Elena’s words puncture Lamb’s courage.

Lamb goes over to Hamilton. Hamilton struggles, but Lamb is stronger and gets the gag into Hamilton’s mouth.

ELENA: Good boy.

Lamb secures the gag in place.

ELENA: There were a lot of escape attempts when your father’s camp first ‘opened.’ (goes to the desk) He needed a way to convince prisoners that such behaviour wasn’t worth the risk. Executing prisoners was useless, since it was more of a blessing than being alive …

Elena picks up the butcher’s hook.

JOSEF: Nimajte ga odsrediti …[9]

ELENA: He needed a deterrent that was more permanent than beatings or simple torture. Now, to be fair? His solution was rather elegant, all things considered.

(raises the butcher’s hook) He severed one of their Achilles tendons. Captured escapees would have to crawl around the camp until they could walk again. And when they did, they limped.

JOSEF: Murčete me. Nekite ga vu miru.[10]

ELENA: Vajvotinja?[11]

JOSEF: Ne sačam se …[12]

ELENA: Liar. (turns to Hamilton) People with principles and integrity are the same as the captured escapees, Marko. Everyone admires them for their courage, but so few are willing to pay the price. Your father understood that.

He had a nickname for them: Solizgači.[13]

It means ‘those who grovel.’

Elena, hook in hand, steps toward Hamilton.

JOSEF: (stands up) Ne![14]

HALF-LIGHT.

THIRD INTERLUDE

The sound of the cellos rise into the air. Angry. Excruciating.

1. 1. [SHU-kay ye!] (NB: kay rhymes with sky)     2. [ˈʃu-kaj jɛ!]     3. Shoot her!↵
2. 1. [PRET-sa-o som ti da ye VO-na STAV-no VAR-lya-va kur-VE-ti-na.]     2. [ˈprɛt-sa-ɔ sɔm ti da jɛ ˈvɔ-na ˈstav-nɔ ˈvar-ʎa-va kur-ˈvɛ-ti-na.]     3. I told you she was just a dirty whore. ↵
3. 1. [CHI-li-mo da ves-pa-MYE-da-te SVOY-e ZAR-chi-ne SO-nu.]     2. [ˈtʃi-li-mɔ da vɛs-pa-ˈmjɛ-da-tɛ ˈsvɔj-ɛ ˈzar-tʃi-nɛ ˈsɔ-nu.]     3. We wish you to confess your crimes to your son. ↵
4. 1. [YA-chi se kur-VE-ti-no.]     2. [ˈja-tʃi sɛ kur-ˈvɛ-ti-nɔ.]     3. Go fuck yourself, whore. ↵
5. 1. [vay-VO-ti-nya]     2. [vaj-ˈvɔ-ti-ɲa]     3. The Duchess↵
6. 1. [NE.]     2. [ˈnɛ.]     3. No.↵
7. 1. [VI-na-che MUR-che-te i MA-ni I NYI-ga.]     2. [ˈvi-na-tʃɛ ˈmur-tʃɛ-tɛ iˈma-ni i ˈɲi-ga.]     3. You will kill both of us no matter what.↵
8. 1. [DRAN te BI-lo kur-VE-ti-no!]     2. [ˈdran tɛ ˈbi-lɔ kur-ˈvɛ-ti-nɔ!]     3. Shame on you, whore!↵
9. 1. [NI-may-te ... ga od-SRE-di-ti ... ] (NB: may rhymes with sky)     2. [ˈni-maj-tɛ ... ga ɔd-ˈsrɛ-di-ti ... ]     3. Please ... do not harm him ...  ↵
10. 1. [MUR-che-te me. NE-ki-te ga vu MI-ru.]     2. [ˈmur-tʃɛ-tɛ mɛ. ˈnɛ-ki-tɛ ga vu ˈmi-ru.]     3. Kill me. Leave him alone.↵
11. 1. [vay-VO-ti-nya]     2. [vaj-ˈvɔ-ti-ɲa]     3. The Duchess↵
12. 1. [ne SACH-am se ...]     2. [nɛ ˈsa-tʃam sɛ]     3. [I don’t remember ... ]↵
13. 1. [so-liz-GA-chi]     2. [sɔ-liz-ˈga-tʃi]     3. Those who grovel↵
14. 1. [NE.]     2. [nɛ.]     3. No.↵

Scene 4

Lights up.

Hamilton is passed out on the chair. His shoes and socks have been removed, and his left pant leg is rolled up. The gag hangs around his neck. His heel is expertly bandaged. The gauze is bloody.