JOHN BAPTIST.

Lovest thou me ?

SALOME.

Now thou dost mock me! must I say again

Follow the Christ, and come whither I go.

SALOME.

Wilt thou not cease to speak in paradox ?

JOHN BAPTIST.

Yea, I will speak no more; have I not said
Thou shalt not listen to my voice again?

SALOME.

'Twas but the wind of jest, that thou might'st see
How strong were my affections grown to thee.
I leave thee now, but take with me thy words;
For, as thou know'st, King Herod with his lords.
Keepeth a feast, and in the revelry,

Against my will, I must a sharer be.
But on the morrow I will come to tell
Thee of it all, and cheerful make thy cell.
The shadows, trembling, beckon me away:
Jehovah guard thee till the dawn of day.

JOHN BAPTIST.

My daughter, may God's benediction rest
Upon thy soul, and keep thee pure in heart!
Believe, and in thy sorrows thus be blest.
The Christ to thee eternal peace impart !

Exit Salome.

CHORUS, passing in the street.

The sun dismounteth, day expires,
The colour from its full-flushed face
To ash hue paling; veiled fires
In slow procession from their place,
The adytum of the great universe,
Come solemnly and spread a pall,
Deep pall of night, upon dead day,
Then lift their veils to watch.

O'er all

The orient moon assumeth regent sway,
While stars the praises of the lost rehearse,

Mounting the sky to look upon her lord and counting Him present whom afar she seeth and still more brightly mounting.

CHORUS OF SPIRITS, in the air.

As the sun, so the life of the Son for a time shall depart ; As the day in the night, so His body be laid in the tomb; As the moon mounteth up to the skies, so faith riseth to heaven,

To see Him, and shine in His beams, and know that He liveth.

Like the stars, His disciples shall watch through the dark till He cometh,

Then shall lose themselves in, and thenceforth be a part of His brightness.

I.

BANQUETING ROOM IN HEROD'S PALACE.

HEROD and HERODIAS seated on thrones. Lords,
Captains, Courtiers, etc.

FIRST LORD.

THIS is a fair, high day. King Herod meaneth
We shall have cause to wish him many such.
Didst thou come early to the banquet room?

SECOND LORD.

Yea, I came in among the very first.

Full brightly and swiftly hath the revel sped,
And, comet-like, drawn on so fair a train,
So rich a galaxy of pulchritudes
Itself is lost to the eye of contemplation

In its bright tail increasing to the end.
Dull Satisfaction would await no more
Did not its guide and mother, Expectation,
Forever hungering and ne'er content,-
Which it doth follow as a timid child,

But never goeth before, nor long time leaveth,

Foster its appetite to a fever awaiting

A course of beauty never yet imagined,
Reserved for delicate palates till the last.