ople crowded in the
entrance. Beeler crosses to help his wife, and the other men step
to one side, leaving Michaelis to confront the crowd alone.
Confused, half-whispered exclamations:_

VOICES IN THE CROWD.

Hallelujah! Emmanuel!

A NEGRO.

Praise de Lamb.

A WOMAN.

_Above the murmuring voices._

"He hath arisen, and His enemies are scattered."

MICHAELIS.

Who said that?

_A woman, obscurely seen in the crowd, lifts her hands and cries
again, this time in a voice ecstatic and piercing._

A WOMAN.

"The Lord hath arisen, and His enemies are scattered!"

MICHAELIS.

His enemies are scattered! Year after year I have heard His voice
calling me--and year after year I have said, "Show me the way." And He
showed me the way. He brought me to this house, and He raised up the
believing multitude around me. But in that hour I failed Him, I failed
Him. He has smitten me, as His enemies are smitten.--As a whirlwind He
has scattered me and taken my strength from me forever.

_He advances into the room, with a gesture backward through the
open door._

In yonder room a child lies dead on its mother's knees, and the
mother's eyes follow me with curses.

_At the news of the child's death, Mrs. Beeler has sunk with a low
moan into a chair, where she lies white and motionless. Michaelis
turns to her._

And here lies one who rose at my call, and was as one risen; but now--

_He breaks off, raises his hand to her, and speaks in a voice of
pleading._

Arise, my sister!

_She makes a feeble gesture of the left hand._

Rise up once more, I beseech you!

_She attempts to rise, but falls back helpless._

BEELER.

_Bending over her._

Can't you get up, Mother?

_She shakes her head._

MICHAELIS.

_Turning to the people._

Despair not, for another will come, and another and yet another, to
show you the way. But as for me--

_He sinks down by the table, and gazes before him, muttering in a
tragic whisper._

Broken! Broken! Broken!

CURTAIN

ACT III

_The next morning, just before sunrise. Both door and windows are open,
and a light breeze sways the curtains. Outside is a tree-shaded and
vine-clad porch, with balustrade, beyond which is a tangle of flowering
bushes and fruit trees in bloom. The effect is of a rich warm dawn--a
sudden onset of summer weather after a bleak spring._

_Beeler, with Uncle Abe