FABRY. (_Crosses to L. of GALL_) It isn’t too late. (_Going to L. of her chair_) It will be a little State with one ship. Alquist will build us a house and you shall rule over us. HALLEMEIER. (_Crosses to L. of FABRY_) Madame Helena, Fabry’s right. HELENA. (_Breaking down_) Oh, stop! Stop! BUSMAN. Good! (_Crosses to L. of L.C. table_) I don’t mind beginning all over again. That suits me right down to the ground. (_Going through papers on table._) FABRY. And this little State of ours could be the center of future life. A place of refuge where we could gather strength. Why, in a few hundred years we could conquer the world again. ALQUIST. You believe that even today? FABRY. Yes! BUSMAN. _Amen._ You see, Madame Helena, we’re not so badly off. DOMIN. (_Storms into R. To R. of couch. Hoarsely_) Where’s old Rossum’s manuscript? (_To R.C._) BUSMAN. In your strong-box, of course. DOMIN. Someone--has--stolen it! DR. GALL. Impossible. DOMIN. Who has stolen it? HELENA. (_Standing up_) I did. (_Reactions from FABRY and HALLEMEIER._) DOMIN. Where did you put it? HELENA. Harry, I’ll tell you everything. Only forgive me. DOMIN. Where did you put it? HELENA. (_Pointing to fireplace_) This morning--I burnt--the two copies. DOMIN. Burnt them? Where--in the fireplace? (_Goes to fireplace, followed by FABRY, HALLEMEIER and BUSMAN._) HELENA. (_Throwing herself on her knees. By sofa, facing upstage_) For Heaven’s sake, Harry. DOMIN. (_Going to fireplace_) Nothing--nothing but ashes. Wait, what’s this? (_Picks out a charred piece of paper and reads, “By adding.” FABRY, GALL and HALLEMEIER move up to him._) DR. GALL. Let’s see. “By adding biogen to--” That’s all. DOMIN. Is that part of it? DR. GALL. (_Carrying paper down and letting it fall_) Yes. (_GALL crosses to L.C. HALLEMEIER to R. of L.C. table; FABRY to window; BUSMAN to L. of L.C. table._) BUSMAN. God in Heaven! (_Sits L. of table._) DOMIN. Then we’re done for. Get up, Helena. HELENA. Then you’ve forgiven me? DOMIN. Get up, child. I can’t bear-- FABRY. (_Lifting her up_) Please don’t torture us. HELENA. Harry, what have I done? FABRY. (_Coming to HELENA_) Don’t, Madame Helena. DOMIN. (_Takes HELENA to couch. She sits._) Gall, you couldn’t draw up Rossum’s formula from memory? DR. GALL. It’s out of the question. Even with my recent experiments, I couldn’t work without referring to the formula-- (_At L.C._) It’s extremely complicated. DOMIN. Try. All our lives depend upon it. DR. GALL. Without experiments it’s impossible. DOMIN. And with experiments? DR. GALL. It might take years. Besides, I’m not old Rossum. BUSMAN. God in Heaven! God in Heaven! DOMIN. (_Up to fireplace_) So then this was the greatest triumph of the human intellect. These ashes. HELENA. Harry, what have I done? DOMIN. (_Comes to her_) Why did you burn it? HELENA. I have destroyed you. BUSMAN. God in Heaven! DOMIN. (_Sits R. of her_) Helena, why did you do it, dear?