BORÍS. I should like to ask you, if possible, if you mean to lock me up somewhere, to be so good as to do it quickly and let me rest.
HEAD DOCTOR. Excuse me, we must keep the rules. Only a few questions. What do you feel? What are you suffering from?
BORÍS. Nothing. I am perfectly well.
HEAD DOCTOR. Yes, but you are not behaving like other people.
BORÍS. I am behaving as my conscience demands.
HEAD DOCTOR. Well, you see you have refused to perform your military service. On what grounds do you do so?
BORÍS. I am a Christian, and therefore cannot commit murder.
HEAD DOCTOR. But one must defend one's country from her foes, and keep those who want to destroy the social order from evil-doing.
BORÍS. No one is attacking our country; and there are more among the governors who destroy social order, than there are among those whom they oppress.
HEAD DOCTOR. Yes? But what do you mean by that?