Oh! what shall I do? What shall I do? I am alone in the whole world. ANATHEMA. What ails you, David? Calm yourself. DAVID. _Stopping before Anathema, horror-stricken._ Death, Nullius, death! You have brought us death. Was I not mute before the face of Death? Did I not wait for it as for a friend? But here you have brought us riches--and I want to dance. I want to dance, yet death clutches at my heart; I want to eat, for hunger has entered my very bones,--but my old stomach refuses to accept any food; I want to laugh, but my face is sobbing, my eyes are weeping, and my soul is crying with mortal fear. Hunger has crept into my bones, and poison is already in my blood--there is no salvation for me; Death has overtaken me. ANATHEMA. _Significantly._ The poor are waiting for you, David. DAVID. What matters it? ANATHEMA. The poor are waiting for you, David. DAVID. The poor are always waiting. ANATHEMA. _Sternly._ Now I see that you are really lost, David. God has forsaken you. _David stops and looks at him, surprised and angry. Anathema, with head thrown back haughtily, meets his look calmly and sternly. Silence._ DAVID. You say this to me, Nullius? ANATHEMA. Yes, I say this to you, David Leizer. Beware, David Leizer, you are in Satan's hands. DAVID. _Terrified._ Nullius, my friend, you frighten me. What have I done to deserve your anger and these cruel, terrible words of yours? You have always treated me and my children so kindly.... Your hair is just as grey as mine, in your face I have long observed a hidden grief, and--I respect you, Nullius! Why are you silent? A terrible fire is burning in your eyes.--Who are you, Nullius? But you are silent.--No, no, do not lower your eyes, I am even more terrified when they are lowered, for then upon your brow appear fiery letters of some vague--of some terrible--fatal truth. ANATHEMA. _Tenderly._ David! DAVID. _Joyously._ You have started to speak, Nullius. ANATHEMA. Be silent and listen to me. From madness I will bring you back to wisdom, from death to life. DAVID. I am silent and I am listening. ANATHEMA. Your madness consists of this, David Leizer,--you have sought for God all your life, and when God came to you, you said: "I do not know You." Your death consists of this, David Leizer,--blinded by misfortunes, like a horse that is turning around in the darkness, you failed to notice the people and you remained in their midst alone, with your illness and your riches. There in the yard Life is waiting for you--and you, blind man, you close the door against it. Dance, David, dance,-- Death has lifted the bow and is waiting for you. Be more graceful, David Leizer, more graceful; round out your steps more neatly! DAVID. What do you want of me? ANATHEMA. Return to God that which God has given to you. DAVID. _Darkly._ Has God given me anything? ANATHEMA.