Yet I do not give thee up as lost. If thou wert so minded we might pursue the same paths for a spell. JOHN Whither, Sire? HEROD Whither? Upwards! JOHN For thee there is no upwards. Thou bearest the times that are and were before thee, like an ulcerous evil, on thy body. Burnest thou not from all their poisonous lusts? Art thou not weighted by their unholy desires? And thou wouldst mount to the heights. Stay in the market-place and smile. HEROD Baptist, take care. Thy chains lie not far off. JOHN Let me be chained, Sire; I ask for nothing better. HEROD [_Gnashing his teeth._] Truly thou art ruled by a broken spirit. [_After a little reflection._] Yet tell me, Baptist, when that other cometh, that other----Say, was it in His Name that thou didst not throw the stone at me? JOHN [_Confused._] Sire, what dost thou ask? HEROD Was it in His Name? For if so, thy Jewish king shall not rob my nights of sleep. Ha! ha! Here, gaoler! [_The gaoler comes._] The prisoner shall go in and out as he pleaseth, for he is not dangerous. GAOLER [_Dumfounded, then in a low voice._] Sire, how shall my life be safe, if---- HEROD And his disciples, who loiter about the gates. Let them in and out as often as he wishes.... Now, did this God's people ever know a more clement master than I? [_Laughing, walks away._] SCENE VI _John and the Gaoler. Later, Maecha, Salome._ GAOLER Well, thou art now thy own master. What are thy commands? JOHN The Tetrarch spoke of my disciples---- MAECHA [_Appearing in the gateway to left._] He is alone. SALOME [_Signs to the Gaoler. Exeunt Maecha and Gaoler._] JOHN What wilt thou? SALOME Master, seest thou the sun sinking yonder between the pomegranate boughs? JOHN I see it. SALOME Knowest thou whose doing it is that thou art able to see it ere it goeth down, and ere thou goest down? Mine! JOHN May be. What dost thou want? SALOME Thou shalt not go down. Not thou. For my soul is thirsty. Teach me, master. JOHN What shall I teach thee? SALOME See, I am pious by nature, and I have a longing for salvation.... What thou givest to the humblest by the highway, give also to me. Let me sit at thy feet. I will be pious. Yea, I will. And if I touch thy hairy shirt, then be not frightened. I mean thee no harm. JOHN Why shouldst thou mean me harm, young virgin? SALOME Who can say ... if thou shouldst reject me! No one knows how powerful I am to-day. When I stretch my limbs [_she spreads out her arms_] it seems to me as if I carried the whole world like this ... only to hug it to my heart. JOHN Maiden, thou hast a playmate. SALOME [_Attentively._] Which playmate? JOHN Her name is Miriam. SALOME I _had_ her. Now she is dead. JOHN [_Bows his head. His suspicions realized._] SALOME