(clumsily returning his caress). Thou wilt not harm me.

INGUR. I will not tear thee to pieces, but thou shalt come away with me. (She timidly strokes him). Thou hast not the habit of this stroking.

HAGGITH. My mistress commanded me, when I encountered any noble Assyrian, to use him thus. It is true that I have not the habit. Nevertheless I do what I can.

INGUR (startled at the mention of a mistress). Thy—thy mistress? Ye are two? Where then is thy mistress? Tell me upon the instant—is she fairer than thou?

HAGGITH. Seven times more fair.

INGUR. Fetch her!

HAGGITH. My mistress is washing herself in a fountain of water by the cave. She sent me forward in peace and friendliness to announce her coming.

INGUR. Fetch her! (Suddenly perceiving Bagoas in the distance, he changes his manner.) Stay! Bagoas is approaching, and he may have seen thee. His eyes are sharp. Stand off. (Haggith moves away a little.) But when I tell thee, fall down on thy face.

HAGGITH. Is he a great captain?

INGUR. His mightiness is the chief eunuch of the Prince, and there is none greater than he save only the Prince himself, for Bagoas has charge over all the women of the Prince's tents.

HAGGITH. Women of the Prince's tents?

INGUR. Ay! Wives! Concubines! Virgins! Beyond counting. Didst thou think in thy Hebrew pride, that the Prince was a savage and a barbarian?... Down, damsel! Here is Bagoas. Embrace the earth for thy life's sake. (Haggith obeys.)

Enter Bagoas, with attendants, L.

(Ingur salutes him with extreme deference.)

BAGOAS. Who art thou?

INGUR. Ingur, mightiness, commanding twenty footmen.

BAGOAS. Begone from my sight. This morning the Prince condescends to walk through the camp, that all the armies may take joy in his countenance. It is not meet that he should be seen of any lower than a lieutenant.

INGUR (indicating Haggith). Mightiness, a woman of the Hebrews escaped from Bethulia to find water! And by my subtlety I have captured her.

BAGOAS. A woman of the Hebrews! (Surveying Haggith.) Rise, scum, and let me behold thy deformity. (Haggith obeys.)

INGUR. And there is another yet to appear,—her mistress, seven times fairer.

BAGOAS. Her mistress may be seven times fairer than this eyesore, and yet ugly. (To Haggith.) Who is thy mistress?

HAGGITH. The lady Judith.

BAGOAS. Judith! A name fit only for a cat! Why is she here? How is she here? What is her secret and detestable purpose? For there is a trick in this thing.

HAGGITH. I know not my mistress's purpose.

BAGOAS. Tell me thy mistress's purpose, or I will have thee smothered.

HAGGITH. I know only that if Holofernes——

BAGOAS (stopping her angrily). Callest thou the illustrious one by his name? The most high Prince Holofernes, foul wench.

HAGGITH. The most high Prince Holofernes—if he so wills my mistress would speak with his highness.

BAGOAS (laughing heartily). Speak with the Prince? Speak with the Prince? Ha-ha! (All the men laugh.) What is the state of thy mistress?

HAGGITH. The lady Judith is a widow.

BAGOAS (still more amused). Aha! A widow! And the Hebrew hag would speak with Prince Holofernes! (The men laugh and jeer.)

Enter Judith, R.

(Haggith goes quickly to her. All the men stare at Judith, deeply impressed.)

HAGGITH (aside to Judith). There are many hussies in the camps, thousands and thousands, mistress. This lord is the chief eunuch.

BAGOAS (aside to an attendant). If this be an example of the Bethulian women, I shall have a momentous business upon me when their city falls.

FIRST ATTENDANT. Yea, mightiness.

(Judith, signing to Haggith to stand aside, bows to the ground before Bagoas; then rises again.)

BAGOAS (after a short pause). You are very beautiful.

JUDITH. There are beautiful women in Judea, but no man of Judea would look twice at such as I, a shrunken widow, like dried fish.

(Exit Ingur, excitedly, L.)

BAGOAS. I have heard how you have escaped out of Bethulia and come hither in order to find water. (Blandly.) Aught else?

JUDITH. My desire also was to have speech privately with the great conqueror, Holofernes.

BAGOAS. Ah! We are well met, you and I. For I am Bagoas, chief eunuch to the illustrious Prince. (Aside to second attendant.) Run. Fetch the box of veils. (Exit second attendant, L.)

JUDITH (saluting once more). I supplicate then, mighty Bagoas, that you lead me quickly to the illustrious Prince Holofernes.

BAGOAS. Surely! Surely! It is my pleasure to content you. (Aside, to attendant, anxiously.) This dried fish by her damnable beauty will reach great power, and if I speak not softly to her now she will undo me in that day.

FIRST ATTENDANT. Yea, mightiness.

JUDITH. I humbly thank your mightiness.

BAGOAS. But it is necessary that you should relate to me your little affair. For no woman speaks to the illustrious Prince until she has spoken to me.

JUDITH. It cannot be so.

BAGOAS (persuasively). In my ear, privily. Approach.

JUDITH. It cannot be so.

BAGOAS. What mean you—it cannot be so?

JUDITH. I will utter my errand to the illustrious Prince Holofernes alone.

BAGOAS (losing his self-control; angrily). What? Thou queasy chit! Thou minx! Thou jade! Baggage! Mopsy! Shamelesss wench! Thou wilt not obey Bagoas, chief eunuch in the camps of the Assyrians! I will make thee the slave of my slave and the plaything of scullions. (Stops. Judith smiles. Haggith subsides alarmed at her feet.) Thou shalt be abandoned to the sutlers and the ass-drivers, and thus thou shalt learn who is Bagoas and what is his power! (Stops again. Judith still smiles.) The strumpets of the kitchens shall scorn thee! I—I——

JUDITH (smiling sweetly). Mightiness! Mightiness! I am your bondwoman, but it is appointed by heaven that I shall speak with the illustrious Prince Holofernes himself.

BAGOAS (controlling himself, smiling). Well, if it is appointed by heaven, so shall it be. Forget my words. They had no evil intent, for I was trying you, as my duty is. (Aside to attendant.) The sweetness of her glance dissolves my backbone.

FIRST ATTENDANT. Yea, mightinesss.

BAGOAS (to Judith). Follow me, lady. (Aside to attendant.) Thinkest thou the Prince will come this way? (Pointing.)

FIRST ATTENDANT. Yea, mightiness.

BAGOAS. Or that?

FIRST ATTENDANT. Yea, mightiness.

BAGOAS. If the Prince so much as sees her before the city is taken, never will the city be taken, and we shall all be her captives.

FIRST ATTENDANT. Yea, mightiness.

BAGOAS (beating the attendant). I will lead her by the path to the cave, for the Prince will surely not come that way. (To Judith.) Follow me, lady.

(Bagoas moves R. Judith hesitates a moment as Haggith picks up her sack. Enter R. the heralds of Holofernes, followed by Holofernes.)

BAGOAS (to himself). Holofernes! (To his attendants.) Hide her, rascals, or Assyria is undone. (The attendants range themselves between Judith and Holofernes.)

(Bagoas receives Holofernes with a prostration and high ceremony.)

HOLOFERNES. Where is this woman?

BAGOAS. Woman, Prince?

HOLOFERNES (impatient). This Hebrew woman, I say! One Ingur has run among the tents chattering, and the rumour of her has spread through the camps like a plague. By Nebuchadnezzar the one god, where is she, for it has been told to me that her beauty excels the beauty of all the women of the East and