Yes, that is sure. No man can gainsay it. HERODIAS These men are mad. They have looked too long on the moon. Command them to be silent. HEROD What is this miracle of the daughter of Jairus? FIRST NAZARENE The daughter of Jairus was dead. He raised her from the dead. HEROD He raises the dead? FIRST NAZARENE Yea, sire, He raiseth the dead. HEROD I do not wish Him to do that. I forbid Him to do that. I allow no man to raise the dead. This Man must be found and told that I forbid Him to raise the dead. Where is this Man at present? SECOND NAZARENE He is in every place, my lord, but it is hard to find Him. FIRST NAZARENE It is said that He is now in Samaria. A JEW It is easy to see that this is not Messias, if He is in Samaria. It is not to the Samaritans that Messias shall come. The Samaritans are accursed. They bring no offerings to the Temple. SECOND NAZARENE He left Samaria a few days since. I think that at the present moment He is in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. FIRST NAZARENE No; He is not there. I have just come from Jerusalem. For two months they have had no tidings of Him. HEROD No matter! But let them find Him, and tell Him from me, I will not allow him to raise the dead! To change water into wine, to heal the lepers and the blind.... He may do these things if He will. I say nothing against these things. In truth I hold it a good deed to heal a leper. But I allow no man to raise the dead. It would be terrible if the dead came back. [Illustration: THE STOMACH DANCE] THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN Ah! the wanton! The harlot! Ah! the daughter of Babylon with her golden eyes and her gilded eyelids!--Thus saith the Lord God, Let there come up against her a multitude of men. Let the people take stones and stone her.... HERODIAS Command him to be silent. THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN Let the war captains pierce her with their swords, let them crush her beneath their shields. HERODIAS Nay, but it is infamous. THE VOICE OF JOKANAAN It is thus that I will wipe out all wickedness from the earth, and that all women shall learn not to imitate her abominations. HERODIAS You hear what he says against me? You allow him to revile your wife? HEROD He did not speak your name. HERODIAS What does that matter? You know well that it is I whom he seeks to revile. And I am your wife, am I not? HEROD Of a truth, dear and noble Herodias, you are my wife, and before that you were the wife of my brother. HERODIAS It was you who tore me from his arms. HEROD Of a truth I was stronger.... But let us not talk of that matter. I do not desire to talk of it. It is the cause of the terrible words that the prophet has spoken. Peradventure on account of it a misfortune will come. Let us not speak of this matter. Noble Herodias, we are not mindful of our guests. Fill thou my cup, my well-beloved. Fill with wine the great goblets of silver, and the great goblets of glass. I will drink to Cæsar. There are Romans here, we must drink to Cæsar. ALL