He is more to be pitied than either of us two. He is bearing the chief burden of this dreadful ordeal; and I doubt if, in his place, I should have the strength to bear that burden. We must have pity. You will learn, slowly, to love him once more as you have loved him until this day.... Besides, you will probably soon become a mother. The child that is to be born must not become the last and most sorrowful victim of this tragedy. I know that, at first, life will be very sad for you and very difficult. Wait patiently. Listen humbly to what it says. Life is always right. It is full of indulgence and good-will and very soon forgets what should be forgotten. (_The clock strikes seven._) Seven o’clock. I hear some one knocking at the door. My time is up. They have come to fetch us, Otto. Let us embrace each other for the last time, Isabelle. Come to my arms, Floris. You’re a man now. I entrust your sister to you. We have been very fond of one another.... Come, Otto, we must not keep them waiting. (_He turns to the door._) ISABELLE (_Clinging to his clothes._) No, no!... Not yet!... I can’t bear it!... I want to go with you!... THE BURGOMASTER (_Releasing himself._) Not a word!... Not a cry!... I could not endure more than I am doing.... Floris, look to your sister. (_He pushes_ ISABELLE _away and goes out with_ OTTO, _locking the door behind him. A pause._ ISABELLE _falls to the floor, where she lies half-supported by_ FLORIS _and sobbing._) FLORIS (_Caressing her._) Don’t cry, dearest. We shall be revenged, we shall be revenged!... We shall be revenged! ISABELLE (_Draws herself up, looks around her and suddenly rises and runs to the door._) No, no, I can’t have it! FLORIS (_Catching her up._) What are you doing? What do you want to do? ISABELLE I want ... I want to call out, to cry, to throw myself at his feet, to kill myself in front of him.... One never knows.... There are things left to try.... (_She shakes the door._) They’ve locked it!... (_She runs to the window, opens it, measures the height with her eyes and instinctively steps back._ FLORIS, _who has followed her, throws his arms round her waist and drags her into the room._) FLORIS You see, it’s too high. ISABELLE (_Returning to the door and shaking it violently._) I can’t open it!... I can’t open it!... Ah, if I were only there!... One never knows until the last moment!... I must get to him, I must get to him!... (_A volley is fired. She steps back in horror._) It’s done, it’s done, it’s done!... They’ve killed him!... They’ve killed what was best in the wide world!... I shall never see him again, I shall never see him again!