see her now, mistreated, wounded, torn;
             Will lose myself in horror at the sight,
             Compare each bloody mark upon her form
             With this, her image, here upon my breast. 
             And learn to deal with monsters, like to like.

(As ESTHER has risen.)

Speak not a word to me!  I will!  This torch
Shall, like myself, inflamed, illume the way;
Gleaming, because destructive and destroyed. 
She is in yonder last and inmost room,
Where I so oft—­

ESTHER.  She was, and there remains.

KING (has seized the torch).

Methinks ’tis blood I see upon my way. 
It is the way to blood.  O fearful night!

[He goes out at the side door to the left.]

ISAAC.  We’re in the dark.

ESTHER.  Yes, dark is round about,
             And round about the horror’s horrid night. 
             But daylight comes apace.  So let me try
             If I can thither bear my weary limbs.

[She goes to the window, and draws the curtain.]

The day already dawns, its pallid gleam
Shudders to see the terrors wrought this night—­
The difference ’twixt yesterday and now.

(Pointing to the scattered jewels on the floor.)

There, there it lies, our fortune’s scattered ruin—­
The tawdry baubles, for the sake of which
We, we—­not he who takes the blame—­but we
A sister sacrificed, thy foolish child! 
Yea, all that comes is right.  Whoe’er complains,
Accuses his own folly and himself.

ISAAC (who has seated himself on the chair).

Here will I sit.  Now that the King is here
I fear them not, nor all that yet may come.

The centre door opens.  Enter MANRIQUE, and GARCERAN, behind them the QUEEN, leading her child by the hand, and other nobles.

MANRIQUE.  Come, enter here, arrange yourselves the while. 
             We have offended ’gainst his Majesty,
             Seeking the good, but not within the law. 
             We will not try now to evade the law.

ESTHER (on the other side, raising the overturned table with a quick movement).

Order thyself, disorder!  Lest they think
That we are terrified, or cowards prove.

QUEEN.  Here are those others, here.

MANRIQUE.  Nay, let them be! 
             What mayhap threatens us, struck them ere now. 
             I beg you, stand you here, in rank and file.

QUEEN.  Let me come first, I am the guiltiest!