ere is
a knock at the door leading from the hall; their happy faces
betray no sign of hearing it; then the door slightly opens, and
BARON REVENDAL'S head looks hesitatingly in. As DAVID perceives
it, his features work convulsively, his string breaks with a
tragic snap, and he totters backward into VERA'S arms. Hoarsely_]
The face! The face!

VERA
David--my dearest!

DAVID [_His eyes closed, his violin clasped mechanically_]
Don't be anxious--I shall be better soon--I oughtn't to have talked
about it--the hallucination has never been so complete.

VERA
Don't speak--rest against Vera's heart--till it has passed away.
[_The BARON comes dazedly forward, half with a shocked sense of
VERA'S impropriety, half to relieve her of her burden. She
motions him back._]
This is the work of your Holy Russia.

BARON [_Harshly_]
What is the matter with him?
[_DAVID'S violin and bow drop from his grasp and fall on the
table._]

DAVID
The voice!
[_He opens his eyes, stares frenziedly at the BARON, then
struggles out of VERA'S arms._]

VERA [_Trying to stop him_]
Dearest----

DAVID
Let me go.
[_He moves like a sleep-walker toward the paralysed BARON, puts
out his hand, and testingly touches the face._]

BARON [_Shuddering back_]
Hands off!

DAVID [_With a great cry_]
A-a-a-h! It is flesh and blood. No, it is stone--the man of stone!
Monster!
[_He raises his hand frenziedly._]

BARON [_Whipping out his pistol_]
Back, dog!
[_VERA darts between them with a shriek._]

DAVID [_Frozen again, surveying the pistol stonily_]
Ha! You want _my_ life, too. Is the cry not yet loud enough?

BARON
The cry?

DAVID [_Mystically_]
Can you not hear it? The voice of the blood of my brothers crying out
against you from the ground? Oh, how can you bear not to turn that
pistol against yourself and execute upon yourself the justice which
Russia denies you?

BARON
Tush!
[_Pocketing the pistol a little shamefacedly._]

VERA
Justice on himself? For what?

DAVID
For crimes beyond human penalty, for obscenities beyond human utterance,
for----

VERA
You are raving.

DAVID
Would to heaven I were!

VERA
But this is my father.

DAVID
Your father!... God!
[_He staggers._]

BARON [_Drawing her to him_]
Come, Vera, I told you----

VERA [_Frantically, shrinking back_]
Don't touch me!

BARON [_Starting back in amaze_]
Vera!

VERA