  SCENE: The royal tent of Saul pitched on one hill of the battle-field of Ephes-Dammin. The tent is of black embroidered with various warlike designs. To one side on a dais are the chairs of SAUL and AHINOAM; also DAVID’S harp. On the other side, toward the front, is a table with wine and wine cups. The tent wall is lifted along the back, revealing on the opposite hill, across a deep narrow valley, the routed camp of the Philistines: before it in gleaming brazen armor lies GOLIATH slain. Other hills beyond, and the sky above. By the wine table, her back to the battle-field, sits MERAB in cold anger. AHINOAM and several women look out in ecstasy toward DAVID, SAUL, JONATHAN and the army, returning victorious and shouting. FIRST WOMAN See, see, at last! SECOND WOMAN They come! THIRD WOMAN An avalanche. Over the brook and bright amid hosannas! SECOND WOMAN And now amid the rushes! FIRST WOMAN And the servants! Goliath’s head high-borne upon a charger! The rocks that cry reverberant and vast! The people and the palms! THIRD WOMAN Yea all the branches Torn from the trees! The waving of them—O! SECOND WOMAN And David, see! triumphant, calm, between The king and Jonathan!… His glory All the wild generations of the wind Ever shall utter! Hear them— [The tumult ascends afar] David! David! A sea of shouting!— O queen! AHINOAM You yearn for it? Then go and lave you in this tide of joy. [The women go rapturously. Ahinoam turns.] MERAB Mother! AHINOAM My daughter? MERAB Well? AHINOAM They all are gone. MERAB And Michal, where? AHINOAM I do not know, my child. MERAB Why did my father pledge her to him! you Not hindering! AHINOAM She is your sister. You Are pledged to Adriel. MERAB And as a slave! And if I do not love him there is—riches! If he is Sodom-bitter to me—riches! AHINOAM But for the kingdom. MERAB For my torture! What Kingdom is to a woman as her love! AHINOAM And David still enthralls you? MERAB Though he never Sought me with any murmur or desire! Though he is Michal’s for Goliath’s death! Michal’s to-day, unless— AHINOAM Merab, a care! Too near in you were ever love and hate. [The tumult nears. Ahinoam goes to look out.] [Doeg enters to Merab.] DOEG [low] News, Merab! MERAB Well—? DOEG A triumph o’er him, yet! The king is worn, as a leopard pent, between Wonder of David and quick jealousy Because of praise this whelming of Goliath Wakes in the people. MERAB Then? the triumph? DOEG This. [The tumult, nearer.] I’ve skilfully disposed the women To coldly sing of Saul, but of our David With lavish of ecstasy as to a king. [He watches her.] MERAB Then I will praise him. DOEG David? you? MERAB As he Was never—and shall never be again,— DOEG But— MERAB Give me the phial. DOEG The poison? MERAB Come; At once! DOEG What will you do? MERAB At once with it! [He hands it to her. She dips the point of her dagger in it.] DOEG To stab him MERAB As any fool? Wait.—And the rest now, quick. This timbrel-player, Judith? DOEG She is ready And ravishing! MERAB Well, well; then—? DOEG We will send her Sudden, as Michal is alone with David, To seize him with insinuative kisses, And arms that wind as they were wonted to him. Michal once jealous—and already I Have sowed suspicions— MERAB Will—? yes—? DOEG On him burst [laughs] And as a fury. MERAB May it be their rending! [The tumult, near.] Come, we must see. [They go to look out. Shouts of “David!” “David!” arise, and a band of timbrel-players, dancing and singing, followed by a band of priests bearing the ark with its cherubim of gold, pass the tent opening. David, Saul, Jonathan, Ishui and the Court then enter amid acclamations; before them servants, bearing the head of Goliath on a charger under a napkin. Saul darkly mounts the throne with Ahinoam, to waving of palms and to praise.] A WOMAN [breaking from the throng.] Our little ones are saved! hosannah! joy! [She kisses David’s hand.] JONATHAN Woman, thy tongue should know an angel-word, Or seraph-syllables new-sung to God! Earth has not any rapture well for this! David, my brother! DAVID Jonathan, my friend! While life has any love, know mine for you. JONATHAN Then am I friended as no man was ever! And though my soul were morning wide it were Helpless to hold my wonder and delight! O people, look upon him! THE PEOPLE David! David! JONATHAN Never before in Israel rose beauty Up to this glory! DAVID Jonathan, nay— JONATHAN Never! [Loosing his robe and girdle.] Therefore I pour him splendor passionate. In gold and purple, this my own, I clothe him. David, my brother! SAUL [Angered.] Brother! AHINOAM Saul? SAUL Thou fool! JONATHAN Father? AHINOAM My lord? SAUL Thou full-of-lauding fool! Of breath and ravishment unceasing! AHINOAM Saul! SAUL Is it not praise enough, has he not reached The skies on it! DAVID O king, my lord— SAUL Had Saul Ever so rich a rapture from his son? Ever this worshipping of utterance? DAVID My lord, my lord, this should not fret you. DOEG [Derisively.] Nay! DAVID ’Tis only that the soul of Jonathan, Brimmed by the Philistines with bitterness, Sudden is joy and overfloweth— DOEG Fast— DAVID Upon his friend, thy servant, David. DOEG Aie! [He turns away laughing.] SAUL Why do you laugh? DOEG “Thy servant David!” SAUL Why! A WOMAN [Without.] King Saul has slain his thousands! DOEG “Why,” my lord? THE WOMAN But David his ten thousands! DOEG Do you hear? King Saul has slain his thousands, David ten! Thy servant is he? servant? DAVID [To Saul.] Shall thy sceptre Be wielded by this venom-word, as is A weed under the wind? SAUL ’Tis overmuch! I’ll burst all bond of priest or prophecy. Nor cringe to threatening and fondle fear. [He seizes a javelin.] I’ll smite where’er I will. DAVID No! JONATHAN Father! DAVID Shall A rapid palsy now come on thy hand, Awful and sceptre-ruined lord of men? An impotence, a shriveling to fear, Avenging ere thou shed offenceless blood? [Saul’s hand drops.] Is this thy love, the love of Saul the king? Who once was kindlier than kindest are. For but a woman’s wantonness of word And idle air, my life? AHINOAM Saul, Saul—! JONATHAN The shame! DAVID Some enemy—does Doeg curve his lip?— Hath put into her mouth this stratagem Of fevered false-impassioned overpraise. [Saul, silent, rises slowly and goes, entreated of Jonathan. Many follow in doubt, whispering.] DOEG [To David.] This is not all, boy out of Bethlehem. Goliath’s dead— DAVID But not all villainy? [Doeg goes, flushing,—and all follow, except Michal, and Merab, who moves cunningly forward as if incensed.] MERAB I burn for it! DAVID For what, and suddenly? MERAB My father so ungenerously wroth! And wrought away from recompense so right; Can you forgive him? DAVID Merab?… MERAB Is it strange That even I now ask it? DAVID Merab’s self? MERAB Herself and not to-day your friend; but now Conquered to exaltation and aglow To wreathe you for this might to Israel, Beautiful, unbelievable and bright! Noble the dawn of it within your dream, Noble the lightning of it in your arm, And noble in your veins the fearless flow And dare of blood!—so noble that I ask As a remembrance and bequest forever, In priceless covenant of peace between us, A drop of it— [She draws her dagger and offers it to him.] Upon this sacred blade. DAVID Such kindness, in all honor? MERAB Poor requital To one whose greatness humbles me from hate. DAVID Then of my veins whatever drop you will, Were it the very dwelling of my soul. [He takes the dagger and makes as if to prick himself.] Ah, but you do not mock me? MERAB Rather upon Its edge one vein of you—than priceless nard. DAVID And perfume out of India jewel poured? [He searches her eyes.] Or than—I may believe?—a miracle Of dew, were you a traveller and lost Upon the illimitable desert’s thirst? Or than— [He draws his own dagger, pricks his wrist with it, and hands it to her.] than this? MERAB Shepherd! Treachery, then? Under a sham of tribute, poison? MICHAL Poison? DAVID And I of vanity should prick it in? I a mere shepherd innocent of wile! A singer music-maudled and no more. [As she goes, stung with chagrin.] The daughter of king Saul has yet to learn. [From looking after her, he turns toward Michal, and, sighing, slowly approaches her.] The vaunting of this victory is done. We are alone at last. MICHAL Yes. DAVID That is all? For Israel I’ve wrought to-day, for you Who were about me, in me, as a mist Of armed mighty angels triumphing. MICHAL Yes? It was well. DAVID To you no more? to you Whom not a slave can serve unhonored? MICHAL [Struggling.] Nothing. DAVID Empty of glow then seems it, impotent, A shrivelled hallowing.… Ashes of ecstasy that burned in vain. MICHAL No, no! I— DAVID Michal? MICHAL No, divine it was! And had I cried my praise the ground had broke To Eden under me with blossoming. Where was so wonderful a deed as this, So fair a springing of salvation up! Glory above star-soaring could I seize, Auras of dawn and loveliness unfading, To crown you with and crown! DAVID O lips! MICHAL With but A sling, a shepherd’s sling, you sped the brook, Drew from its bed a stone, and up the hill Where the great Philistine contemning cried, Mounted and flung it deep upon his brain! DAVID This is the victory and not his death! Tell, tell thy joy with kisses on my lips! Thy mouth! thy arms! thy breast! MICHAL No no! DAVID Thy soul! Too much of waiting and of severance! Of dread and distance and the deep of doubt. Now must I fold you, falter all my love And triumph on your senses till they burn Beautiful to eternity with bliss. MICHAL Loose, loose me! DAVID Nay, again! immortal kisses! MICHAL A frenzy, ’tis a frenzy! From me! see! This irremediable victory Over Goliath severs us the more. [The tumult breaks again, afar.] Hear how the people lift you limitless! Almost, to-day, and in my father’s room They would that you were king. DAVID But ere to-morrow Dim shall I be, and ere the harvest bend Less than a gleam in their forgotten peril! MICHAL O were it, were it! But all silently Jehovah fast is beckoning the realm Into thy hands. DAVID Then futile to resist The gliding on of firm divinity. And yet whatever may be shall be done. MICHAL All, all? DAVID That for thee reverently may. MICHAL The anointing, then— DAVID Of that!… not that! MICHAL Yet grant It may be told my father; that I may Say to him all the secret! DAVID And provoke Murder in him, insatiable though I fled upon the wilderness and famine? MICHAL He would not! DAVID Nay. MICHAL I’ll plead with him. DAVID In vain! MICHAL Then [coldly] it is as I thought. DAVID You are distraught. MICHAL This stroke to-day [pointing to Goliath’s head] no love of me had in it. DAVID A love, a passion fervid thro’ me as The tread and tremble of immortal song Along the infinite. MICHAL You use me! DAVID Use? MICHAL A step to rise and riot in ambition! DAVID So bitter are you, blind? MICHAL It was a trick! You snared me to you. DAVID Michal! MICHAL Cunningly With Samuel netted fears about my father Till I am paltrily unto you pledged. DAVID Enough. MICHAL Too much. DAVID No more; the pledge I fling Out of my heart, as ’twere enchantment dead. And free you; but, no more. [He moves from her.] MICHAL As if it were Enchantment dead. Ah, then ’tis true—there is Another—is another! DAVID Now what fever? A gentleness clad once your every grace. MICHAL There is some other that you lure and love. DAVID It is not Michal speaking; so I wait. MICHAL Then— [Judith glides suddenly in with a low laugh and kneels before David. Michal stands amazed.] JUDITH [As if with amorous admiration.] Brave, it was brave, my love! beauteous! brave! DAVID Woman? JUDITH The Philistine, a brazen tower, A bastion of strength fell to the earth! DAVID Woman, who are you? [She clasps and kisses him.] Take away your flesh. [Free] Take it away, the heat and myrrh of it. JUDITH So cold? DAVID Away. JUDITH And ’tis no longer fair? [Wantonly] Oh! Ah! I understand! the princess?— DAVID Go. [Judith obeys, laughing and shaking her timbrel.] MICHAL A dancer then, a very timbrel player! DAVID Until this hour I never looked upon her. It is chicanery of chance or craft. You who are noble, though in doubt adrift, Be noble now! MICHAL And loving? O, I will— Now that I know what should be done. Be sure. DAVID You mean, that Saul?—you would not, no! MICHAL Rest sure. [A hand is seen at the tent. Ahinoam enters.] AHINOAM David, the king—But what is this? [Michal goes.] DAVID O queen— It is but life. AHINOAM Nay. DAVID Life that ever strings Our hearts, so pitifully prone for it, To ecstasy—then snaps. AHINOAM I love thee, David. DAVID Then gracious be, and question here no more. Where words are futile for an utterance. But of the king—the king? AHINOAM He’s driven still. And hither comes, and soon, and must be calmed. Thy harp take, winds of beauty from it bring, And consolation—as of valley-eves When there is ebb of sorrow and of toil, O could you heal him and forever heal. DAVID Then would I be—! [He breaks off with a gesture of great desire, takes the harp and seats himself.] AHINOAM At once, for he will come. [David begins; a strain of wild sadness. Saul enters and with him Doeg, Ishui, Jonathan—others. He pauses, his hand to his brow, and goes slowly, enspelled of David’s playing, up the dais.] AHINOAM My lord, shall David sing—to ease us? SAUL Let him. DAVID [With high sorrow.] O heart of woe, Heart of unrest and broken as a reed! [Plays.] O heart whose flow Is anguish and all the bitterness of need! [Plays.] O heart as a roe, Heart as a hind upon the mountain fleeing The arrow-wounds of being, Be still, O heart, and rest and do not bleed! [Plays longer with bowed head.] O days of life, Days that are driven swift and wild from the womb! [Plays.] O days so rife— Days that are torn of trouble, trod of doom! [Plays.] [Michal enters.] O days of strife, Days of desire on deserts spread unending, The burning blue o’erbending, O days, our peace, our victory is the tomb! [He plays to a close that dies in anguished silence.] SAUL [Rising in tears] David! DAVID My lord? SAUL Thy breathing! beauteous! Stilling to sorrow! O my friend, my son! DAVID To me is this? I dream it not? The king Again is kind and soft his spirit moves? SAUL To you! DAVID How shelter o’er me then will spring And safety covering! SAUL It ever shall. Loveliest have you been among my days, And singing weary madness from my brain. [David starts toward him.] How I have wronged thee! MICHAL Wronged him? [In fury.] DAVID Michal! SAUL Girl? MICHAL You have not wronged him! DAVID Michal! MICHAL No, but he Is jeopardy and fate about you! drive Him from you utterly and now away! [Murmurs of astonishment.] SAUL What mean you? ISHUI Speak. SAUL What mean you? MICHAL This! DAVID No word! MICHAL I’ll not be kept— DAVID But shall be; for to tell Would rend silence forever from you—pale Your flesh with haunting of it evermore! All, all your being would become a hiss. A memory of syllables that sear, A living iteration of remorse. I—I myself will save your lips the words Of this betrayal leaping from your heart. [Nobly, before Saul.] You seek, my lord, you seek whom Samuel Anointed. SAUL Yes. DAVID Then know that it is I. SAUL ’Tis—? DAVID I. SAUL You! DAVID I. And guiltless I, no other. I, though I sought it not and suffer, though I would it had not come and fast am sworn Never against you to lift up— MERAB Hear, hear! Now he will cozen! DOEG He, “thy servant!” ISHUI Hear! A VOICE [Without.] A thousand Saul hath slain! But David ten! SAUL [Choking.] Omnipotence shall not withhold me more. [He lifts a javelin.] DAVID Murderous king afoam with murder-heat! [He avoids from side to side.] Monarch of misery—of might—of rage So fell that lightning were not dread enough Were it thy bolt! To-day you will destroy me? [Goliath’s head overturned, rolls on the floor.] Upon this day will slay me innocent? SAUL Die, die! JONATHAN No, father, hold! [Saul flings the javelin.] MICHAL [Reeling.] What have I done? JONATHAN David, unhurt? Away, the wilderness. [Thrusts a sword on him.] SAUL He shall not! no. [Seizes another javelin.] DAVID [Aflame.] Then, king of Israel, strike! Strike me to darkness and the waiting worm! Into the Pit and to the hopeless gloom. But, after, be your every breathing blood, Remorse and riving bitterness and fear, Be guilt and all the hideous choke of horror! [Saul trembling at the curse lets the javelin fall from his hand. David breaking through Doeg and Ishui escapes by the door. Michal sinks to her knees, her face buried in her hands.] [CURTAIN.] |
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