They say that he hath come into the town to judge Herodias. Is that so, Jael? JAEL I know not. THE BOY Mother, see, they are now drinking the fourth goblet. They will be here directly. FIRST WOMAN Hath he spoken a blessing over the fourth goblet? SECOND WOMAN No; Josaphat spake it. FIRST WOMAN See, they are standing up! ANOTHER Are they coming hither, Jael? JAEL That is the couch on which he will rest. SEVERAL Then farewell, Jael. JAEL Farewell! [_They hurry out._] SCENE II _Jael with her children. John, Josaphat, Amarja._ JOSAPHAT Here thou wilt be alone, Rabbi. The others remain outside. JOHN Accept my thanks, Josaphat. AMARJA Mine, too, Josaphat. JOSAPHAT Thank him, Amarja, for eating with us. [_While John seats himself, he says, sotto voce, to Amarja_] Come! [_Observes Jael, who has been standing at the door unnoticed._] Jael, thou here, and the children? JOHN Is that thy wife, Josaphat? JOSAPHAT Yes, Rabbi. JOHN And thy children? JOSAPHAT Yes, Rabbi. JOHN Thou hast never told me of these.... Is thy name Jael? He called thee so. JAEL Yes, Rabbi. JOHN Why comest thou not nearer? THE BOY We are afraid of thee, Rabbi. JOHN [_Smiling._] Why are you afraid? THE BOY I do not know. JOSAPHAT Forgive him, Rabbi ... he ... JOHN Josaphat, wilt thou entrust them to me for a few minutes? JOSAPHAT [_Bows his head, signs to Amarja, and goes away with him to the right._] SCENE III _John, Jael, the children._ JOHN Thy eyes have a sad look, Jael. Is thy heart troubled? JAEL Kneel down, Baruch, my son. Kneel down, both. THE BOY [_Half crying._] Mother! JOHN What is it, Jael? JAEL [_To the children._] Say: Prithee, Rabbi? THE CHILDREN Prithee, Rabbi. JAEL And this little one prayeth, too, though not old enough to pray.... JOHN For what? JAEL That thou wouldest give them back their father; for see, they have no bread. JOHN [_Lifting the children from their knees._] Just now we ate of the lamb in thy house, and thou sayest "we have no bread"? JAEL I do not speak of to-day; to-day the poorest have something to eat. Thou art truly a great prophet, Rabbi, and thou givest much to the people; but from us--from me and these little children--thou takest away all that we have. JOHN How could I do that, Jael? JAEL See; for a long time my husband goeth out every night to thee in the wilderness, and then the tools lie there idle, and we starve. But willingly would we starve and die of hunger for him, if thou hadst not estranged his heart from us, and stolen his love for thyself. JOHN Art thou, too, one of those who say, Greater than the law and sacrifice is love? JAEL [_Anxiously._] I did not say that, Rabbi.... Thou wouldst not get me into trouble with the priests? JOHN But thou thinkst so in thy heart! JAEL Rabbi! JOHN