[_Takes up pen carelessly_. GOUROC. [_Calling off papers, as he gives them to_ PAUL _to sign_.] Warrants for the arrest of Catherine Cler-- [PAUL _signs_.] Maxime Berton-- [PAUL _signs_.] Marie Legrand-- [PAUL _signs_.] And this blank warrant for a suspected party, whose name that fool Potin has registered so badly that I must get him to decipher it before I can fill it in. [PAUL _signs mechanically_.] [_Aside_.] Tis done!--And she is mine! [_Aloud_.] Shall you be at the club to-night, friend? PAUL. [_Shortly_.] No! [_Night comes on_. GOUROC. What excuse shall I offer the fraternity? PAUL. Say I am busy--busy--[_Striking his breast_.] breaking the heart of a traitor to France! GOUROC. [_Going_.] A welcome message.--I sha'n't forget it. [_Exit_. PAUL. Wife gone!--Home desolated!--Naught left but the haunting memory of joy forever lost!--Ah, I am weary, heart-broken--helpless! [_He sinks into the chair at desk, and buries his face in his arms. Slowly the light dims to darkness. At back, the stage is transformed into a_ TABLEAU OF KAUVAR'S DREAM OF ANARCHY. _Mysterious music accompanies the Dream, which consists of a tableau of the guillotine in the Place de la Revolution, in Paris, by moonlight. Here is seen the scaffold, with its ghastly paraphernalia, surrounded by ferocious_ SANS CULOTTES, _and_ GENS D'ARMES. _Amidst them is an old hag. The death-cart, with its load of victims, is seen in the foreground--the entrance to the garden with the palace of the Tuilleries in the background. The_ HEADSMAN _stands ready, near the knife of the guillotine. From the death-cart_ DIANE _glides on and slowly goes up the scaffold steps. As she reaches the top, she is seized roughly by the_ HEADSMAN. _At this moment_ PAUL _starts with a cry of agony from his chair--and at his shriek, the whole Tableau of the Dream instantly disappears_. PAUL. [_Starting up wildly_.] No, no!--My life for hers!--My life for hers! [_Waking, as the Dream disappears, he looks about dazed and bewildered; then bursts into hysterical laughter_.] A dream!--Thank God, a dream!--Only a horrible dream! [_Suddenly stops short in horror_.] How dark and still the house is. My God!--Something has happened!--What is it? [_Shrieks with terror_.] Diane!--Diane! NANETTE. [_Entering with lamp_.] What's the matter? PAUL. Diane--Mademoiselle Diane, where is she? DIANE. [_Appearing, dressed to go away_.] Here! PAUL. [_Makes a spontaneous movement toward her, then checks himself and turns to_ NANETTE.] Leave us! [NANETTE _goes silently away_. PAUL _speaks to_ DIANE _hoarsely_.] Where are you going? DIANE. I am going to do my duty--follow the father who would die without my care. PAUL. [_After a pause_.] Yes, I remember now.--You are right.--You will be safer out of France.--The dream! The dream! DIANE. What dream? PAUL. No matter! I am resigned now! Yes, resigned--resigned--resigned! [_Sinks sobbing into chair_.