Fast-- DAVID Upon his friend, thy servant, David. DOEG Aie! [_He turns away laughing._] SAUL Why do you laugh? DOEG “Thy servant David!” SAUL Why! A WOMAN [_Without._] King Saul has slain his thousands! DOEG “Why,” my lord? THE WOMAN But David his ten thousands! DOEG Do you hear? King Saul has slain his thousands, David ten! Thy servant is he? servant? DAVID [_To_ SAUL.] Shall thy sceptre Be wielded by this venom-word, as is A weed under the wind? SAUL ’Tis overmuch! I’ll burst all bond of priest or prophecy. Nor cringe to threatening and fondle fear. [_He seizes a javelin._] I’ll smite where’er I will. DAVID No! JONATHAN Father! DAVID Shall A rapid palsy now come on thy hand, Awful and sceptre-ruined lord of men? An impotence, a shriveling to fear, Avenging ere thou shed offenceless blood? [SAUL’S _hand drops_.] Is this thy love, the love of Saul the king? Who once was kindlier than kindest are. For but a woman’s wantonness of word And idle air, my life? AHINOAM Saul, Saul--! JONATHAN The shame! DAVID Some enemy--does Doeg curve his lip?-- Hath put into her mouth this stratagem Of fevered false-impassioned overpraise. [SAUL, _silent, rises slowly and goes, entreated of_ JONATHAN. _Many follow in doubt, whispering._] DOEG [_To_ DAVID.] This is not all, boy out of Bethlehem. Goliath’s dead-- DAVID But not all villainy? [DOEG _goes, flushing,--and all follow, except_ MICHAL, _and_ MERAB, _who moves cunningly forward as if incensed_.] MERAB I burn for it! DAVID For what, and suddenly? MERAB My father so ungenerously wroth! And wrought away from recompense so right; Can you forgive him? DAVID Merab?… MERAB Is it strange That even _I_ now ask it? DAVID Merab’s self? MERAB