_Joseph:_ Bring them in. [_To another servant_]: Go see that a feast is prepared for these men. [_The brothers enter bringing_ BENJAMIN. _They all fall on their faces._] _Joseph:_ Arise! And have you returned bringing with you your youngest brother? _Reuben:_ O sir, we have brought our youngest brother; he is here. [BENJAMIN _is led forward._ JOSEPH _goes near and puts his hand on_ BENJAMIN.] _Joseph:_ And is this your younger brother of whom ye spake unto me? God be gracious unto thee, my son! [_To the brothers:_] Is your father well, the old man of whom ye spake? Is he yet alive? _Levi:_ Thy servant, our father [_all bow heads_], is in good health; he is yet alive. [JOSEPH _turns away and begins to weep; he leaves them abruptly and walks to the other side of the room._] _Joseph_ [_to the servants_]: Cause every man to go out from me! [_All begin to leave the room, brothers included._] [_To the brothers. He walks quickly after them and holds his arms out toward them._] Stay! I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? Come near to me, I pray you. [_They come somewhat nearer and fall to the ground._] I am Joseph, your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not grieved nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me thither, for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land; and yet there are five years more. God hath sent me before you to save your lives. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, "Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt. Come down unto me, and tarry not. And thou shalt be near unto me, thou and thy children, and thy flocks, and thy herds and all thou hast. Oh, do you not see that I am Joseph that speak unto you?" [_He weeps again and turns away._] [Illustration: FIG. 1--Pharaoh's court] _Brothers:_ Joseph, our brother Joseph! Can he forgive us? [PHARAOH _enters here_] _Joseph:_ O King, these are my brethren, and from my father's tent. _Pharaoh:_ Say unto thy brethren: "This do ye: Go back unto the land of Canaan and take your father and your household goods, and come unto me. And I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, and ye shall eat of the fat of the land. Now ye are commanded: This do ye: Take ye wagons out of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come, for the good of the land shall be yours." _One Brother:_ We thank thee, O great Pharaoh, and our brother Joseph. This is greater than we deserve. We will bring our father down straightway. _Joseph:_ Praise be to God who has done this good thing! END CHAPTER IV THE DRAMATIZATION OF _DAVID AND GOLIATH_