Mary Magdalene: A Play in Three Acts

_VERUS, MARY MAGDALENE and nearly ALL THE CHARACTERS of_ SCENE III

Verus. Come in, come in, you have nothing to fear!... (_They ENTER, timidly._) Are you all there?... There seem to be fewer of you.... Where are the others gone?...

Joseph Of Arimathæa. Sir, some of them fear lest the night....

Verus. I understand; they were afraid.... Their love and their faith do not take any risk of blows.... However, these will do.... Do you see that woman?... I came to offer to save your master. She had only to say yes. She has said no. She orders his death. He will therefore die at sunrise.

(_Sensation in the crowd._)

Nicodemus. What is he saying, Magdalene?...

(_MARY MAGDALENE does not reply._)

Verus. Ask her, you will learn....

Nicodemus. Magdalene, is it true?...

(_MARY MAGDALENE remains silent._)

Joseph Of Arimathæa. But come, answer!... What is the matter with you?...

Verus. She is at the same time betraying and destroying all those who followed the tempter. I have spoken. Farewell. Look to yourselves. (_He turns to the door._)

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA (_stopping him and beseeching him_)

Sir, I beg of you, do not go away like this.... She is mistaken, you will see.... There is some terrible misunderstanding.... Magdalene, come, what is he saying, what do you say?... Why, it is impossible!... What has happened?...

_SEVERAL SICK MEN and BEGGARS (surrounding MAGDALENE, who remains motionless, gazing blindly into the distance_)

Magdalene! Magdalene....

A HUNCHBACK

She also has sold him!... She was with the Iscariot!...

MARTHA (_putting her arms around MAGDALENE’S neck_)

Magdalene!... Listen to me!... You used to love me.... What has come to you?... Tell me it is not true.... You have not heard....

MARY CLEOPHAS (_putting her hand on MAGDALENE’S shoulder_)

Magdalene, Magdalene!... No, it is impossible.... You cannot have forgotten....

A POOR MAN

How much did you receive?...

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

Yes, how much?... Where is the money?...

Another. Give back the gold! Give back the gold!... Search her!...

MARY SALOME

Magdalene! Magdalene!... She is mad!...

A VAGRANT

Harlot!... Soldiers’ wench!...

Another. Strumpet! Strumpet! Strumpet!

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

The seven devils whom he cast out have entered her body again!...

Another. She has sold us like a herd of oxen!...

A Sick Man. We shall all have to suffer!...

Another. Yes, but not before she does!...

THE MAN WHOSE HAND WAS WITHERED

She shall not go from here until....

A PALSIED MAN

In any case, she shall not go hence alive, take my word for it!...

(_Almost ALL, shouting, gesticulating, threatening, with clenched fists, crowd round MAGDALENE, who remains motionless and dumb._)

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA (_intervening_)

Come, come, do not forget who you are, where you are nor in whose name you are speaking. (_To VERUS_) Sir, I beg of you, a little patience.... I am a just and reasonable man; and everything will be explained.... Listen, Magdalene, I am speaking to you in his name.... There is still time to say yes.... I am speaking as a father....

(_MAGDALENE maintains her motionless silence._)

THE HUNCHBACK

You see!... She has received the price!...

(_An explosion of hatred. ALL surround her more closely. The cries, the threats, the imprecations, the entreaties, the moans are redoubled. Suddenly, in the street, rises a tumult which drowns that in the Supper-room. It is the shouting of an angry crowd approaching swiftly, the sound of arms and horses. The uproar in the room is at once lulled. ALL listen, anxiously._)

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

The Romans!... The soldiers!... They are coming to arrest us!... She has betrayed us!... Let us fly!... This way, this way!...

(_ALL lose their heads. Some run wildly round the room, seeking for an outlet._)

A VAGRANT

No, no!... Do not go out!... There is only one door!... We cannot escape!... They would discover us!...

A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE

Be silent!... Hide yourselves!...

A CRIPPLE

Why do you not put out the lamps?... They will see the lights!... Quick! Quick! Put out the lamps!...

(_The lamps are put out._)

Another. Do not go to the windows!... Do not show yourselves at the windows!... Lie down along the walls!...

Verus. It is a noble spectacle and I long to see it out....

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA (_going up to VERUS_)

Sir, do not ruin them.... They are weak and poor.... Almost all of them are sick.... They know not what they do.... Have pity on men and do not judge them....

(_The shouts--“Crucify him! Crucify him!... Tempter! Tempter!... Galilean! Nazarene!... He would destroy the Temple!... He would destroy the Law!... Blasphemer!... Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!”--are redoubled in the street and are now heard outside the house itself. The red light of the torches is cast into the room. THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO steals up to one of the windows and looks out._)

A PANIC-STRICKEN VOICE

Do not go to the windows!...

A LAME MAN (_going to another window_)

What is happening?...

THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO

It is he!...

(_Several PERSONS, irresistibly attracted, climb up to the windows and look into the street, with infinite caution. Occasionally ONE of them turns to those who remain at the back of the room, to tell them what he sees._)

ONE OF THOSE AT THE WINDOWS

There are soldiers all around him!... There is a crowd of them!...

Another. He is coming! He is coming this way!... His hands are bound!... They are striking him!...

Another. He is weeping!... His eyes are bleeding!...

Another. They are taking him to Pilate!... There are Peter and John, hiding themselves!...

Another. The blood is dripping on his feet!...

Another. He cannot walk any farther!... He staggers! He staggers!...

VERUS (_to MAGDALENE, who has not moved and who stands against a column, in the middle of the room, staring before her, without turning towards the windows_)

Magdalene!...

(_In the street, suddenly, the tumult falls, as a huge, heavy object might fall. A wonderful silence._)

A VOICE (_in the room_)

What is it?...

THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO (_at the window_)

He falls!... He has fallen!... He is looking at the house!...

Verus. Magdalene, I still promise you....

MARY MAGDALENE (_without stirring, without looking at VERUS, without anger, simply, in a voice from another life, full of peace, full of divine clarity and certainty_)

Go!...

THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO (_at the window_)

He rises to his feet!... They drag him along!...

(_The tumult, the shouts of “Crucify him!” are resumed and redoubled in the street. VERUS GOES OUT slowly, with his eyes on MAGDALENE, who remains motionless, as though in ecstasy and all illumined with the light of the departing torches._)

CURTAIN

Transcriber's Notes

The following changes have been made to the text as printed:

1. A close-bracket ")" has been inserted after "_to receive_ MARY MAGDALENE" on Page 17.

2. Two instances of punctuation after the speaker's name "MAGDALENE" have been removed (Page 48, Page 59).

3. "THE SAME" (below "SCENE II" on Page 74) has been placed in upright capitals rather than italics.

4. "Judea" (Page 104) has been changed to "Judæa".

5. Indentation and justification of stage directions have been made more consistent.