Mary Magdalene: A Play in Three Acts

_NICODEMUS. LEVI THE PUBLICAN. SIMON THE LEPER. LAZARUS, THE MAN RISEN FROM THE DEAD. CLEOPHAS, ZACCHÆUS. THE MAN THAT WAS BORN BLIND. BARTIMÆUS, THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO. THE MAN OF GERASA POSSESSED BY A DEVIL. THE IMPOTENT MAN OF BETHESDA. THE MAN HEALED OF A DROPSY. THE MAN WHOSE HAND WAS WITHERED. SIMON PETER’S MOTHER-IN-LAW MARY CLEOPHAS. SALOME, THE WIFE OF ZEBEDEE. SUSANNA. Several nameless MEN AND WOMEN CURED BY MIRACLES. A few HUNCHBACKED, HALT, BLIND, LEPERS and PALSIED waiting to be healed. Some BEGGARS, two or three HARLOTS, etc. (All these people are struck with consternation and alarm at the arrest of JESUS and at the bad news that is current. They crowd at the back of the room, muttering and whispering. ENTER MARTHA, the sister of LAZARUS._)

MARTHA (_affrighted, looking anxiously around her_)

I have seen him!

(_Sensation. ALL gather eagerly round MARTHA._)

Nicodemus. Where is he?...

Mary Cleophas. Has he suffered?...

SALOME

What does he say?...

Martha. Where is my sister?...

Mary Cleophas. She is with her mother, in our host’s chamber.... Her mother was worn out with sorrow....

MARTHA (_going to one of the windows_)

Did no one follow me?... No, the street is empty.... I went a long way round....

Nicodemus. Where did you see him?...

Martha. He was coming out of Annas’ palace.... I followed him to Caiaphas’.... It seems they are looking for us.... They have a special grudge against Lazarus, the man raised from the dead.... Where is he?...

NICODEMUS (_pointing to LAZARUS, in the shadow_)

Here, among us....

Martha. They mean to arrest all those who went with him.... They mean to stone us according to the law.... They will persecute all those who come from Galilee....

Cleophas. We are all Galileans....

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

No, not I....

Another. Nor I: I am from Bethany.

Bartimæus. And I from Jericho....

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

It is not well that we should be found together....

Nicodemus. Where will you go?...

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

No matter where.... We shall be safer than here....

Another. They do not know us.... I have never been seen with him....

A WOMAN

Nor I either: he just simply healed me.... I was bowed together and he made me straight....

A MAN

I saw him only once: it was when he said to me, “Arise and take up thy bed and go thy way into thine house.” I am he whom they let down through the roof upon a bed.... Now I walk like other men.... (_He turns to the door and GOES OUT, followed by THOSE CURED BY MIRACLES who spoke before him._)

A Sick Man. They are right.... We are not known either.... I came to be healed of a dysentery.... I have not had time to touch him. (_He also makes for the door._)

Martha. Are you not ashamed?...

THE SICK MAN (_stopping on the threshold_)

Of what?... It serves no purpose that those whom he has healed should perish because of him.... (_He GOES OUT._)

ANOTHER MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

He can do nothing for us, because he can do nothing for himself; and we can do nothing for him....

A HUNCHBACK

Yes, why does he not protect us?... He is constantly speaking of his father and the angels.... Where are those angels?

Nicodemus. It is because his hour has not yet come.

THE HUNCHBACK

When will his hour come?... When it is too late.... I have not the time to wait.... (_He GOES OUT._)

Nicodemus. Let those who do not love him go.... The Son of Man shall come in such an hour as you think not....

Cleophas. His kingdom is not of this world....

A BLIND MAN

His kingdom is lost....

Nicodemus. He said, “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings and not one of them is forgotten before God?”...

Cleophas. He said, “Live not in careful suspense.”...

Nicodemus. He said, “If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.”...

THE BLIND MAN

But he also said, “Let the dead bury their dead.” (_He gropes his way to the door and GOES OUT._)

A LAME MAN

I am going away, not that I am afraid, but to go and look for him....

Another. I also.... (_They GO OUT._)

A LEPER

Who said that we must wait for him here?...

Nicodemus. Simon Peter.

THE LEPER

Where is Simon Peter?... He hardly shows himself.

Martha. He was by the fire, in the high-priest’s hall....

Nicodemus. And John?...

Martha. I heard that he was in Annas’ house....

Nicodemus. And what was the Master doing when you saw him?...

Martha. I saw him only for a moment, while he passed between the columns of the vestibule.... There was a great crowd around him....

Mary Cleophas. Did he see you?...

Martha. Yes. He looked at me....

Nicodemus. He was not free?...

Martha. His hands were bound.... The Roman soldiers were striking him to make him walk faster....

MARY SALOME

Oh!...

Cleophas. And the others, the twelve, where are they?...

Martha. Nobody knows.... They were seized with panic.... I have heard that Thomas and Jude have fled to Galilee....

Nicodemus. And Mary Magdalene, did you see her?...

Martha. No, but James met her.... She is mad with grief, it seems.... She was crying out, tearing her garments and dashing her head against the walls in Annas’ palace.... The servants drove her away; and, since then, nobody knows what became of her.... A poor man told me that she was wandering in the Roman quarter....

Nicodemus. Does she know that we are here?...

Martha. Yes, Simon Peter told her....

A Sick Man. When she comes, do not let her go out again.... She will bring misfortune upon us. She is dangerous and does not know what she is doing....

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

There are men marching in the street.... I hear the sound of arms.... They are coming to arrest us!... Let all escape who can!... (_To NICODEMUS, who is going to a window_) Do not go to the windows, you will be recognized!...

Bartimæus. I will go, I am not known, I am from Jericho.... (_He looks cautiously into the street_). It is twelve soldiers, with a centurion.... Hush!... Do not speak!...

Nicodemus. Are they stopping?...

Bartimæus. No.... They are passing.... There is no one in the street now.... Yes!... There is some one coming at the other end.... Do not make a noise.... It is a woman and four men.... Why, I know them!... It is Mary Magdalene, Joseph of Arimathæa, James, I believe, and Andrew and Simon Zelotes.... They are looking around them.... They are knocking.... Go down and open the door to them....