SATNI. They are powerless.

YAOUMA. It is their power that subdues me--it is stronger than love.

Until to-day I loved you more than all the living things upon the earth--the breath of your mouth alone gave life to my heart. Even this very day, I dreaded being chosen of the G.o.ds. But now, who has so utterly transformed me if it be not the G.o.ds? You are to me as nothing, now. And I who trembled at a scorpion, who wept at the p.r.i.c.king of a thorn, I am all joy at the thought of dying soon. How could this be if the G.o.ds had not willed it?

SATNI. Hear me a little--and I can prove to you--

YAOUMA. No words can take away the glory of being chosen by the G.o.ds.

SATNI. By the priests.

YAOUMA. 'Tis the same, the priests are the voice of the G.o.ds.

SATNI. 'Tis they who say so. The G.o.ds of Egypt exist only because men have invented them.

YAOUMA. The peoples from whose lands you come have made you lose your reason. [_With a smile of pity_] Say that our G.o.ds exist not! Think, Satni!

SATNI. Neither the G.o.ds, nor the happy fields, nor the world to come, nor h.e.l.l.

YAOUMA. Ah! Ah! I will prove you mad--you say there is no h.e.l.l--But we know, we know that it exists, look there! [_Pointing to the sunset_]

When the sun grows red at evening, is it not because the glow of h.e.l.l is thrown upon it from below? You have but to open your eyes. [_Laughing_]

The G.o.ds not exist!

SATNI. They do not. In the sanctuaries of our temples is nothing save beasts, unclean, absurd, and lifeless images; believe me, Yaouma--I love you--I will not see you die. Your sacrifice is useless. Not because you are offered up will the waters of the Nile rise! Refuse, hide yourself, the waters will still rise. Ah, to lose you for a lie! To lose you--you! How can I convince you?--I know! Yaouma, you saw me cross the dead scarabs on my path. And yet I live! Oh! it angers me to see my words move you not. Your reason, your reason! Awaken your reason--

YAOUMA. I am listening to my heart.

SATNI. I will save you in spite of you--I will keep you by force--

YAOUMA. If you do, I shall hate you--

SATNI. What matter I shall have saved you.

YAOUMA. And I shall kill myself.

SATNI [_seizing her_] Will you not understand! The G.o.d-bull, the G.o.d-hippopotamus, the G.o.d-jackal--they are naught but idols!

YAOUMA. My father worshipped them.

_Every one comes back. Rheou, who during all the preceding scene was hidden behind a pillar, goes to meet them._

SOME MEN. Yaouma! Yaouma!

ANOTHER. Up to the terrace!

OTHERS. Up to the terrace! Let her go up to the terrace!

ANOTHER. And let her lift her arms to heaven!

ANOTHER. Let her show that she will give herself to the Nile.

SATNI [_to Yaouma_] Stay! Stay with me! Then together--

YAOUMA [_in ecstasy_] He has chosen me from among all others!

ALL. Yaouma!

SATNI. She has refused! She has refused! And I will take her away.

ALL. No! No! To the terrace! The prayer! The prayer!

RHEOU. Yaouma, go and pray.

SATNI. She has refused!

MIERIS. Choose, Yaouma, between our G.o.ds and a man.

RHEOU. Between the glory of sacrifice--

SATNI. Between falsehood and me, Yaouma--

YAOUMA. The G.o.d has called me to save my brothers!

SATNI. You are going to death!

YAOUMA. To life--the real life--the life with the G.o.ds. [_Going to the terrace_].

SATNI. They lie!

YAOUMA. Peace!

SATNI. In spite of you, I will save you. [_Yaouma goes up the stairway leading to the terrace. Satni stands on a bench and shouts to the crowd_] Hear me, my brothers, I know of better G.o.ds, of G.o.ds who ask for no victims--

THE PEOPLE. They are false G.o.ds!

SATNI. They are better G.o.ds--

STEWARD. Rheou! Rheou! bid him cease!

RHEOU. No--let him speak.

SATNI. I come to save you from error, to overthrow the idols, to teach you eternal truths--

_An immense shout of acclamation drowns the rest of Satni's words, as Yaouma, who has appeared on the terrace above, stands with her arms raised to the setting sun. Mieris kneels and crosses her hands in prayer._

CURTAIN