SECOND SOLDIER
You are right; we must hide the body. The Tetrarch must not see it.
FIRST SOLDIER
The Tetrarch will not come to this place. He never comes on the terrace. He is too much afraid of the prophet.
(Enter Herod, Herodias, and all the Court.)
HEROD
Where is Salomé? Where is the Princess? Why did she not return to the banquet as I commanded her? Ah! there she is!
HERODIAS
You must not look at her! You are always looking at her!
HEROD
The moon has a strange look tonight. Has she not a strange look? She is like a mad woman, a mad woman who is seeking everywhere for lovers. She is naked too. She is quite naked. The clouds are seeking to clothe her nakedness, but she will not let them. She shows herself naked in the sky. She reels through the clouds like a drunken woman … . I am sure she is looking for lovers. Does she not reel like a drunken woman? She is like a mad woman, is she not?
HERODIAS
No; the moon is like the moon, that is all, Let us go within … . We have nothing to do here.
HEROD
I will stay here! Manasseh, lay carpets there. Light torches. Bring forth the ivory tables, and the tables of jasper. The air here is sweet. I will drink more wine with my guests. We must show all honours to the ambassadors of Cæsar.
HERODIAS
It is not because of them that you remain.
HEROD
Yes; the air is very sweet. Come, Herodias, our guests await us. Ah! I have slipped! I have slipped in blood! It is an ill omen. It is a very ill omen. Wherefore is there blood here? … and this body, what does this body here? Think you I am like the King of Egypt, who gives no feast to his guests but that he shows them a corpse? Whose is it? I will not look on it.
FIRST SOLDIER
It is our captain, sire. It is the young Syrian whom you made captain of the guard but three days gone.
HEROD
I issued no order that he should be slain.
SECOND SOLDIER
He slew himself, sire.
HEROD
For what reason? I had made him captain of my guard!
SECOND SOLDIER
We do not know, sire. But with his own hand he slew himself.
HEROD
That seems strange to me. I had thought it was but the Roman philosophers who slew themselves. Is it not true, Tigellinus, that the philosophers at Rome slay themselves?
TIGELLINUS
There be some who slay themselves, sire. They are the Stoics. The Stoics are people of no cultivation. They are ridiculous people. I myself regard them as being perfectly ridiculous.
HEROD
I also. It is ridiculous to kill one’s-self.
TIGELLINUS
Everybody at Rome laughs at them. The Emperor has written a satire against them. It is recited everywhere.
HEROD
Ah! he has written a satire against them? Cæsar is wonderful. He can do everything… . It is strange that the young Syrian has slain himself. I am sorry he has slain himself. I am very sorry. For he was fair to look upon. He was even very fair. He had very languorous eyes. I remember that I saw that he looked languorously at Salomé. Truly, I thought he looked too much at her.
HERODIAS
There are others who look too much at her.
HEROD
His father was a king. I drave him from his kingdom. And of his mother, who was a queen, you made a slave, Herodias. So he was here as my guest, as it were, and for that reason I made him my captain. I am sorry he is dead. Ho! why have you left the body here? It must be taken to some other place. I will not look at it, — away with it! (They take away the body.)
It is cold here. There is a wind blowing. Is there not a wind blowing?
HERODIAS
No; there is no wind.
HEROD
I tell you there is a wind that blows … . And I hear in the air something that is like the beating of wings, like the beating of vast wings. Do you not hear it?
HERODIAS
I hear nothing.
HEROD
I hear it no longer. But I heard it. It was the blowing of the wind. It has passed away. But no, I hear it again. Do you not hear it? It is just like a beating of wings.
HERODIAS
I tell you there is nothing. You are ill. Let us go within.
HEROD
I am not ill. It is your daughter who is sick to death. Never have I seen her so pale.
HERODIAS
I have told you not to look at her.
HEROD
Pour me forth wine. (Wine is brought.)
Salomé, come drink a little wine with me. I have here a wine that is exquisite. Cæsar himself sent it me. Dip into it thy little red lips, that I may drain the cup.
SALOMÉ
I am not thirsty, Tetrarch.
HEROD
You hear how she answers me, this daughter of yours?
HERODIAS
She does right. Why are you always gazing at her?
HEROD
Bring me ripe fruits. (Fruits are brought.)
Salomé, come and eat fruits with me. I love to see in a fruit the mark of thy little teeth. Bite but a little of this fruit, that I may eat what is left.
SALOMÉ
I am not hungry, Tetrarch.
HEROD
(To Herodias)
You see how you have brought up this daughter of yours.
HERODIAS
My daughter and I come of a royal race. As for thee, thy father was a camel driver! He was a thief and a robber to boot!
HEROD
Thou liest!
HERODIAS
Thou knowest well that it is true.
HEROD
Salomé, come and sit next to me. I will give thee the throne of thy mother.
SALOMÉ
I am not tired, Tetrarch.
HERODIAS
You see in what regard she holds you.
HEROD
Bring me — What is it that I desire? I forget. Ah! ah! I