Hark! a noise and rustling among the masses! Is it joy, or is it grief? Who can read the meaning of a thing so monstrously multiform!
A man arrives, mounts a table, harangues and sways the multitude. His voice drags and grates upon the ear, but hacks itself into sharp, strong words, clearly heard and easily understood; his gestures are slow and light, accompanying his words as music, song. His brow is high and strong, his head is entirely bald; thought has uprooted its last hair. His skin is dull and tawny, the blood never tinges its dingy pallor, no emotion ever paints its secrets there, yellow wrinkles form and cross between the bones and muscles of his face, and a dark beard, like a black wreath, encircles it from temple to temple. He fastens a steady gaze upon his hearers, no doubt or hesitation ever clouds his clear, cold eye. When he raises his arm and stretches it out toward the people, they bow before him, as if to receive, prostrate, the blessing of a great intellect, not that of a great heart! Down, down with the great hearts! Away, away with old prejudices! Hurrah! hurrah! for the words of consolation! Hurrah for the license to murder!
This man is the idol of the people, their passion, the ruler of their souls, the stimulator of their enthusiasm. He promises them bread and money, and their cries rise like the rushing of a storm, widening and deepening in every direction: 'Long live Pancratius! Hurrah! Bread and money! Bread for us, our wives, our children! Hurrah! hurrah!'
At the feet of the speaker, leaning against the table on which he stands, rests his friend, companion, and disciple. His eye is dark and oriental, shadowed by long and gloomy lashes, his arms hang down, his limbs bend under him, his body is badly formed and distorted, his mouth is sensual and voluptuous, his expression is sharp and malicious, his fingers are laden with rings of goldhe joins the tumult, crying with a rough, hoarse voice: 'Long live Pancratius!' The speaker looks at him carelessly for a moment, and says: 'Citizen, Baptized, hand me a handkerchief!'
Meantime the uproar continues; the cries become more and more tumultuous: 'Bread for us! Bread! bread! Long live Pancratius! Death to the nobles! to the merchants! to the rich! Bread! bread! Bread and blood! Hurrah! hurrah!'
A tabernacle. Lamps. An open book lies on a table. Baptized Jews.
The Baptized. My wretched brethren; my revenge-seeking, beloved brethren! let us suck nourishment from the pages of the Talmud, as from the breast of our mother; it is the breast of life from which strength and honey flow for us, bitterness and poison for our enemies.
Chorus of Baptized Jews. Jehovah is our God, and ours alone; therefore has He scattered us in every land!
Like the coiled folds of an enormous serpent, He has wreathed us everywhere round and through the adorers of the cross; our lithe and subtile rings pass round and through our foolish, proud, unclean rulers.
Let us thrice spew them forth to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them!
The Baptized. Rejoice, my brethren! the Cross of our Great Enemy is already more than half hewn down; it is rotting to its fall; it is only standing on a root of blood: if it once plunge into the abyss it will never rise again. Hitherto the nobles have been its sole defence, but they are ours! ours!
Chorus of Baptized Jews. Our work, our long, long work of centuries, our sad, ardent, painful work is almost done!
Death to the nobleslet us thrice spew them forth to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them!
The Baptized. The might of Israel shall be built upon a liberty without law or order, upon a slaughter without end, upon the pride of the nobility, the folly of the masses. The nobles are almost destroyed; we must drive the few still left into the abyss of death, and scatter over their livid corpses the ruins of the shattered cross in which they trusted!
Chorus of Baptized Jews. The cross is now our holy symbol; the water of baptism has reunited us with men; the scorning repose upon the love of the scorned!
The freedom of men is our cry; the welfare of the people our aim; ha! ha! the eons of Christ trust the sons of Caiaphas!
Centuries ago our fathers tortured our Great Enemy to death; we will again torture him to death this very daybut He will never rise more from the grave which we prepare for Him!
The Baptized. Yet a little space, a little time, a few drops of poison, and the whole world will be our own, my brethren!
Chorus of Baptized Jews. Jehovah is the God of Israel, and of it alone.
Let us thrice spew forth the nations to destruction! Threefold curses light upon them!
Knocking is heard at the door.
The Baptized. Take up your work, brethren! And thou, Holy Book, away from sightno unclean look shall soil thy spotless leaves! Who is there?
Hides the Talmud.Voice (without). A friend. Open in the name of freedom.
The Baptized. Quick to your hammers and looms, my brethren!
He opens the door.Enter Leonard.
Leonard. Well done, citizens. You watch, I see, and whet your swords for to-morrow.(Approaching one of the men:) What are you making here in this corner?
One of the Baptized. Ropes.
Leonard. You are right, citizen, for he who falls not by iron must hang!
The Baptized. Citizen Leonard, is the thing really to come off to-morrow?
Leonard. He who thinks, feels, and acts with the most force among us, has sent me to you to appoint an interview. He will himself answer your question.
The Baptized. I go to meet him. Brethren, remain at work. Look well to them, citizen Yankel.
Exit with Leonard.Chorus of Baptized Jews. Ye ropes and daggers, ye clubs and bills, the works of our hands, ye wilt go forth to destroy them!
The people will kill the nobles upon the plains, will hang them in the forests, and then, having none to defend them, we will kill and hang the people! The Despised will arise in their anger, will array themselves in the might of Jehovah: His Word is Redemption and Love for His people Israel, but scorn and fury for their enemies!
Let us thrice spew them forth to destruction: threefold curses fall upon them!
A tent. A profusion of flasks, cups, and flagons. Pancratius alone.
Pancratius. The mob howled in applause but a moment ago, shouted in loud hurrahs at every word I uttered. But is there a single man among them all who really understands my ideas, or who comprehends the end and aim of that path upon which we have entered, or where the reforms will terminate which have been so loudly inaugurated within the last hour? 'Ah! fervidum imitatorum pecus!'
Enter Leonard and the Baptized Jew.
Do you know Count Henry?
The Baptized. I know him well by sight, great citizen, but I am not personally acquainted with him. I remember once when I was approaching the Lord's Supper, he cried to me, 'Out of the way!' and looked down upon me with the arrogant look peculiar to the noblesfor which I vowed him a rope in my soul.
Pancratius. Prepare to visit him early to-morrow morning, and announce to him that it is my wish to confer with him alone.
The Baptized. How many men will you send with me on this embassy? I do not think it would be safe to undertake it without a guard.
Pancratius. You must go alone, my name will be sufficient guard, and the gallows on which you hung the baron yesterday, your shield.
The Baptized. Woe is me!
Pancratius. Tell him I will visit him to-morrow night.
The Baptized. I know him well by sight, great citizen, but I am not personally acquainted with him. I remember once when I was approaching the Lord's Supper, he cried to me, 'Out of the way!' and looked down upon me with the arrogant look peculiar to the noblesfor which I vowed him a rope in my soul.
Pancratius. Prepare to visit him early to-morrow morning, and announce to him that it is my wish to confer with him alone.
The Baptized. How many men will you send with me on this embassy? I do not think it would be safe to undertake it without a guard.
Pancratius. You must go alone, my name will be sufficient guard, and the gallows on which you hung the baron yesterday, your shield.
The Baptized. Woe is me!
Pancratius. Tell him I will visit him to-morrow night.
The Baptized. And if he should put me in chains or order me to be hung?
Pancratius. You would die a martyr for the freedom of the people!
The Baptized. I will sacrifice all for the freedom of the people.(Aside.) Woe is me!(Aloud.) Good night, citizen.
Exit the Baptized.Leonard. Pancratius, why this delay, these half measures, these contracts, this strange interview? When I swore to honor and obey you, it was because I believed you to be a hero of extremes, an eagle flying even in the face of the sun directly to its aim; a brave man ready to venture all upon the cast of a die.
Pancratius. Silence, child!
Leonard. Everything is ready; the baptized Jews have forged arms and woven ropes; the masses clamor for immediate orders. Speak but the word now, and the electric sparks will fly, the millions flash into forked lightnings, kindle into flame, and consume our enemies!
Pancratius. You are young, and the blood mounts rapidly into your brain; but will the hour of combat find you more resolute than myself?
Leonard. Think well what you are doing. The nobles, weak and exhausted, have fled for refuge to the famous fortress of the Holy Trinity,1 and await our arrival, as men wait the knife of the guillotine.
Forward, citizen, attack them without delay, and it is over with them forever!
Pancratius. It can make no difference; they have lost the old energy of their caste in luxury and idleness. To-morrow or the next day they must fall, what matter which?
Leonard. What and whom do you fear, and why do you delay?
Pancratius. I fear nothing. I act but in accordance with my own will.
Leonard. And am I to trust it blindly?
Pancratius. Yes. Blindly.
Leonard. You may betray us, citizen!
Pancratius. Betrayal rings forever from your lips like the refrain of an old song.
But hush! not so loudif any one should hear us
Leonard. There are no spies here; and what if some one should hear us?
Pancratius. Nothing; only five balls in your heart for having ventured to raise your voice a tone too high in my presence. (Approaching close to him.) Leonard, trust me, and be tranquil!
Leonard. I confess I have been too hasty, but I fear no punishment. If my death could help the cause of the down-trodden masses, I would cheerfully die.
Pancratius. You are full of life, hope, faith. Happiest of men, I will not rob you of the bliss of existence.
Leonard. What do you say, citizen?
Pancratius. Think more; speak less; the time will come when you will fully understand me!
Have you collected the provisions for the carousal of the millions?
Leonard. They have all been sent to the arsenal under guard.
Pancratius. Has the contribution from the shoemakers been received?
Leonard. It has. Every one gave with the greatest eagerness; it amounts to a hundred thousand.
Pancratius. They must all be invited to a general festival to-morrow.
Have you heard nothing of Count Henry?
Leonard. I despise the nobles too deeply to credit what I hear of him. The dying race have no energy left; it is impossible they should dare or venture aught.
Pancratius. And yet it is true that he is collecting and training his serfs and peasants, and, confiding in their devotion and attachment to himself, intends leading them to the relief of the fortress of the Holy Trinity.
Leonard. Who can oppose us? The ideas of our century stand incorporated in us!
Pancratius. I am determined to see Count Henry, to gaze into his eyes, to read the very depths of his brave spirit, to win him over to the glorious cause of the people.
Leonard. An aristocrat, body and soul!
Pancratius. True: but also a Poet!
Good night, Leonard, I would be alone.
Leonard. Have you forgiven me, citizen?
Pancratius. Sleep in peace: if I had not forgiven you, you would ere this have slept the eternal sleep.
Leonard. And will nothing take place to-morrow?
Pancratius. Good night, and pleasant dreams!
Leonard is retiring.
Ho, Leonard!
Leonard. Citizen general?
Pancratius. You will accompany me day after morrow on my visit to Count Henry.
Leonard. I will obey.
Exit Leonard.Pancratius. How is it that this man, Count Henry, still dares to resist and defy me, the ruler of millions? His forces will bear no comparison with mine; indeed he stands almost alone, although it is true that some hundred or two of peasants, confiding blindly in his word and clinging to him as the dog clings to his master, still cluster round himbut that is all folly, and can amount to nothing. Why, then, do I long to see him, long to win him to our side? Has my spirit for the first time encountered its equal? Can it progress no farther in the path in which he stands to oppose me? His resistance is the last obstacle to be overcomehe must be overthrownand then? and then!
O my cunning intellect! Canst thou not deceive thyself as thou hast deceived others?
Shame! thou shouldst know thine own might! Thou art thought, the intelligence and reason of the peoplethe ruler of the massesthou controllest the millions, so that their will and giant force is one with thineall authority and government are incarnated and concentrated in thee aloneall that would be crime in others is in thee fame and glorythou hast given name and place to unknown and obscure menthou hast given faith and eloquence to beings who had been almost robbed of moral sentimentthou hast created a new world in thine own image, and art thyself its god! and yet and yet thou art wandering in unknown wastes, and fearest to be lost thyselfto go astray!
Thou knowest not thyself, nor of what thou art capable; thou rulest others, yet doubt'st thyselfthou knowest not what thou artwhither thou goestnor whence thou earnest! No no.... Thou art sublime!
Sinks upon a chair in silent thought.
A forest, with a cleared hill in its midst, upon which stands a gallows; huts, tents, watchfires, barrels, tables, and crowds of men. The Man disguised in a dark cloak and red liberty cap, and holding the Baptized Jew by the hand.
The Man. Remember!
The Baptized (in a whisper). Upon my honor, I will lead your excellency aright, I will not betray you.
The Man. Give but one suspicious wink, raise but a finger, and my bullet finds its way to your heart! You may readily imagine that I attach no great value to your life when I thus lightly risk my own.
The Baptized. Oh woe! You press my hand like a vice of steel. What is it you wish me to do?
The Man. Appear to the crowd as if I were an acquaintancetreat me as a newly arrived friend.