Prince. I am unharmed—congratulate me—I am unharmed!
[Opens arms to embrace Helene, who backs away.]
Helene. And Lassalle—Lassalle—where is Lassalle?
Prince. He is dead—I killed him!
Helene. You killed Lassalle—the greatest man in Europe—you killed him!
Prince. He fell at the first fire—congratulate me!
Helene. You lie! Lassalle is not dead. Away! Away! I scorn you—loathe you—away—the sight of you burns my eyeballs—the murderer of Lassalle—away!
[Helene crouches in a corner. Prince stands stiff, amazed. The man, with valises in one hand and rug in shawl-strap, looks on with lack-luster eye, frozen by indecision.]
Note.—Helene von Donniges married Prince Racowitza three weeks after the death of Lassalle. The Prince died two years later. Princess Helene committed suicide at Munich, March Twenty-six, Nineteen Hundred Twelve, aged sixty-seven years. These facts are of such a dull slaty-gray and so lacking in dramatic interest that they are omitted from the play.