Knowledge house - Oscar Wilde - The Complete Works

·82· prince paul

[ Bitterly .] Your brothers, the people, Prince, are not content with their own lives, they always want to take their neighbour’s too.

czar

[ Standing up .] I am sick of being afraid. I have done with terror now. From this day I proclaim war against the people—war to their annihilation. As they have dealt with me, so shall I deal with them. I shall grind them to powder, and strew their dust upon the air. There shall be a spy in every man’s house, a traitor on every hearth, a hangman in every village, a gibbet in every square. Plague, leprosy, or fever shall be less deadly than my wrath; I will make every frontier a grave-yard, every province a lazar-house, and cure the sick by the sword. I shall have peace in Russia, though it be the peace of the dead. Who said I was a coward? Who said I was afraid? See, thus shall I crush this people beneath my feet? [ Takes up sword of Czarevitch off table and tramples on it .]

czarevitch

Father, beware the sword you tread on may turn and wound you. The people suffer long, but vengeance comes at last, vengeance with red hands and bloody purpose.

·83· prince paul

Bah! the people are bad shots; they always miss one.

czarevitch

There are times when the people are instruments of God.

czar

Ay! and when kings are God’s scourges for the people. Oh, my own son, in my own house! My own flesh and blood against me! Take him away! Take him away! Bring in my guards. [ Enter the Imperial Guard. Czar points to Czarevitch, who stands alone at the side of the stage .] To the blackest prison in Moscow! Let me never see his face again. [ Czarevitch is being led out .] No, no, leave him! I don’t trust guards. They are all Nihilists! They would let him escape and he would kill me, kill me! No, I’ll bring him to prison myself, you and I [ to Prince Paul .] I trust you, you have no mercy. I shall have no mercy. Oh, my own son against me! How hot it is! The air stifles me! I feel as if I were going to faint, as if something were at my throat. Open the windows I say! Out of my sight! Out of my sight! I can’t bear his eyes. Wait, wait for me. [ Throws windows open and goes out on balcony .]

·84· prince paul

[ Looking at his watch .] The dinner is sure to be spoiled. How annoying politics are and eldest sons!

voice

[ Outside, in the street .] God save the people! [ Czar is shot, and staggers back into the room .]

czarevitch

[ Breaking from the guards and rushing over .] Father!

czar

Murderer! Murderer! You did it! Murderer! [ Dies .]

Act-Drop.



Same scene and business as Act I.

Man in yellow dress, with drawn sword, at the door.

Password outside : Væ tyrannis.

Answer : Væ victis [ repeated three times ].

[ Enter Conspirators, who form a semicircle, masked and cloaked .]

president

What hour is it?

first conspirator

The hour to strike.

president

What day?

second conspirator

The day of Marat.

president

In what month?

third conspirator

The month of liberty.

·86· president

What is our duty?

fourth conspirator

To obey.

president

Our creed?

fifth conspirator

Parbleu, Mons. le President, I never knew you had one.

conspirators

A spy! A spy! Unmask! Unmask! A spy!

president

Let the doors be shut. There are others but Nihilists present.

conspirators

Unmask! Unmask! Kill him! kill him! [ Masked Conspirator unmasks .] Prince Paul!

vera

Devil! Who lured you into the lion’s den!

conspirators

Kill him! kill him!

·87· prince paul

En vérité, Messieurs, you are not over-hospitable in your welcome!

vera

Welcome! What welcome should we give you but the dagger or the noose?

prince paul

I had no idea, really, that the Nihilists were so exclusive. Let me assure you that if I had not always had an entrée to the very best society, and the very worst conspirators, I could never have been Prime Minister in Russia.

vera

The tiger cannot change its nature, nor the snake lose its venom; but are you turned a lover of the people?

prince paul

Mon Dieu, non, Mademoiselle! I would much sooner talk scandal in a drawing-room than treason in a cellar. Besides, I hate the common mob, who smell of garlic, smoke bad tobacco, get up early, and dine off one dish.

president

What have you to gain, then, by a revolution?

·88· prince paul

Mon ami, I have nothing left to lose. That scatter-brained boy, this new Czar, has banished me.

vera

To Siberia?

prince paul

No, to Paris. He has confiscated my estates, robbed me of my office and my cook. I have nothing left but my decorations. I am here for revenge.

president

Then you have a right to be one of us. We also meet daily for revenge.

prince paul

You want money, of course. No one ever joins a conspiracy who has any. Here. [ Throws money on table .] You have so many spies that I should think you want information. Well, you will find me the best informed man in Russia on the abuses of our Government. I made them nearly all myself.

vera

President, I don’t trust this man. He has ·89· done us too much harm in Russia to let him go in safety.

prince paul

Believe me, Mademoiselle, you are wrong; I will be a most valuable addition to your circle; as for you, gentlemen, if I had not thought that you would be useful to me I shouldn’t have risked my neck among you, or dined an hour earlier than usual so as to be in time.

president

Ay, if he had wanted to spy on us, Vera, he wouldn’t have come himself.

prince paul

[ Aside .] No; I should have sent my best friend.

president

Besides, Vera, he is just the man to give us the information we want about some business we have in hand to-night.

vera

Be it so if you wish it.

president

Brothers, is it your will that Prince Paul Maraloffski be admitted, and take the oath of the Nihilist?

·90· conspirators

It is! it is!

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 the earth holds poison or steel, as long as men can strike or woman betray, you shall not escape vengeance. The Nihilists never forget their friends, nor forgive their enemies.

prince paul

Really? I did not think you were so civilized.

vera

[ Pacing up and down .] 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!

·91· vera

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

president

We can use him.

vera

And afterwards?

president

[ Shrugging his shoulders .] Strangle him.

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?