PETER (_who has been counting the money the COLONEL gave him_). Long life to your Highness. I will hope to see another batch soon. (_Suddenly catches sight of DMITRI as he is going out of the door, and screams and rushes up._) Dmitri! Dmitri! my God! what brings you here? he is innocent, I tell you. I'll pay for him. Take your money (_flings money on the ground_), take all I have, give me my son. Villains! Villains! where are you bringing him? COLONEL. To Siberia, old man. PETER. No, no; take me instead. COLONEL. He is a Nihilist. PETER. You lie! you lie! He is innocent. (_The soldiers force him back with their guns and shut the door against him. He beats with his fists against it._) Dmitri! Dmitri! a Nihilist! (_Falls down on floor._) VERA (_who has remained motionless, picks up paper now from under her feet and reads_). "99 Rue Tchernavaya, Moscow. To strangle whatever nature is in me; neither to love nor to be loved; neither to pity nor to be pitied; neither to marry nor to be given in marriage, till the end is come." My brother, I shall keep the oath. (_Kisses the paper._) You shall be revenged! (_VERA stands immobile, holding paper in her lifted hand. PETER is lying on the floor. MICHAEL, who has just come in, is bending over him._) END OF PROLOGUE. ACT I.[1] SCENE.--_99 Rue Tchernavaya, Moscow. A large garret lit by oil lamps hung from ceiling. Some masked men standing silent and apart from one another. A man in a scarlet mask is writing at a table. Door at back. Man in yellow with drawn sword at it. Knocks heard. Figures in cloaks and masks enter._ _Password._ Per crucem ad lucem. _Answer._ Per sanguinem ad libertatem. (_Clock strikes. CONSPIRATORS form a semicircle in the middle of the stage._) [2]PRESIDENT. What is the word? FIRST CONSP. Nabat. PRES. The answer? SECOND CONSP. Kalit. PRES. What hour is it? THIRD CONSP. The hour to suffer. PRES. What day? FOURTH CONSP. The day of oppression. PRES. What year? FIFTH CONSP. Since the Revolution of France, the ninth year.[2] PRES. How many are we in number? SIXTH CONSP. Ten, nine, and three. PRES. The Galilaean had less to conquer the world; but what is our mission? SEVENTH CONSP. To give freedom. PRES. Our creed? EIGHTH CONSP. To annihilate. PRES. Our duty? NINTH CONSP. To obey. PRES. Brothers, the questions have been answered well. There are none but Nihilists present. Let us see each other's faces. (_The CONSPIRATORS unmask._) Michael, recite the oath. MICHAEL. To strangle whatever nature is in us; neither to love nor to be loved, neither to pity nor to be pitied, neither to marry nor to be given in marriage, till the end is come; to stab secretly by night; to drop poison in the glass; to set father against son, and husband against wife; without fear, without hope, without future, to suffer, to annihilate, to revenge. PRES. Are we all agreed? CONSPIRATORS. We are all agreed. (_They disperse in various directions about the stage._)