speak with; you would cut
them out that they may be dumb in their agony, silent in their torture!
But God hath given them hands to smite with, and they shall smite! Ay!
from the sick and labouring womb of this unhappy land some revolution,
like a bloody child, shall[21] rise up and slay you.

CZAR (_leaping up_). Devil! Assassin! Why do you beard me thus to my
face?

CZARE. Because I[22] am a Nihilist! (_The ministers start to their feet;
there is dead silence for a few minutes._)

CZAR. A Nihilist! a Nihilist! Scorpion whom I have nurtured, traitor
whom I have fondled, is this your bloody secret? Prince Paul
Maraloffski, Marechale of the Russian Empire, arrest the Czarevitch!

MINISTERS. Arrest the Czarevitch!

CZAR. A Nihilist! If you have sown with them, you shall reap with them!
If you have talked with them, you shall rot with them! If you have lived
with them, with them you shall die!

PRINCE PETRO. Die!

CZAR. A plague on all sons, I say! There should be no more marriages in
Russia when one can breed such vipers as you are! Arrest the Czarevitch,
I say!

PRINCE PAUL. Czarevitch! by order of the Emperor, I demand your sword.
(_CZAREVITCH gives up sword; PRINCE PAUL places it on the table._)
Foolish boy! you are not made for a conspirator; you have not learned to
hold your tongue. Heroics are out of place in a palace.

CZAR (_sinks into his chair with his eyes fixed on the CZAREVITCH_). O
God!

CZARE. If I am to die for the people, I am ready; one Nihilist more or
less in Russia, what does that matter?

PRINCE PAUL (_aside_). A good deal I should say to the one Nihilist.

[23]CZARE. The mighty brotherhood to which I belong has a thousand such
as I am, ten thousand better still! (_The CZAR starts in his seat._) The
star of freedom is risen already, and far off I hear the mighty wave
democracy break on these cursed shores.[23]

PRINCE PAUL (_to PRINCE PETROVITCH_). In that case you and I had better
learn how to swim.

CZARE. Father, Emperor, Imperial Mast