Page:Poet Lore, volume 27, 1916.djvu/403

 Svacha.—Jean!

Suk.—I don’t want to die—! Hold me back—! I don’t want to die—!

Svacha.—You won’t die—no, you don’t have to die—you won’t die—you are barely wounded—do not excite yourself—Jean, you’ll be well again.

Suk.—I don’t want to die—Charl—(Blood fills his chest again and he sinks back into ’s arms.)

Svacha.—Water! He’ll bleed away.

Spravil.—Let’s raise him a little.

Svacha.—Water!

Spravil.—There’s none here.

Svacha.—My God—God—! (It is in vain. is in the throes of the death agony.  has now come over to him. She is holding his head in her lap. But it is the end—  slowly deposits the dead body on the ground and begins to pray in an unintelligible monotonous tone. The soldiers remain standing about. Just then  enters. He is carrying a pitcher, gives the scene a glance and with energy approaches the group. On his features it is apparent that he has ascertained in the meantime the hopelessness of the position of the isolated group and is determined to die. The moon has now become full and its light illumines the church-yard brightly.)

Vonka.—Here is a drop of water— it is all I could find. (With a glance at .) He died

Svacha.—Yes.

Vonka (Depositing pitcher).—Do not permit the dead to stay with us too long.

Suk [sic].—He is dead—(To, who is still kneeling.) Let us raise him—( hastens to help. They raise the body.)

Vonka (Pointing to the grave where they had deposited the Magyar).—There! (Two soldiers quietly walk over carrying the body—the others watch silently—Svacha seizes the hand of the dead man and follows—then joins them.)

Svacha (At the grave).—Wait please—(He himself deposits the dead body in the grave. Pause. In the meantime the gate has opened and Lieutenant enters—he watches the scene a moment.)

Ebner.—What does this mean? (All soldiers turn. Even has noticed the officer but goes over to, who is kneeling at the grave.)