THE MAN. Old Eagle of glory, is it not true that my hour is not yet come? THE BAPTIZED. We are lost! LEONARD (_stopping immediately in front of Count Henry_). Who are you with that haughty face, citizen, and why do you not join in the solemnities? THE MAN. I hastened here when I heard of the revolution; I am a murderer of the Spanish league, and have only arrived to-day. LEONARD. Who is that man hiding himself in the folds of your mantle? THE MAN. He is my younger brother. He has taken an oath to show his face to no one, until he has at least killed a baron. LEONARD. Of whose murder can you yourself boast? THE MAN. My elder brothers consecrated me only two days before my departure, and.... LEONARD. Whom do you think of killing? THE MAN. You in the first place, if you should prove false to us! LEONARD. For this use, brother, take my dagger! Hands it to him. THE MAN. For such use my own will suffice me, brother! MANY VOICES. Long live Leonard! Long live the Spanish murderer! LEONARD. Meet me to-morrow in the tent of Pancratius, our citizen general. CHORUS OF PRIESTS. We greet thee, stranger, in the name of the Spirit of Liberty: we intrust to thy hand a share of our emancipation! To men who combat without cessation, who kill without pity or weakness, who work for freedom by day, and dream of it by night, will be at last the victory! They pass on out of sight. CHORUS OF PHILOSOPHERS. We have wakened the human race, and torn them away from the days of childhood! We have found truth, and brought it to light from the womb of darkness! Combat, murder, and die for it, brethren! THE SON OF THE PHILOSOPHER (_to the Man_). Brother and friend, I drink your health out of the skull of an old saint! May we soon meet again! A MAIDEN (_dancing_). Kill Prince John for me! SECOND MAIDEN. Count Henry for me! CHILDREN. Bring us back the head of a noble for a ball. OTHER VOICES. Good fortune guide your daggers home! CHORUS OF ARTISTS. On these sublime old ruins we build no temples more; we paint no pictures, mould no statues for forgotten shrines; our arches shall be formed of pointed pikes and naked blades; our pillars built of ghastly piles of human skulls; the capitals of human hair dyed in gushing streams of crimson blood; our altar shall be white as snow, our god will rest upon it, the cap of liberty: Hurrah! hurrah! OTHER VOICES. On! on! the morning dawn already breaks! THE BAPTIZED. They will soon catch and hang us; we are but one step from the gallows. THE MAN. Fear nothing, Jew, they follow Leonard, and observe us no longer. I see with my own eyes, I understand with my own mind, and for the last time before it engulfs me, the chaos now generating in the abyss of Time, in the womb of Darkness, for my own destruction, for the annihilation of my brethren! Driven on by madness, stung by despair, my thoughts awake in all their strength....