But my word held me back, and, more than that, The unimplorable Necessity. Had I relaxed from her one pace, no further, Upon herself the deathly thrust were given. I saw the dagger hidden in her breast And more than once the twitching of her hand. [_Pause._ She wished to die; she must have done so, too. As much she suffered and as much she pardoned As she had power to pardon and to suffer. I have beheld her very innermost, Who more demands should quarrel not with her, Should quarrel only with the elements Which, willed or not, had been so mixed in her That she could go no further. Yes, but let him Show me a woman further gone than she! [HEROD _makes a gesture_. She wished to have her death from you, and called The unshapen dream-child of your jealousy Into illusive being at her feast, Juggling her soul to death and all deceiving. I found that stern but not unjust. She stepped As mask before your eyes; the mask was destined To sting you till you pierced it with a sword-thrust. [_He points to_ JOAB. And that you did and killed her very self. HEROD. So spoke she, but she spoke from vengeance so. TITUS. So was it. I have testified against her. How gladly would I doubt it! HEROD. And Soemus? TITUS. Upon the way that leads to death I met him, He entered on his own as soon as hers Had been accomplished, and he felt it balm To think his blood with hers should be commingled E’en though upon the block by headsman-hand. HEROD. Aha! You see? TITUS. And what? Perchance in stillness He burned for her. But if that were a sin Then it was his and never aught of hers. He cried to me:--“I die because I spoke; Else had I died because I might have spoken. For such was Joseph’s lot. He swore while still In death that he was innocent as I, I marked it.” HEROD (_breaking out_). Joseph! Is he too avenged? Does Earth gape open? Do the striding dead Outface me all? ALEX. (_approaching him_). They do! But no, fear nothing. There’s one--a woman--still lies under earth! HEROD. Accursèd! (_Commanding himself._) Be it so. If then Soemus Committed but a single crime against me, [_He turns to_ SALOME. Joseph, through whom this vulgar-souled suspicion Had filled him, Joseph fooled him even in death-- Is it not so?--Why are you silent now? SALOME. Hot-foot he dogged her every step---- ALEX. (_to_ HEROD).