John the Baptist: A Play Part 26

And thou shalt judge him. No one else but thou?

JOHN

I shall judge him.

MATTHIAS.

Him and the woman?

JOHN

Him and the woman. Did ye doubt?

MATTHIAS

If we did, forgive.

AMARJA

But suppose he comes without the woman. What would happen then?

JOHN

Ye ask so much. Ye and your questions become wearisome. Hark! There is Mana.s.sa. [_Josaphat opens._]

SCENE VI

_The former. Miriam._

JOHN

Miriam, thou? What desirest thou of me?

MIRIAM

[_Breathless._] I flew from the Palace.... The guards have chased me.... Perhaps what I know ... may be of use to thee.

JOSAPHAT

Speak, Miriam!

MIRIAM

If the master will hear. With ye others I have nothing to do.

JOHN

I will listen, Miriam.

MIRIAM

A rumour has reached the Tetrarch that the people are plotting evil against him. He would on that account hide the woman, but she will not be hid. She will defy the master, because he hath offended her. An order is just gone forth for all the servants of the house to arm themselves and line the road. Even during the night, so that the procession shall pa.s.s to the Temple ere the great crowd a.s.sembleth.

Thus they think to escape the people's wrath and thine, master.

THE DISCIPLES

That shall not come to pa.s.s; verily it shall not.

JOSAPHAT

Hast thou learned, Miriam, by which of the outer gates they go to the Temple?

MIRIAM

By the Susan Gate. I heard the servants say, as I crept by.

JOSAPHAT

And will the Roman soldiers be amongst them?

MIRIAM

That I did not hear.

JOSAPHAT

For if the Romans accompany them, we must wait behind the second gate; there where no heathen may penetrate at the cost of his head.

MATTHIAS

On the other hand, they can there be saved by the priests.

JOSAPHAT

Certainly, there the priests---- Master, what is thy counsel?

JOHN

I counsel you to go forth into the streets, and to seek right and left.

I would learn from that Galilean what counsel I ought to give you.

MATTHIAS

Canst thou understand him?

JOSAPHAT