Ha, ha! They are coming.... They are coming.... And their king is sleeping! They are coming--and their miracle-worker is sleeping the sleep of the horse which draws water. They are carrying a crown and death--and their victim and master is catching the wind with an open mouth, smacking his lips for pleasure. O miserable race! There is treachery in your bones, betrayal in your blood, and falsehood in your heart! It is better to rely upon flowing waters, to walk upon the waves as upon a bridge; it is better to lean upon the air as upon a rock, than to trust one's haughty anger and bitter dreams to a traitor. _Goes over to David and pushes him rudely._ Get up! Get up, David,--Sarah is here, Sarah, Sarah! DAVID. _Awakening._ Are you here, Sarah? I'll be up soon; I am very tired, Sarah.... What is this? You, Nullius? Where is Sarah? Didn't she call me just now? How tired I am! how tired I am, Nullius! ANATHEMA. Sarah is coming. Sarah is carrying an infant. DAVID. What infant? We have no small children. Our children-- _Half rises, looks around, frightened._ What is that, Nullius? who is crying there? ANATHEMA. Sarah is carrying a dead child. You must resurrect the dead child, David. He is dark, and his name is Moishe--Moishe--Moishe! DAVID. _Rising._ We must flee, Nullius. We must flee. But where is the road? Where have you led me to? _Seizes Anathema by the arm._ Listen how they are shouting. They are coming this way, to me--oh, save me, Nullius! ANATHEMA. There is no way. _Holding David._ There is an abyss. DAVID. What shall I do, Nullius? Shall I, mayhap, hurl myself down and dash my head against the rocks? But am I a wicked wretch that I should come to God without His calling me? Oh, if God only called me--faster than an arrow would my old soul rush to Him.... _Listens._ They are shouting. They are calling ... calling? Step aside, Nullius; I want to pray. ANATHEMA. _Steps aside._ But make haste, David; they are near. DAVID. Do you hear? They are coming. I love them, but my love is bitterer than hatred, and it is as powerless as indifference. Kill me, and meet them yourself. Kill me--and meet them with mercy, with love. Fertilize the hungry earth with my body and grow bread upon it, drown sorrow with my soul and grow laughter upon it. And joy, O Lord, joy for mankind.... _The approach of an enormous mob is heard._ ANATHEMA. _Advancing._ Quicker, David, quicker,--they are approaching. DAVID. One moment, one moment. _In despair._ Joy ... What else? Only one word--only one word--but I have forgotten it. _Weeping._ Oh, what a great number of words there are, but one is missing.... But, perhaps, you need no words at all? ANATHEMA. Only one word is missing? How strange! It seems that they have found their word--do you hear them wailing? "Da-a-vid! Da-a-vid!"