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Hussar. It is my wife beyond a doubt! I recognize the words her sweet voice murmured that very day in my ear.

Fourth Woman. I said, “Go, and bear yourself like a man.” He went, and he has not returned. Ah, merciless tigers! we rear our children with fear and weeping. We pass whole nights bent over their little cradles, and when we have made men of them you come and take them away from us that you may send them to death. And we, miserable women! must encourage them to die if we would not have them dishonoured. Poor dear boy! so strong! so handsome! so good to his mother! Ah! if there be a God of vengeance, surely the cries of desolate mothers will allow no sleep to those who provoke such massacres. They will haunt them to the grave, and rise behind them to the foot of that throne where the great Judge of all awaits them.

[She buries her face in her hands.

Cossack. It is my mother! I recognize her last words. (He springs towards her.) It is I, Mother, it is I! (She raises her head.) What do I see? A stranger! and it is an Englishwoman!

Highlander (raising the daughter’s veil). Good heavens! She is a German.

Hussar (raising the wife’s veil). It is not she! It is a Frenchwoman.

Grenadier (raising the sister’s veil). She is a Russian! It is not for us that they are weeping; perhaps it is for some of those whom we have killed. How could we be so deceived?

Peace (advancing). There are sisters, wives, daughters, and mothers everywhere, my children, and Nature has but one language in all countries. (To WAR.) As for you, go and sound your trumpet in barracks and drinking-houses, but invoke the Dead no more, and do not reckon upon women.

Note.–The battle of Austerlitz was fought December 2, 1805. The battle of Leipsic, August 16-19, 1813. The Allies took Paris March 30, 1814.