_A peasant._ [_Doggedly_] I gave the Czar my two sons. He gives me the rod. _Another._ My children have no bread. But the taxes are paid. _Adr._ You have done your best, and I can not believe that you will be harmed. _A peasant._ It makes no difference how we do. There were good men at Petoff. [_A man staggers in_] _Adr._ Kalushkin! _Uli._ [_Rushing to him_] My Petrov! Out of your bed! Why did you come? _Kalushkin._ We are to be lined up in the street and every tenth man flogged. [_Silence. Then a woman hurries in_] _Adr._ Anna! _Anna._ [_Kneeling before Adrian_] My lad--they have taken him! His father died last night. You know how he died. He was starved. He left the bread for me and the lad. And now they have taken him--my boy--[_sobbing_] [_Adrian lifts her up in silence_] _A peasant._ [_Starting up from bench where he has sat as if stunned_] Flogging! [_Relapses into silence_] _Kalush._ We are weak, we are starved, we can not bear the blows. _Adr._ Whatever happens we will not forget that the blow we receive falls on our bodies only; the blow we give falls back upon our souls. We will be patient even unto death; we will not league with our enemy against our immortal selves. [_Groans, and mutters of remonstrance_] What have our neighbors at Petoff gained by striking back? Put out your hands and feel the ashes of their homes. And they have lost not only their homes, their children, and themselves, but an eternal triumph, a triumph for the spirit of peace in the world. _A voice at door._ Here they come! [_Enter Orloff, with soldiers. Others are seen crowding into the yard_] _Orloff._ We want the men of this house. _Adr._ I am one. _Orl._ [_Looking him over_] Not you. We know you. We want the peasants. There are two here. [_Glancing at paper in his hand_] Peter Vetrova, Vasil Vetrova. _Adr._ For what are they wanted? This is a peaceful village. _Orl._ And we intend to see that it remains so. _Adr._ I can assure you of that. My word is worth something. _Orl._ Not in the army, friend. _Adr._ The men of Lonz are men of peace. _Orl._ A warning not to get bad habits from their neighbors won't hurt them. Revolt is catching, and Petoff has given us a deal of trouble. _Adr._ Does this mean flogging? _Orl._ Only every tenth man. The same as for taxes. They get off light, but we've heard no thanks yet. _Adr._ Prince Travinski gave me his word this morning---- _Orl._ Travinski! It was this morning that he sent to Petrizoff asking him to warm up Lonz a little and be quick about it. _Adr._ This morning? Orf. You see, my friend, your word won't pass in the army. And you can't blame Travinski for wanting to take things in time here after all his bother about Petoff. [_Loudly_] Peter Vetrova! _Adr._ [_Pushing Vetrova forward_] One blow would kill this old man. Have you a warrant for murder? _Orl._ Let him go. Death will take care of him. [_Laughs_] [_Adrian draws Vetrova back_]