John the Baptist: A Play

_Herod, Herodias_ [_later Salome with Maecha, on the balcony. Herod and Herodias stand together a few moments in silence._]

Herodias. Art thou content?

Herod. Thy kindness oppresses me. Whether thou art content seemeth to me of more importance.

Herodias. [_Feeling his tone of contempt._] I have had no roof over my head for three nights. Like a tramp I have wandered in the dust of the roads. My serving-women one by one deserted me. Only Salome hath not forsaken me. I have robbed her of her father; the father I have robbed of his child. And what I have robbed my husband of thou canst estimate better than it beseemeth me. See, all this I have done for thee!

Herod. I have abandoned my wife, who also said she loved me. She flew to her father. He now maketh ready for war to avenge his child's wrong. Only a trifle is lacking: I have no army. In Rome I am threatened with disgrace; my brother curses me; Judea points the finger of scorn at me.... So little have I done for thee----

Herodias. And thou repentest this little already?

Herod. No! only forgive me if I blame thy coming too soon.

Herodias. Too soon! Was warmer welcome ever heard than this "too soon"?

Herod. Take not my words amiss, I entreat thee!

Herodias. I dare not say that longing drove me here.

Herod. [_With an embarrassed smile._] Say it ... by all means!

Herodias. Then thou hast not forgotten the days--of eloquent looks and silent vows--when every breath was a longing desire and every word a feast?

Herod. How should I forget? Love, how should I----?

Herodias. And thou rememberest no more the nights when wandering footsteps stole their way to the fragrant gardens, where, in the feverish blossoming around them, two sleepless ones mingled their sighs?

Herod. How could I not remember; Love, how could I not?

Herodias. I have clothed myself in Indian draperies; I have put pomegranate blossoms in my bosom, and gold dust in my hair ... but thou seest nothing!... My converse is bridal, but thou hearest it not.

[_Salome has appeared on the balcony with Maecha. Herod notices her._]

Salome. Wait; let me see whether he has already come. [_She looks over, and after her eyes have met Herod's she vanishes._]

Herodias. [_Observing his absence of mind, with an exclamation._] No! thou hearest nothing.

Herod. [_Quickly recovering himself?_] Well; what if it is so? The language of our soul, which thou art kind enough to call bridal, was fitting to the delight of those fragrant gardens. To-day, methinks, we have another task before us!

Herodias. Thinkest thou that I have been idle? Am I a woman who cometh to beg of you a nightly dole of caresses? Look at me.... Not thy beloved.... She exists no longer.... See in me thy ruling mistress!

Herod. I am looking, and I see a woman who raves.

Herodias. As real as the ambition of thy mistress, as real as the secret resentment which gnaws beneath thy own; despite thy ever-ready smiles.

Herod. [_Horrified._] Who told thee ... whence ...?

Herodias. So real and positive is my hold over thee. Just now, when thou didst say I raved, thou wast reflecting how thou couldst best get rid of me.... Thou fool; then get rid of thy wakeful nights and all that which thou thinkest great in thyself, the inheritance of that greater than thou, whom thou wilt never equal....

Herod. Woman ... what ... [_his words choke in his throat._]

Herodias. [_Laughing._] Speak out what thou hast to say. If thou no longer needest me for love, thou mayest still require me as a listener and adviser.

Herod. [_After he has walked up and down several times in great excitement._] Never resemble.... What is the man who smiles amiably in wrath? A coward?... What is the man, who has two faces? Insincere?... Who fawns on those in power. Servile? No; because the great Herod also did these things. But sometimes, when the blood throbbed to bursting in his veins, he snatched his sword from the sheath and slashed at friend and enemy alike who stood in his way ... till the blood of his victim washed him calm and cool again ... till the mighty at Rome experienced a thrill at such a display of strength.... I, too, feel the blood hammering in my veins.... I, too, would ... but I have no sword ... and so I must continue to smile amiably ... continue showing two faces, and licking the sandals of the priests.... I, the son of Herod; I, his ape!

Herodias. And suppose that the priests of the Temple adopted the attitude of shield and barrier betwixt thee and the fury of the people, wouldst thou doubt thyself less?

Herod. I doubt myself not. And what thou sayest can never happen.

Herodias. [_Goes to the middle door and opens it._]

[_A Porteress enters._]

Herodias. What tidings hast thou?

THE PORTERESS

The two messengers to the Temple, mistress, have come back with word from the High Priest.

Herodias. Show them into the outer hall.... They shall wait there.

[_Exit the Porteress._]

Herod. [_With a laugh of rage and fear._] Are their trumpets already sounding on the road? Hath the great curse already reached the door?

Herodias. Thou art wrong, my friend. Only a little blessing scratches at the door.... If it pleaseth thee, let it come in.

Herod. Thou dreamest.

Herodias. Listen to me! Why did I come before thee in haste to inhabit this empty house?... Because every hour since I came I have been negotiating with the priests----

Herod. Thou?

Herodias. What if instead of hiding the sinning woman from the people, thou, with head held aloft, repairest with her to the Temple? Would it not be an ironical event if the High Priest, with the same air of patriarchal servility with which he greeted the virtuous Mariamne, also smiled a welcome to thy brother's runaway wife?

Herod. With what sum hast thou purchased this?

Herodias. When it is given, it will be a present, not a purchase.

Herod. Only one who knows not these butchers of the High Altar could believe you.

Herodias. Well, these are the terms [_in a low voice_]. If we were to promise never again to aspire in Rome to the sceptre of Judea [_scoffingly_], then they might consider----

Herod. And what answer didst thou make to such drastic, such----

Herodias. I promised.... What else should I do?... for thee, as well as myself.

Herod. [_Pointing to himself._] Even before this booty was thine, thou hast betrayed it?

Herodias. I fancied that I heard thee crying out just now for a sword. [_Smiling._] When thou art king, thou wilt, of course, kill all whom thou hast promised not to be king! That is the same thing as if thou hadst never promised it.

Herod. [_Staring at her._] Woman!

Herodias. Believest thou still that I hurried here only for the sake of a kiss?

Herod. I shudder at thee. But even if the priests be won over, there remains the people, the hydra-headed; thou knowest not the people. They once, it is said, hurled sacrificial victims at the head of their king, they slew Barachia's son between the Temple and the altar. And besides, dost thou not know that John the Baptist is in the town?

Herodias. The Baptist! Leave the Baptist to me.

Herod. I warn thee, approach him only with a weapon in thy hand!

Herodias. [_Laughs._]