CITIZENS _lamenting in the street below_.

They have crawled back like beasts dying of thirst, The life all clotted in them. They went out Soldiers, and back like beaten dogs they came Breathing in whines, slow maimed four-footed things On hands and knees degraded, groaning steps.

Their brains were full of battle, they were made Of virtue, brave men; now in their brains shudder Minds that cringe like children burnt with fever.

Often they stood to face the enemies' ranks All upright as a flame in windless air, Wearing their arm and the bright skill of swords Like spirits clad in flashing fire of heaven; And now in darken'd rooms they lie afraid And whimper if the nurse moves suddenly.-- Ah G.o.d, that such an irresistible fiend, Pain, in the beautiful housing of man's flesh Should sleep, light as a leopard in its hunger, Beside the heavenly soul; and at a wound Leap up to mangle her, the senses' guest!-- That in G.o.d's country heathen men should do This worse than murder on men full of G.o.d!

_Judith_.

What matter of new wailing do your tongues Wear in this shivering misery of sound?

_A Citizen_.

The captains which were chosen to go out And treat with Holofernes have come back.

_Judith_.

And did the Ninevite demon treat with them?

_A Citizen_.

The words they had from him were flaying knives, And burning splinters fixt in their skinless flesh, And stones thrown till their b.r.e.a.s.t.s were broken in.

_Judith_.

What, torture our emba.s.sage?

_A Citizen_.

Yea, for he means Nothing but death to all the Jews he takes.

_Another_.

There was a jeering word tied round the neck Of each tormented man: "Behold, ye Jews, These chiefs of yours have learnt to crawl in prayer Before the G.o.d Nebuchadnezzar; come, Leave your city of thirst and your weak G.o.d, And learn good worship even as these have learnt."

_Another_.

I saw them coming in: O horrible!

With broken limbs creeping along the ground--

_Judith_.

Were I a man among you, I would not stay Behind the walls to weep this insolence; I'ld take a sword in my hand and G.o.d in my mind, And seek under the friendship of the night That tent where Holofernes' crimes and hate Sleep in his devilish brain.

_A Citizen_.

There is no night Where Holofernes sleeps, as thou couldst tell.

Didst thou not shut thyself up in thine ease Away from the noise and tears of common woe.

Come to the walls this evening, and I'll show thee The golden place of light, the little world Of triumphing glory framed in midst of the dark, Pillar'd on four great bonfires fed with spice, Enclosing in a globe of flame the tent Wherein the sleepless l.u.s.ts of Holofernes Madden themselves all night, a revel-rout Of naked girls luring him as he lies Filling his blood with wine, the scented air Injur'd marvellously with piping shrills Of lechery made music, and small drums That with a dancing throb drive his swell'd heart Into desires beyond the strength of man.

_Judith_.

And this beast is thine enemy, G.o.d!

_Another Citizen_.

Nor beast, Nor man, but one of those lascivious G.o.ds Our lonely G.o.d detests, Chemosh or Baal Or Peor who goes whoring among women.

_Another_.

And now come down braving in G.o.d's own land, Pitching the glory of his fearful heaven All night among G.o.d's hills.

_Judith_.

You fools, he is A life our G.o.d could snap as a woman snaps Thread of her sewing.

_A Citizen_.

Who shall break him off, Who on the earth, from his huge twisted power?

_Another_.

For in his brain, as in a burning-gla.s.s Wide glow of sun drawn to a pin of fire, Are gathered into incredible fierceness all The rays of the dark heat of heathen strength.

_Another_.

His eyes, they say, can kill a man.

_Another_.

And sure No murder could approach his naming nights.

_Another_.

Unless it came as a woman at whose beauty His l.u.s.t hath never sipt; for into his flesh To drink unknown desirable limbs as wine Torments him still, like a thirst when fever pours A man's life out in drenching sweats.

_Judith_.

Peace, peace; The siege hath given you shameless tongues, and minds No more your own: yea, the foul Ninevite Hath mastered you already, for your thoughts Dwell in his wickedness and marvel at it.

Hate not a thing too much, lest you be drawn Wry from yourselves and close to the thing ye hate.

_A Citizen_.

We know thy wisdom, Judith; but our lives Belong to death; and wisdom to a man Dying, is water in a broken jar.

_Judith_.

Yea, if thou wilt die of a parching mouth.

_A Citizen_.

Thou art rich, and thou hast much cool store of wine.

But the town thirsts, and every beat of our blood Hastens us on to maniac agony.

The a.s.syrians have our wells, and half the tanks Are dry, and the pools shoal with baking mud: The water left to us is pestilent.

And therefore have we asked the governors For death: and it is granted us.

_Another_.

Five days Hath Prince Ozias bidden us endure.

_Another_.

For there are still fools among us who dare trust G.o.d has not made a bargain of our lives.

_Another_.

We are a small people, and our war is weak: Who knows whether our G.o.d doth not desire Armies and great plains full of spears and horses, And cities made of bronze and hewn white stone And scarlet awnings, throng'd with sworded men, To shout his name up from the earth and kill All crying at the gates of other heavens; And hath grown tired of peaceable praise and folk That in a warren of dry mountains dwell, Whose few throats can make little noise in heaven.

_A Young Man_.

For sure G.o.d's love hath wandered to strange nations; His pleasure in the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of Jerusalem Is a delight grown old. Yea, he would change That shepherd-woman of the earthly cities, Whose mind is as the clear light of her hills, Full of the sound of a hundred waters falling; And poureth his desire out, belike, Upon that queen the wealth of the world hath clad, Babylon, for whose golden bed the G.o.ds Wrangle like young men with great gifts and boasts; Whose mind is as a carbuncle of fire, Full of the sound of amazing flames of music.

_Another_.

Yea, what can Israel offer against her, Whom the rich earth out of her mines hath shod, And crowned with emeralds grown in secret rocks, Who on her shoulders wears the gleam of the sea's Purple and pearls, and the flax of Indian ground Is linen on her limbs cool as moonlight, And fells of golden beasts cover her throne; Whose pa.s.sion moves in her thought as in the air Melody moves of flutes and silver horns: What can Jerusalem the hill-city Offer to keep G.o.d's love from Babylon?

_Judith_.

What but the beauty of holiness, and sound Of music made by hearts adoring G.o.d?

You that speak lewdly of G.o.d, you yet shall see Jerusalem treading upon her foes.

But what was that of five days one of you spoke?