Salomé: A Tragedy in One Act
thou hadst loved me. Well I know that thou wouldst have loved me,
and the mystery of love is greater than the mystery of death.
Love only should one consider.
HEROD
She is monstrous, thy daughter, she is altogether monstrous. In
truth, what she has done is a great crime. I am sure that it was
a crime against an unknown God.
HERODIAS
I approve of what my daughter has done. And I will stay here now.
HEROD
[_Rising_].
Ah! There speaks the incestuous wife! Come! I will not stay here.
Come, I tell thee. Surely some terrible thing will befall.
Manasseh, Issachar, Ozias, put out the torches. I will not look
at things, I will not suffer things to look at me. Put out the
torches! Hide the moon! Hide the stars! Let us hide ourselves in
our palace, Herodias. I begin to be afraid.
[_The slaves put out the torches. The stars disappear. A great
black cloud crosses the moon and conceals it completely. The
stage becomes very dark. The Tetrarch begins to climb the
staircase._]
THE VOICE OF SALOMÉ
Ah! I have kissed thy mouth, Jokanaan, I have kissed thy mouth.
There was a bitter taste on thy lips. Was it the taste of
blood?... But perchance it is the taste of love.... They say that
love hath a bitter taste.... But what of that? what of that? I
have kissed thy mouth, Jokanaan.
[_A moonbeam falls on Salomé covering her with light._]
HEROD
[_Turning round and seeing Salomé_.]
Kill that woman!
[_The soldiers rush forward and crush beneath their shields
Salomé, daughter of Herodias, Princess of Judæa._]
CURTAIN.