HER. Then their sufferings will burden your conscience, if you have
one.

STRANGER. Supposing he were to beat them?

MOTHER. Do you know what I'd do in your place?

STRANGER. Yes, I know what you'd do; but I don't know what I'll do.

MOTHER (to the Sisters of Mercy). Pray for this man!

STRANGER. No, no. Not that! It'll do no good, and I don't believe in
prayer.

MOTHER. But you believe in your gold?

STRANGER. Not even in that. It's over. All over!

(The MIDWIFE comes out of the bedroom.)

MIDWIFE. A child's born. Praise the Lord!

MOTHER. Let the Lord be praised!

SISTERS. Let the Lord be praised!

MIDWIFE (to the STRANGER). Your wife's given you daughter.

MOTHER (to the STRANGER). Don't you want to see your child?

STRANGER. No. I no longer want to tie myself anything on earth. I'm
afraid I'd get to love her, and then you'd tear the heart from my body.
Let me get out of this atmosphere, which is too pure for me. Don' t let
that innocent child come near me, for I'm a man already damned, already
sentenced, and for me there's no joy, no peace, and no... forgiveness!

MOTHER. My son, now you're speaking words of wisdom! Truthfully and
without malice: I welcome your decision. There's no place for you here,
and amongst us women you'd be plagued to death. So go in peace.

STRANGER. There'll be no more peace, but I'll go. Farewell!

MOTHER. Exules filii Evae; on earth you shall be a fugitive and a
vagabond.

STRANGER. Because I have slain my brother.

Curtain.

ACT IV

SCENE I

BANQUETING HALL

[The room in which the banquet took place in Act III. It is dirty, and
furnished with unpainted wooden tables. Beggars, scavengers and loose
women. Cripples are seated here and there drinking by the light of
tallow dips.]

[The STRANGER and the SECOND WOMAN are sitting together drinking brandy,
which stands on the table in front of them in a carafe. The STRANGER is
drinking heavily.]

WOMAN. Don't drink so much!

STRANGER. You see. You've scruples, too!

WOMAN. No. But I don't like to see a man I respect lowering himself so.

STRANGER. But I came here specially to do so; to take a mud-bath that
would harden my skin against the pricks of life. To find immoral support
about me. And I chose your company, because you're the most despicable,
though you've still retained a spark of humanity. You were sorry for me,
when no one else was. Not even myself! Why?

WOMAN. Really, I don't know.

STRAN