_Mother:_
Yes, he was my boy--my first-born.
_Hedwig:_
Your first-born, and this is the end.
[_She rises up in unutterable wrath and despair._]
O God!
_Mother:_ [_Anxious for her._]
Promise me you will be careful, Hedwig. For the sake of your child,
_your_ first-born, that is to be--
_Hedwig:_
_My child_? For this end? For the empire--the war that is to be? No!
_Mother:_ [_Half to herself._]
He may look like Franz.
[_Hedwig quickly seizes the pistol from the mantel-shelf and moves to
the bedroom door._
_Amelia, watching her, sees her do it, and cries out in alarm and
rushes to take it from her._]
_Amelia:_ [_In horror._]
Hedwig! What are you doing? Give it to me! No, you must not! You have
too much to live for.
[Illustration: AMELIA: No, you must not! You have too much to live for.]
_Hedwig:_ [_Dazed._]
To live for? Me?
_Amelia:_
Why, yes, you are going to be a mother.
_Hedwig:_
A mother? Like her? [_Looks sadly at the bereaved old mother._] Look at
her! Poor Mother! And they never asked her if she wanted this thing to
be! Oh, no! I shall never take it like that--never! But you are right,
Amelia. I have something to do first.
[_Lets Amelia put the pistol away in the cupboard._] I must send a
message to the emperor. [_The others are more alarmed for her in this
mood than in her grief._]
You said you were going to the front to be a nurse, Amelia. Can you take
this message for me? I might take it myself, perhaps.
_Amelia:_ [_Hesitating, not knowing what to say or do._]
Let me give you some tea, Hedwig.
[_Voices are heard outside, and the sounds of sorrow. Some one near the
house is weeping. A wild look and a fierce resolve light Hedwig's
face._]
_Hedwig:_ [_Rushing from the house._]
They have taken my Franz!
_Mother:_
Get her back! I feared it. Grief has made her mad.
[_Amelia runs out. A clamor of voices outside. Hedwig can be heard
indistinctly speaking to the women. Finally her voice alone is heard,
and in a moment she appears, backing into the doorway, still talking to
the women._]
_Hedwig:_ [_A tragic light in her face, and hand uplifted._]
I shall send a message to the emperor. If ten thousand women send one
like it, there will be peace and no more war. Then they will hear our
tears.
_A Voice:_
What is the message? Tell us!
_Hedwig:_
Soon you will know. [_Loudly._] But I tell you now, _don't bear any more
children_ until they promise you there will be no more war.
_Hertz:_ [_Suddenly appearing. Amelia follows._]
I heard you. I declare you under arrest. Come with me. You will be shot
for treason.
_Mother:_ [_Fearfully, drawing him aside._]
Don't say that, sir. Wait. Oh, no, you can't do that!
[_She gets out her work-basket, and shows him the baby things she has
been knitting, and glances significantly at Hedwig. A horrid smile comes
into the man's face. Hedwig, snatches the things and crushes them to her
breast as if sacrilege had been committed._]
_Hertz:_