Page:Poet Lore, volume 26, 1915.djvu/332

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316
JAN VÝRAVA

(Pointing to Mad Martin’s body) and let fires, far and wide, announce that we have risen to strike down feudalism.

The People.—Down with the nobles! Down with the nobles! To the castle! Long live Výrava! (All depart. They carry away the body of Mad Martin. Only Dvořák remains.)

Scene VIII

Dvořák (On his knees as when the others departed).—Our Saviour, God on high, I bow in the dust to you. You are calling your people to salvation, to freedom and by your unfathomable counsel you strengthen them and increase their power to over come their foe. And to me you grant grace to be present at the performance of your will. Oh, stay with your people, turn them away from destruction, and lead them from the valley of slavery to the heights of salvation. Jehovah, God on high, just as of the Israelitish people you were a leader and Saviour be even so to this people, you alone, you!

(The curtain falls.)

ACT III

The same scenery. Night. The moon is shining but its beams are visible only on the balcony.

Scene I

Director Karmín examining the park with the aid of four musketeers. Near the balcony Earl Roveredo-Lanzenfeld, Count Sterneck, Charvát. On the balcony the Countesses Sylvia and Christina.

From a distance can be heard the tolling of bells.

Christina.—Sylvia, what strange ringing of bells?

Sylvia.—They are sounding the alarm-bells in the villages. Fires are burning on the hill-tops, new ones are constantly appearing, the whole domain is rising against us!

Christina.—What fearful moments! What if the rebellion reaches the castle!