ght! Nay,
sweet, not yet, not yet. How still it is, and yet methinks the air is
full of music. It is some nightingale who, wearying of the south, has
come to sing in this bleak north to lovers such as we. It is the
nightingale. Dost thou not hear it?

CZAR. Oh, sweet, mine ears are clogged to all sweet sounds save thine
own voice, and mine eyes blinded to all sights but thee, else had I
heard that nightingale, and seen the golden-vestured morning sun itself
steal from its sombre east before its time for jealousy that thou art
twice as fair.

VERA. Yet would that thou hadst heard the nightingale. Methinks that
bird will never sing again.

CZAR. It is no nightingale. 'Tis love himself singing for very ecstasy
of joy that thou art changed into his votaress. (_Clock begins striking
twelve._) Oh, listen, sweet, it is the lover's hour. Come, let us stand
without, and hear the midnight answered from tower to tower over the
wide white town. Our wedding night! What is that? What is that?

(_Loud murmurs of CONSPIRATORS in the street._)

VERA (_breaks from him and rushes across the stage_). The wedding guests
are here already! Ay, you shall have your sign! (_Stabs herself._) You
shall have your sign! (_Rushes to the window._)

CZAR (_intercepts her by rushing between her and window, and snatches
dagger out of her hand_). Vera!

VERA (_clinging to him_). Give me back the dagger! Give me back the
dagger! There are men in the street who seek your life! Your guards have
betrayed you! This bloody dagger is the signal that you are dead.
(_CONSPIRATORS begin to shout below in the street._) Oh, there is not a
moment to be lost! Throw it out! Throw it out! Nothing can save me now;
this dagger is poisoned! I feel death already in my heart.

CZAR (_holding dagger out of her reach_). Death is in my heart too; we
shall die together.

VERA. Oh, love! love! love! be merciful to me! The wolves are hot upon
you! you must live for liberty, for Russia, for me! Oh, you do not love
me! You offered me an empire once! Give me this dagger now! Oh, you are
cruel! My life for yours! What does it matter? (_Loud shouts in the
street, "VERA! VERA! To the rescue! To the rescue!_")

CZAR. The bitterness of death is past for me.

VERA. Oh, they are breaking in below! See! The bloody man behind you!
(_CZAREVITCH turns round for an instant._) Ah! (_VERA snatches dagger
and flings it out of window._)

CONSPS. (_below_). Long live the people!

CZAR