PRESIDENT (holding out dagger and a paper): Prince Paul, the dagger or the oath?

PRINCE PAUL (smiles sardonically): I would sooner annihilate than be annihilated. (Takes paper.)

PRESIDENT: Remember: Betray us, and as long as earth holds poison or steel, as long as men can strike or women betray, you shall not escape vengeance. The Nihilists never forget their friends, or forgive their enemies.

PRINCE PAUL: Really? I did not think you were so civilised.

VERA (pacing up and down behind): Why is he not here? He will not keep the crown. I know him well.

PRESIDENT: Sign. (PRINCE PAUL signs.) You said you thought we had no creed. You were wrong. Read it!

VERA: This is a dangerous thing, President. What can we do with this man?

PRESIDENT: We can use him. He is of value to us to-night and to-morrow.

VERA: Perhaps there will be no morrow for any of us; but we have given him our word: he is safer here than ever he was in his palace.

PRINCE PAUL (reading): ‘The rights of humanity’! In the old times men carried out their rights for themselves as they lived, but nowadays every baby seems born with a social manifesto in its mouth much bigger than itself. ‘Nature is not a temple, but a workshop: we demand the right to labour.’ Ah, I shall surrender my own rights in that respect.

VERA (pacing up and down behind): Oh, will he never come? Will he never come?

PRINCE PAUL: ‘The family as subversive of true socialistic and communal unity is to be annihilated.’ Yes, President, I agree completely with Article 5. A family is a terrible incumbrance, especially when one is not married. (Three knocks at the door.)

VERA: Alexis at last!

Password: Væ tyrannis!

Answer: Væ victis! (Enter MICHAEL STROGANOFF.)

PRESIDENT: Michael, the regicide! Brothers, let us do honour to a man who has killed a king.

VERA (aside): Oh, he will come yet!

PRESIDENT: Michael, you have saved Russia.

MICHAEL: Ay, Russia was free for a moment when the tyrant fell, but the sun of liberty has set again like that false dawn which cheats our eyes in autumn.

PRESIDENT: The dread night of tyranny is not yet past for Russia.

MICHAEL (clutching his knife): One more blow, and the end is come indeed.

VERA (aside): One more blow! What does he mean? Oh, impossible! But why is he not with us? Alexis! Alexis! Why are you not here?

PRESIDENT: But how did you escape, Michael? They said you had been seized.

MICHAEL: I was dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard. The Colonel on duty was a brother, and gave me the password. I drove through the troops in safety with it, and, thanks to my good horse, reached the walls before the gates were closed.

PRESIDENT: What a chance his coming out on the balcony was!