Like the coiled folds of an enormous serpent, He has wreathed us everywhere round and through the adorers of the cross; our lithe and subtile rings pass round and through our foolish, proud, unclean rulers. Let us thrice spew them forth to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them! THE BAPTIZED. Rejoice, my brethren! the Cross of our Great Enemy is already more than half hewn down; it is rotting to its fall; it is only standing on a root of blood: if it once plunge into the abyss it will never rise again. Hitherto the nobles have been its sole defence, but they are ours! ours! CHORUS OF BAPTIZED JEWS. Our work, our long, long work of centuries, our sad, ardent, painful work is almost done! Death to the nobles--let us thrice spew them forth to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them! THE BAPTIZED. The might of Israel shall be built upon a liberty without law or order, upon a slaughter without end, upon the _pride_ of the nobility, the _folly_ of the masses. The nobles are almost destroyed; we must drive the few still left into the abyss of death, and scatter over their livid corpses the ruins of the shattered cross in which they trusted! CHORUS OF BAPTIZED JEWS. The cross is now our holy symbol; the water of baptism has reunited us with men; the scorning repose upon the love of the scorned! The freedom of men is our cry; the welfare of the people our aim; ha! ha! the eons of Christ trust the sons of Caiaphas! Centuries ago our fathers tortured our Great Enemy to death; we will again torture him to death this very day--but He will never rise more from the grave which we prepare for Him! THE BAPTIZED. Yet a little space, a little time, a few drops of poison, and the whole world will be our own, my brethren! CHORUS OF BAPTIZED JEWS. Jehovah is the God of Israel, and of it alone. Let us thrice spew forth the nations to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them! Knocking is heard at the door. THE BAPTIZED. Take up your work, brethren! And thou, Holy Book, away from sight--no unclean look shall soil thy spotless leaves! Who is there? Hides the Talmud. VOICE (_without_). A friend. Open in the name of freedom. THE BAPTIZED. Quick to your hammers and looms, my brethren! He opens the door. Enter Leonard. LEONARD. Well done, citizens. You watch, I see, and whet your swords for to-morrow.--(_Approaching one of the men:_) What are you making here in this corner? ONE OF THE BAPTIZED. Ropes. LEONARD. You are right, citizen, for he who falls not by iron must hang! THE BAPTIZED. Citizen Leonard, is the thing really to come off to-morrow? LEONARD. He who thinks, feels, and acts with the most force among us, has sent me to you to appoint an interview. He will himself answer your question. THE BAPTIZED. I go to meet him. Brethren, remain at work. Look well to them, citizen Yankel. Exit with Leonard.