I do not know. But how? SALOME Sire, it seemeth to me that he hath a great following among the people. If thou sparest him, the people will like thee. HEROD Words of wisdom fall from thy lips, Salome. SALOME See how his disciples tarry at the entrance. If thou treatest him well, they will carry praises of thee to Jerusalem. HERODIAS How unlike thou art to thy mother, Salome! SALOME And how like, too! HEROD I would rather think that thou wert unlike. My sweet, unveil thyself. SALOME Sire, if thou wert my father! But thou art not. Directly thou comest near, my mother herself draweth my veil down deep over my breast. HEROD Unveil to me. SALOME Sire, not when I am alone with thee. HEROD Then if I was with others, thou wouldst? SALOME Perhaps. Ask my mother. HEROD A little now. Just a finger's length. SALOME No, really ... it is not seemly, Sire. HEROD But if I were sitting with other men ... at meat ... or over wine ... and thou camest and unveiled, that would be more seemly? SALOME May be!... I can dance, Sire. HEROD Wouldst thou do that for me also? SALOME And what wouldst thou do for me? HEROD Salome! SALOME [_Rising._] No, but thou must indeed ask my mother, Sire. I am still far too ignorant; I know not what a maiden ought to do. Only what I would like to do. I know that well enough. HEROD What wouldst thou _like_ to do? SALOME Thy pleasure, Sire. Nothing else, nothing. Seest thou, if thou treatest this prisoner humanely, they will sing thy praises, and I shall be so proud, I shall say in my heart, He acted on my advice. HEROD [_To the gaoler._] Bring the Baptist here.... I will consider it, Salome. [_Exit Gaoler._ SALOME [_From the gate, with a slight fluttering of her veil._] And I will thank thee, Sire! HEROD Salome! SALOME [_Vanishes, with a burst of laughter. Abi and Maecha have preceded her._] HEROD [_Looks after her, and then sits down on the seat._] SCENE V _Herod, John. The Gaoler. A Guard._ HEROD Tell me, how should one address thee when one would show thee respect? Thou thinkest that I mock thee? But knowest thou that in reality I am indebted to thee? The people's meditated attack was not hidden from me, and yet I came without the escort of warriors which Rome sent for my protection. Thou heldest me in the hollow of thy hand, as thou heldest the stone. Say, why didst thou let it fall? Why hast thou spared me? JOHN Sire, even if I spoke thou wouldst not understand me. HEROD That is defiance, which I cannot praise. In chains it is easy to be defiant. Take off his chains and go. [_The Gaoler obeys. Exit with the guard._] Now, as a free man, revile me. Art thou a preacher of repentance? If so, preach to me! JOHN Sire, thou wouldst not understand me. HEROD