I had her slain because she went to thee. No one shall go to thee except me. Seest thou now how pious I am? Seest thou? My soul feels thy strength, and feels it with joy; for I have never seen anyone so strong as thou art. I have made thankofferings and secret vows like those the Psalms sing of. Then I have been forth in the gloaming to seek thy countenance and the light of thy eyes. And I have decked my bed with beautiful, many-coloured rugs from Egypt, and I have sprinkled my pillows with myrtle, aloes, and cinnamon. I will give thee my fair young body, thou barbarian among the sons of Israel! Come, let us make love till morning. And my playmates shall keep watch on the threshold, and greet the dawn with their harps. JOHN Verily, thou art powerful; thou carriest the world in thy arms ... for thou art sin itself. SALOME Yes. Sweet as sin.... That am I. JOHN Go! SALOME Thou spurnest me! Spurnest me? [_She rushes through the gate._] SCENE VII _John, Josaphat, Manassa, Amarja._ JOHN [_Goes to the door, where the Gaoler is waiting._] GAOLER Wouldst thou see thy disciples now? JOHN Bring them to me. [_Manassa, Amarja hasten to him and kiss his garment. Josaphat hangs back._] JOHN Matthias is not with you? JOSAPHAT No. JOHN What, Josaphat, thou who wast ever the nearest to me, hast thou no greeting to give? JOSAPHAT [_Turns away._] JOHN Well, then, what is it? JOSAPHAT Rabbi, it is written ... One knife sharpens another, and one man another ... but thou hast made us blunt. JOHN And thou hast come this long way to tell me that? JOSAPHAT Rabbi, thou shouldst be the way that all the erring follow. Thou shouldst strengthen weak knees and mould trembling hands to the sword's hilt. Thy work was wrath, Rabbi, but thou hast made of it a sophistry and a weakness. JOHN Thou art not to know what my work was. Had I known myself, I should not be here. Truly the time of my fall is come, when enemies sing my praises and friends speak ill of me. What would ye have me do? My end must be in solitude and silence. JOSAPHAT Thy end, Rabbi, is no concern of ours. It is for Israel's end that I fear. Thou tookest the law from us. What hast thou given us instead? JOHN