GAOLER Princess, I opened this gate for thee because thou hadst lost a plaything. Shall I now, instead of thy plaything, lose this old head? MAECHA Mistress, the Tetrarch is coming. SALOME [_Veiling herself._] Hide yourselves! [_She stoops behind the seat; the maidens slip into the bushes._] [_In the gateway Herod and his attendants._] SCENE III _The same. Herod, Merokles, Jabad, Gabalos._ HEROD Gaoler! GAOLER Sire. HEROD Who are the three men who linger about the door? They look morose, and did not salute me. GAOLER Sire, those are the remnant of the crew which followed John, they say, from Jerusalem. For eight days and eight nights they followed him. HEROD The remnant, sayest thou? Where are the rest? GAOLER They lie somewhere by the wayside, Sire, and die of thirst, unless the ravens give them to drink. HEROD Drive them away! GAOLER Sire, we have hunted them off several times; but they always come back. HEROD So, let them be. MEROKLES See, how mild is our ruler! He doth not order them to be cut in pieces. JABAD Hail to our Ruler! [_The two others join in._] HEROD To speak candidly, friends, I do not lay hands on sages and fools willingly; for one can never know whether the executioner holds up the head of a sage or a fool. GABALOS Thou canst do no wrong, Sire; for thou art wise, all-wise! HEROD When I order thee to be beheaded, I shall not be wrong; for thou art a fool, a complete fool. [_Nearing the seat._] Bring me----[_Observes Salome, who, listening, has raised her head a little above the edge of the seat, then quickly dives down again._] I beg you to retire, and await me without the gate. [_Exeunt Gabalos, Merokles, Jabad._] SCENE IV _Herod, Salome. Also Abi and Maecha, hidden._ HEROD Tell me, thou veiled one, art thou not Salome, my wife's daughter? SALOME Sire, so true as 'tis that thou art my protector I am Salome. HEROD How camest thou into this prison-yard? SALOME Ask me not, Sire. My soul else will blush before thee. It was curiosity, because I heard thee coming. HEROD And where are thy playmates? SALOME They are afraid of thee, so they have crept away. Abi, Maecha, come forth; our master commands it. [_Abi and Maecha come out hesitatingly, and curtsey profoundly._] HEROD Thy eyes plead for them, therefore they shall not be scolded. SALOME And my lips thank thee on their behalf. HEROD They thank like conquerors. There is music in them. How is it, Salome, that I have never heard thy voice? SALOME Thou shouldst ask my mother, Sire. HEROD [_Fiercely._] Thy mother! Still, I know that thou art well disposed towards me. Thou didst deliver into my hand that maid who carried on treason at night outside the Palace. SALOME Could I do less, Sire? And him to whom she betrayed thy secrets, wilt thou not punish him too? HEROD