[_A low tumult is heard without. Enter a Captain hurriedly._] CAPTAIN O King, bid me to speak! SAUL Then speak! CAPTAIN Fear is upon the host. There will Be mutiny unless, Goliath slain, Courage spring up anew. DAVID My lord, then, choose! Ere longer waiting fester to disaster. SAMUEL Yea, king of Gibeah, and bid him go, And Michal for his meed! or evermore Evil be on you and the sear of shame-- And haunting memory beyond the tomb! SAUL Then let him--let him. And upon the field Of Ephes-Dammin. But I am not blind! [_To_ ABNER] Let him, to morrow! Go, prepare the host. Yet--I am king, remember! I am king! [SAUL _goes_; _there is a murmur of relief_. _All except_ MICHAL _follow, with various expressions of joy or hate toward_ DAVID.] DAVID Michal! [_She looks at him; struggles against tears, and turning, goes._ DAVID _stands gazing sadly after her_. _Then a trumpet sounds, and soldiers shouting exultantly without, throng to the porch._] DAVID [_Thrilled; his hand on his sling_] For Israel! For Israel! [_He goes, toward the soldiers._] [_CURTAIN._] ACT II _SCENE: The royal tent of Saul pitched on one hill of the battle-field of Ephes-Dammin. The tent is of black embroidered with various warlike designs. To one side on a dais are the chairs of SAUL and AHINOAM; also DAVID’S harp. On the other side, toward the front, is a table with wine and wine cups. The tent wall is lifted along the back, revealing on the opposite hill, across a deep narrow valley, the routed camp of the Philistines: before it in gleaming brazen armor lies GOLIATH slain. Other hills beyond, and the sky above. By the wine table, her back to the battle-field, sits MERAB in cold anger. AHINOAM and several women look out in ecstasy toward DAVID, SAUL, JONATHAN and the army, returning victorious and shouting._ FIRST WOMAN See, see, at last! SECOND WOMAN They come! THIRD WOMAN An avalanche. Over the brook and bright amid hosannas! SECOND WOMAN And now amid the rushes! FIRST WOMAN And the servants! Goliath’s head high-borne upon a charger! The rocks that cry reverberant and vast! The people and the palms! THIRD WOMAN Yea all the branches Torn from the trees! The waving of them--O! SECOND WOMAN And David, see! triumphant, calm, between The king and Jonathan!… His glory All the wild generations of the wind Ever shall utter! Hear them-- [_The tumult ascends afar_]