May the Lord bless thee!

_Esther:_ Farewell to thee, Mordecai!

[MORDECAI _goes out. Other maidens come in announced by the messenger._]

_Messenger:_ These maidens would see the King.

[_The servants show them where to sit. Enter second messenger._]

_Second Messenger:_ The King! The King!

[_Enter_ KING _and_ HAMAN. KING _sits on his throne._]

Second Servant [_bowing before the_ KING]: O King, the maidens from all parts of the country have arrived and await thy pleasure.

_King:_ Let them come before my presence one at a time, and I will choose from among them the one that seemeth most fair.

[_The musicians begin playing and, one by one, the maidens come out. They bow and dance._ ESTHER _comes last of all. As_ ESTHER _dances the_ KING _speaks._]

_King:_ What marvelous beauty! Surely this maiden is fair enough to be my Queen.

_Haman:_ Yea, O King, thou art right; she should be thy Queen.

_King_ [_takes_ ESTHER'S _hand_]: What is thy name, fair maid?

_Esther:_ My name is Esther, O King.

_King:_ Esther, I do here take thee to be my Queen. Bring the royal crown and the Queen's robes!

[_Servants come immediately and put them on her._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 4.--Esther dances before the king]

_King_ [_leading_ ESTHER _out_]: Come unto the wedding feast which is now prepared. All are welcome!

SCENE III

PLACE: The palace gate.

CHARACTERS: Haman, Mordecai, Servants, Esther.

[_Servants are standing and walking by the gate. Women come by carrying water jars._ MORDECAI _stands apart from the crowd._ HERALD _comes in._]

_Herald:_ Bow the knee, bow the knee. The chief counselor, Haman, approacheth! Thus saith the King.

[HAMAN _comes in. All bow to him except_ MORDECAI.]

_Haman_ [_pointing to_ MORDECAI]: Who is this man who doth not bow the knee to me?

_First Servant:_ He is Mordecai, the Jew, my lord. [_To_ MORDECAI]: Why dost thou break the King's commandment?

_Haman:_ Thou Jew! Dost thou think that thou art mightier than I, whom the King hath set above all the princes of the land? Thou shalt suffer for this. [_Turns to servant._] Send letters unto all the King's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day--even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, and to take the spoil of them for prey.

[_Servant bows and goes away._ HAMAN _pa.s.ses on, leaving_ MORDECAI _with two servants._ MORDECAI, _in deep thought, walks anxiously up and down._]

_Mordecai:_ I must see Queen Esther. Canst thou not take me to the Queen?

_Second Servant_ [_laughing scornfully_]: Thinkest thou that the Queen will see thee?

_Mordecai:_ Give the Queen this paper and say to her that I, Mordecai, the Jew, bid her come to me.

[_Servant withdraws._]

_Mordecai_ [_walking, talks to himself_]: Israel, O Israel, my people! You shall not perish. Esther, your Queen, will save you.

[_Enter_ ESTHER.]

_Esther:_ Mordecai, my uncle, why art thou here? Thou lookest unhappy. Hath aught happened to thee?

_Mordecai:_ Yea, Esther, I am unhappy. I have sorrowful news to tell thee.

_Esther:_ Chamberlains, withdraw! Speak, Mordecai; tell me quickly. It may be that I can help thee.

_Mordecai:_ Esther, thou canst help me, and thou art the only one who can. Haman, the King's counselor, hateth the Jews--thy people and mine. He hath sent a decree over all the country commanding that every Jew, both old and young, little children and women, be killed on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month. Esther, thou must save thy people and thyself? Thou must go before the King and beg of him that he spare thy people.

[ESTHER _shows great distress._]

_Esther:_ Oh, what shall I do? Dost thou not know that for one who dareth to go before the presence of the King, if the King hath not called him, there is certain death; except to whom the King shall hold out the golden scepter--he may live? I have not been called to come in unto the King these thirty days. He will surely put me to death for such boldness.

_Mordecai:_ Thou must go unto the King even so. Think not that thou wilt escape death from Haman because thou art in the King's house. Who knoweth but that thou hast been made Queen for such a time as this!

_Esther_ [_after thinking deeply_]: Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day, I also and my maidens will fast likewise--and so I will go in unto the King, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish.

_Mordecai:_ May the Lord go with thee!

SCENE IV

PLACE: In the court of the King's palace.

CHARACTERS: King Ahasuerus, Esther, Haman, Courtiers, Servants.

[_The King sits on his throne._ QUEEN ESTHER _enters and bows before the_ KING. _The_ KING _looks at her in astonishment._]

_Courtiers_ [_in loud whispers_]: The Queen! It is the Queen!

_King:_ Esther, hast thou dared to come before my presence when I have not called thee? Thou surely dost not know what thou art doing! This act of boldness can mean thy death! But thou art so beautiful, Esther, I cannot be hard with thee.

Rise! [_He holds out the golden scepter._] What is the request that has brought thee here? It shall be given thee, even though it be half of my kingdom.