"I wanted to deceive them, not you, Gart. I wanted to save you,"
says Mariet.

Haggart replies:

"My father taught me: 'Eh, Noni, beware! There is one truth and
one law for all--for the sun, for the wind, for the waves, for the
beasts--and only for man there is another truth. Beware of this
truth of man, Noni!' so said my father. Perhaps this is your truth?
Then I am not afraid of it, but I feel very sad and very embittered.
Mariet, if you sharpened my knife and said: 'Go and kill that man'--
it may be that I would not have cared to kill him. 'What is the use
of cutting down a withered tree?'--I would have said. But now--
farewell, Mariet! Well, bind me and take me to the city."

He waits haughtily, but no one approaches him. Mariet has lowered
her head upon her hands, her shoulders are twitching. The abbot is
also absorbed in thought, his large head lowered. Desfoso is
carrying on a heated conversation in whispers with the fishermen.
Khorre steps forward and speaks, glancing at Haggart askance:

"I had a little talk with them, Noni--they are all right, they are
good fellows, Noni. Only the priest--but he is a good man, too--am I
right, Noni? Don't look so crossly at me, or I'll mix up the whole
thing! You see, kind people, it's this way: this man, Haggart, and I
have saved up a little sum of money, a little barrel of gold. We
don't need it, Noni, do we? Perhaps you will take it for yourselves?
What do you think? Shall we give them the gold, Noni? You see, here
I've entangled myself already."