Jeremiah Part 43

PASHUR

G.o.d give thee light. I shall not close my eyes in sleep until thou hast chosen. I will hold vigil before the altar.

HANANIAH

Remember G.o.d.

NAHUM

Remember the city.

IMRE

Remember the children, remember the women.

ABIMELECH

I abide by thy choice in life or in death.

[All depart, leaving BARUCH and the king]

BARUCH

[Quietly] Shall I, too, take my leave, King Zedekiah?

ZEDEKIAH

[Collecting his thoughts] What sayest thou? Nay, thou must remain.

[BARUCH stands by the doorway while ZEDEKIAH walks restlessly to and fro for a time. Then, pausing by the window, the king stares over the town, subsequently resuming his restless pacing. At length he turns and speaks to BARUCH]

ZEDEKIAH

Nebuchadnezzar demands an answer to-day?

BARUCH

Yea, Lord; for to-morrow the moon is full.

ZEDEKIAH

[Paces the floor again. Then abruptly] Thou sawest him face to face. Did he ask thee anything concerning me?

BARUCH

His chief counselor and his scribe were present. The former asked me about you, but Nebuchadnezzar bade him be silent.

ZEDEKIAH

Full of pride is he, and his wrath is like a storm over our heads. But I fear him not. Himself, he asked nothing concerning me?

BARUCH

Nothing, Lord King.

ZEDEKIAH

To him we are naught. To him our walls are but a handful of dust. Yet we can meet defiance with defiance. For eleven months he has been breaking his teeth against the ramparts of the city, and he would dismiss us with a smile. I am not worth a word, and he rates our town at a breath.

Nevertheless my yoke is not yet ready; the walls of Jerusalem still stand. We have taught him to wait, but he has not yet learned his lesson. Shall I be the slave of his caprices? He would tarry but a day?

Let him tarry for weeks and months. [Drawing himself up] Take this message to Nebuchadnezzar. Say unto him ...

BARUCH

[In alarm] Decide not in anger, King Zedekiah.

ZEDEKIAH

[Rigid with astonishment] How darest thou interrupt me?

BARUCH

[Kneels] I implore thee, save Jerusalem. Stretch forth thine hand in peace, lest the walls crumble and the temple be shattered. Lord King, I adjure thee, open the gates, open thy heart.

ZEDEKIAH

[Wrathfully] "Open the gates, open thy heart". I have heard those words before. They have been put into thy mouth. One stands behind thee speaking against me with thy voice.

BARUCH

Nay, Lord King. My supplication arises from the depths of my heart.

Something will I tell thee, which hitherto I have withheld. It was not at Nebuchadnezzar's summons that I went to him, but of my own free will, hoping that I might soften his heart. I saw that either side waited for the other to propose peace. Day after day, for eleven long months, did I importune him till he sent me with this message.

ZEDEKIAH

Thou, a boy, a child? While we were holding counsel, thou soughtest out the king of kings to seek peace and ensure it?

BARUCH

This did I, O King, in the urgency of my heart's wishes.

ZEDEKIAH

[Regards him fixedly for a time. Then, speaking sharply] Not thine own deed, this, nor thy thought.

BARUCH

I went at no man's orders.

ZEDEKIAH