Gertrude
Ought I to keep silence?—­Ought I to speak?

Ramel
General, be kind enough to retire.  The law commands.

The General
The law?  You represent the justice of men, I represent the justice of
God, and am higher than you all!  I am at once accuser, tribunal,
sentence and executioner—­Come, madame, tell us what you have to say?

Gertrude (at the General’s feet)
Forgive me, sir—­Yes—­I am—­

Ramel
Oh, poor wretch!

Gertrude (aside) I cannot say it!  Oh! for his honor’s sake, may he never know the truth. (Aloud) I am guilty before all the world, but to you I say, and will repeat it to my last breath, I am innocent!  And some future day the truth shall speak from out two tombs, the cruel truth, which will show to you that you also are not free from reproach, but from the very blindness of your hate are culpable in all.

The General
I?  I?  Am I losing my senses?  Do you dare to accuse me? (Perceiving
Pauline.) Ah!  Ah!  My God!

Sceneeleventh

The same persons, and Pauline (supported by Ferdinand).

Pauline They have told me all!  This woman is innocent of the crime whereof she is accused.  Religion has at last taught me that pardon cannot be obtained on high except by those who leave it behind them here below.  I took from Madame the key of her desk, I myself sought the poison.  I myself tore off the paper to wrap it up, for I wished to die.

Gertrude
O Pauline!  Take my life, take all I love—­Oh, doctor, save her!

The Magistrate
Is this the truth, mademoiselle?

Pauline
The truth, yes, for the dying alone speak it—­

The Magistrate
We know then actually nothing about this business.

Pauline (to Gertrude) Do you know why I came to draw you from the abyss which had engulfed you?  It is because Ferdinand spoke to me a word which brought me back from the tomb.  He has so great a horror of being left with you in life that he follows me, and will follow me to the grave, where we shall rest together, wedded in death.

Gertrude
Ferdinand!  Ah, my God!  At what a price have I been saved!

The General
But unhappy child, wherefore must you die?  Am I not, have I ceased for
one moment to be a good father?  And yet they say that I am culpable.

Ferdinand
Yes, General, I alone can give the answer to the riddle, and can
explain to you your guilt.

The General
You, Ferdinand, you to whom I offered my daughter, you who loved her—­

Ferdinand
My name is Ferdinand Comte de Marcandal, son of General Marcandal.  Do
you understand?

The General
Ah! son of a traitor!  What could you bring to my home but death and
treachery!  Defend yourself!

Ferdinand
Would you fight, General, with the dead?

(Ferdinand falls.)

Gertrude (rushes to Ferdinand with a cry) Oh! (She recoils before the General, and approaches his daughter, then draws forth a phial, but immediately flings it away.) I will condemn myself to live for this old man! (The General kneels beside his dying daughter.) Doctor, what will become of him?  Is he likely to lose his reason?