s guilty!

FATHER. Permit her father to add a word of explanation, if not of
defence. (Pause.) When she was fifteen, Maria fell into the hands of a
man who seemed to have made it his business to entrap young girls, much
as a bird-catcher traps small birds. He was no seducer, in the ordinary
sense, for he contented himself with binding her senses and entangling
her feelings only to thrust her away and watch how she suffered with
torn wings and a broken heart--tortured by the agony of love, which is
worse than any other agony. For three years Maria was cared for in an
institution for the mentally deranged. And when she came out again, she
was divided, broken into several pieces--it might be said that she was
several persons. She was an angel and feared God with one side of her
spirit; but with another she was a devil, and reviled all that was
holy. I've seen her go straight from dancing and frenzy to her beloved
Florian, and have heard her, in his presence, speak so differently and
so alter her expression, that I could have sworn she was another being.
But to me she seemed equally sincere in both her shapes. Is she to
blame, or her seducer?

PEOPLE. She's not to blame! Where is her seducer?

FATHER. There!

TEMPTER. Yes. It was I.

PEOPLE. Stone him!

MAGISTRATE. The law must run its course. He must be heard.

TEMPTER. Bon! Then listen, Argives! It was like this. Your humble
servant, born of poor but fairly honourable parents, was from the
beginning one of those strange birds who, in their youth, go in search
of their Creator--but without ever finding him, naturally! It's more
usual for old cuckoos to look for him in their dotage--and for good
reasons! The urge for this youthful quest was accompanied by a purity
of heart and a modesty that even caused his nurses to smile--yes, we can
laugh now when we hear that this boy would only change his underclothing
in the dark! But even if we're corrupted by the crudities of life,
we're still bound to find something beautiful in it; and if we're older
something touching! And so we can afford to-day to laugh at his childish
innocence. Scornful laughter, listeners, please.

MAGISTRATE (seriously). He mistakes his listeners.

TEMPTER. Then I ought to be ashamed of myself! (Pause.) He became a
youth--your humble servant--and fell into a series of traps that
were laid for his innocence. I'm an old sinner, but I blush at this
moment.... (He takes of his hat.) Yes, look at me n