COLONEL: Every woman does talk too much. Come, where is this venison? Count, I am waiting for you. How can you see anything in a girl with coarse hands? (He passes with PETER and his aide-de-camp into an inner room.)

VERA (to one of the Nihilists): Won’t you sit down? You must be tired.

SERGEANT: Come now, young woman, no talking to my prisoners.

VERA: I shall speak to them. How much do you want?

SERGEANT: How much have you?

VERA: Will you let these men sit down if I give you this? (Takes off her peasant’s necklace.) It is all I have; it was my mother’s.

SERGEANT: Well, it looks pretty enough, and is heavy too. What do you want with these men?

VERA: They are hungry and wretched. Let me go to them?

ONE OF THE SOLDIERS: Let the wench be, if she pays us.

SERGEANT: Well, have your way. If the Colonel sees you, you may have to come with us, my pretty one.

VERA (advances to the Nihilists): Sit down; you must be tired. (Serves them food.) What are you?

A PRISONER: Nihilists.

VERA: Who put you in chains?

PRISONER: Our Father the Czar.

VERA: Why?

PRISONER: For loving liberty too well.

VERA (to the prisoner who hides his face): What did you want to do?

DMITRI: To give liberty to thirty millions of people enslaved to one man.

VERA (startled at the voice): What is your name?

DMITRI: I have no name.

VERA: Where are your friends?

DMITRI: I have no friends.

VERA: Let me see your face!

DMITRI: You will see nothing but suffering in it. They have tortured me.

VERA (tears his cloak from his face): O God! Dmitri! My brother!

DMITRI: Hush! Vera; be calm. You must not let my father know; it would kill him. I thought I could free Russia. I heard men talk of Liberty one night in a cafe. I had never heard the word before. It seemed to be a new God they spoke of. I joined them. It was there all the money went. Five months ago they seized us. They found me printing the paper. I am going to the mines for life. I could not write. I thought it would be better to let you think I was dead; for they are bringing us to a living tomb.

VERA (looking round): You must escape, Dmitri. I will take your place.

DMITRI: Impossible! You can only revenge us.

VERA: I shall revenge you.

DMITRI: Listen! There is a house in Moscow –

SERGEANT: Prisoners, attention! The Colonel is coming – young woman, your time is up.

Enter COLONEL, AIDE-DE-CAMP, and PETER.

PETER: I hope your Highness is pleased with the venison. I shot it myself.

COLONEL: It had been better had you talked less about it. Sergeant, get ready. (Givespurse to PETER.) Here, you cheating rascal!

PETER: My fortune is made! Long live your Highness. I hope your Highness will come often this way.