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 shout 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! [(CZAR turns round for an instant.)] Ah! [(VERA snatches dagger and flings it out of window.)]

CONSPIRATORS:

[(below)] Long live the people!

CZAR:

What have you done?

VERA:

I have saved Russia! [(Dies.)]

TABLEAU

CURTAIN.