The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde: 150+ Titles in One Edition. Oscar Wilde

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ desire to talk of it. It is the cause of the terrible words that the prophet has spoken. Peradventure on account of it a misfortune will come. Let us not speak of this matter. Noble Herodias, we are not mindful of our guests. Fill thou my cup, my well-beloved. Ho! fill with wine the great goblets of silver, and the great goblets of glass. I will drink to Cæsar. There are Romans here, we must drink to Cæsar.

      ALL

       Cæsar! Cæsar!

      HEROD

       Do you not see your daughter, how pale she is?

      HERODIAS

       What is it to you if she be pale or not?

      HEROD

       Never have I seen her so pale.

      HERODIAS

       You must not look at her.

      THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN

       In that day the sun shall become black like sackcloth of hair, and the moon shall become like blood, and the stars of the heaven shall fall upon the earth like unripe figs that fall from the fig-tree, and the kings of the earth shall be afraid.

      HERODIAS

       Ah! ah! I should like to see that day of which he speaks, when the moon shall become like blood, and when the stars shall fall upon the earth like unripe figs. This prophet talks like a drunken man, … but I cannot suffer the sound of his voice. I hate his voice. Command him to be silent.

      HEROD

       I will not. I cannot understand what it is that he saith, but it may be an omen.

      HERODIAS

       I do not believe in omens. He speaks like a drunken man.

      HEROD

       It may be he is drunk with the wine of God.

      HERODIAS

       What wine is that, the wine of God? From what vineyards is it gathered? In what wine-press may one find it?

      HEROD

       (From this point he looks all the while at Salomé.)

       Tigellinus, when you were at Rome of late, did the Emperor speak with you on the subject of …?

      TIGELLINUS

       On what subject, my lord?

      HEROD

       On what subject? Ah! I asked you a question, did I not? I have forgotten what I would have asked you.

      HERODIAS

       You are looking again at my daughter. You must not look at her. I have already said so.

      HEROD

       You say nothing else.

      HERODIAS

       I say it again.

      HEROD

       And that restoration of the Temple about which they have talked so much, will anything be done? They say that the veil of the Sanctuary has disappeared, do they not?

      HERODIAS

       It was thyself didst steal it. Thou speakest at random and without wit. I will not stay here. Let us go within.

      HEROD

       Dance for me, Salomé.

      HERODIAS

       I will not have her dance.

      SALOMÉ

       I have no desire to dance, Tetrarch.

      HEROD

       Salomé, daughter of Herodias, dance for me.

      HERODIAS

       Peace. Let her alone.

      HEROD

       I command thee to dance, Salomé.

      SALOMÉ

       I will not dance, Tetrarch.

      HERODIAS

       (Laughing.)

       You see how she obeys you.

      HEROD

       What is it to me whether she dance or not? It is nought to me. Tonight I am happy. I am exceeding happy. Never have I been so happy.

      FIRST SOLDIER

       The Tetrarch has a sombre look. Has he not a sombre look?

      SECOND SOLDIER

       Yes, he has a sombre look.

      HEROD

       Wherefore should I not be happy? Cæsar, who is lord of the world, Cæsar, who is lord of all things, loves me well. He has just sent me most precious gifts. Also he has promised me to summon to Rome the King of Cappadocia, who is mine enemy. It may be that at Rome he will crucify him, for he is able to do all things that he has a mind to do. Verily, Cæsar is lord. Therefore I do well to be happy. I am very happy, never have I been so happy. There is nothing in the world that can mar my happiness.

      THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN

       He shall be seated on his throne. He shall be clothed in scarlet and purple. In his hand he shall bear a golden cup full of his blasphemies. And the angel of the Lord shall smite him. He shall be eaten of worms.

      HERODIAS

       You hear what he says about you. He says that you shall be eaten of worms.

      HEROD

       It is not of me that he speaks. He speaks never against me. It is of the King of Cappadocia that he speaks; the King of Cappadocia who is mine enemy. It is he who shall be eaten of worms. It is not I. Never has he spoken word against me, this prophet, save that I sinned in taking to wife the wife of my brother. It may be he is right. For, of a truth, you are sterile.

      HERODIAS

       I am sterile, I? You say that, you that are ever looking at my daughter, you that would have her dance for your pleasure? You speak as a fool. I have borne a child. You have gotten no child, no, not on one of your slaves. It is you who are sterile, not I.

      HEROD

       Peace, woman! I say that you are sterile. You have borne me no child, and the prophet says that. our marriage is not a true marriage. He says that it is a marriage of incest, a marriage that will bring СКАЧАТЬ