John the Baptist: A Play - LightNovelsOnl.com
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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
