Great heart, I’ve heard how yesterday before The soldiers you.… But Michal gone? No word? DAVID The anointing. JONATHAN Ah, she knows? DAVID All. JONATHAN And disdains Believing? tell me. DAVID No, not now--not now. Let me forget it in a leap of deeds. [_The commotion sounds again._] And all this murmur misty of distress, What is it? sprung of the Philistines? new terror? This sounding giant flings again his foam? Jonathan, I am flame that will not wait, What is it? I must strike. JONATHAN David.… DAVID Tell me, And do not bring dissuasion more, or pause. JONATHAN The king comes here. DAVID Now? JONATHAN With a spy who keeps Fiercely to silence. DAVID Then is peril up! Jonathan--! JONATHAN David, you must cool from this. Determination surges you o’erfar. I will not see you rush on perishing, Not though it be the aid of Israel. DAVID I must.… I will not let them ever throng, Staining the hills, and starving us from peace. Rather the last ray living in me, rather Death and the desecration of the worm. Bid me not back with love, nor plea; I must! JONATHAN But think-- DAVID I must. JONATHAN ’Twere futile. DAVID Hear; the king! JONATHAN The madness of it! DAVID No, and see; they come. JONATHAN Strangely my father is unstrung. DAVID They come. [_Enter_ SAUL _with_ SAMUEL; _Soldiers with the spy_; AHINOAM _with_ ABNER; _and all the court in suppressed dread_.] SAUL [_To_ SAMUEL] He will not speak, but scorns me, and his lips Bitterly curve and grapple. But he shall Learn there is torture to it! Set him forth. [_The spy is thrust forward._] Tighten his bonds up till he moan. [_It is done._] Aye, gasp, Accursed Philistine! Now wilt thou tell The plan and passion of thy people ’gainst us? SPY Baal! SAUL Tighten the torture more.… Now will you? SPY [_In agony._] Yea! SAUL On, then, reveal. SPY New forces have arrived. Numberless; more than peaks of Arabah. [_General movement of uneasiness._] Unless before to-morrow’s moon one’s sent To overthrow Goliath--Gods! the pain! SAUL Well?--Well? SPY Then Gibeah attacked, and all Even to sucking babes be put to sword!