17
SECOND SOLDIER: What a sombre look the Tetrarch wears.
FIRST SOLDIER: Yes, he wears a sombre look.
HEROD: Salomé, Salomé, dance for me. I pray
thee dance for me. I am sad to-night. Yes, I am passing sad to-night.
When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an evil omen;
and I heard, I am sure I heard in the air a beating of wings,
a beating of giant wings. I cannot tell what they mean .... I
am sad to-night. Therefore dance for me. Dance for me, Salomé,
I beseech you. If you dance for me you may ask of me what you
will, and I will give it you, even unto the half of my kingdom.
SALOMÉ (rising): Will you indeed give me whatsoever
I shall ask, Tetrarch?
HERODIAS: Do not dance, my daughter.
HEROD: Everything, even the half of my kingdom.
SALOMÉ: You swear it, Tetrarch?
HEROD: I swear it, Salomé.
HERODIAS: Do not dance, my daughter.
SALOMÉ: By what will you swear, Tetrarch?
HEROD: By my life, by my crown, by my gods. Whatsoever you
desire I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom, if
you will but dance for me. O, Salomé, Salomé, dance
for me!
SALOMÉ: You have sworn, Tetrarch.
HEROD: I have sworn, Salomé.
SALOMÉ: All this I ask, even the half of your kingdom.
HERODIAS: My daughter, do not dance.
HEROD: Even to the half of my kingdom. Thou wilt be passing
fair as a queen, Salomé, if it please thee to ask for
the half of my kingdom. Will she not be fair as a queen? Ah!
it is cold here! There is an icy wind, and I hear ... wherefore
do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! one might fancy
a bird, a huge black bird that hovers over the terrace. Why can
I not see it, this bird? The beat of its wings is terrible. The
breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind.
Nay, but it is not cold, it is hot. I am choking. Pour water
on my hands. Give me snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. Quick, quick!
Loosen my mantle. Nay, but leave it. It is my garland that hurts
me, my garland of roses. The flowers are like fire. They have
burned my forehead. (He tears the wreath from his head and
throws it on the table.) Ah! I can breathe now. How red those
petals are! They are like stains of blood on the cloth. That
does not matter. You must not find symbols in everything you
see. It makes life impossible. It were better to say that stains
of blood are as lovely as rose petals. It were better far to
say that .... But we will not speak of this. Now I am happy,
I am passing happy. Have I not the right to be happy? Your daughter
is going to dance for me. Will you not dance for me, Salomé?
You have promised to dance for me.
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