Oscar Wilde: The Complete Works. Knowledge house
a humour to-night. It is not your custom. But it is late. Let us go within. Do not forget that we hunt at sunrise. All honours must be shown to Cæsar’s ambassadors, must they not?
second soldier
What a sombre look the Tetrarch wears.
first soldier
Yes, he wears a sombre look.
herod
Salomé, Salomé, dance for me. I pray thee dance for me. I am sad to-night. Yes; I am passing sad to-night. When I came hither I slipped in blood, which is an evil omen; and I heard, I am sure I heard in the air a beating of wings, a beating of giant wings. I cannot tell what they mean … I am sad to-night. Therefore dance for me. Dance for me, Salomé, I beseech you. If you dance for me you may ask of me what you will, and I will give it you, even unto the half of my kingdom.
·49· salomé
[Rising.] Will you indeed give me whatsoever I shall ask, Tetrarch?
herodias
Do not dance, my daughter.
herod
Everything, even the half of my kingdom.
salomé
You swear it, Tetrarch?
herod
I swear it, Salomé.
herodias
Do not dance, my daughter.
salomé
By what will you swear, Tetrarch?
herod
By my life, by my crown, by my gods. Whatsoever you desire I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom, if you will but dance for me. O, Salomé, Salomé, dance for me!
salomé
You have sworn, Tetrarch.
herod
I have sworn, Salomé.
·50· salomé
All this I ask, even the half of your kingdom.
herodias
My daughter, do not dance.
herod
Even to the half of my kingdom. Thou wilt be passing fair as a queen, Salomé, if it please thee to ask for the half of my kingdom. Will she not be fair as a queen? Ah! it is cold here! There is an icy wind, and I hear … wherefore do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! one might fancy a bird, a huge black bird that hovers over the terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird? The beat of its wings is terrible. The breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind. Nay, but it is not cold, it is hot. I am choking. Pour water on my hands. Give me snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. Quick! quick! loosen my mantle. Nay, but leave it. It is my garland that hurts me, my garland of roses. The flowers are like fire. They have burned my forehead. [He tears the wreath from his head and throws it on the table.] Ah! I can breathe now. How red those petals are! They are like stains of blood on the cloth. That does not matter. You must not find symbols in everything you see. It makes life impossible. It were better to say that stains of blood are as lovely as rose petals. It were better far to say that…. But we will not speak of this. Now I am happy, ·51· I am passing happy. Have I not the right to be happy? Your daughter is going to dance for me. Will you not dance for me, Salomé? You have promised to dance for me.
herodias
I will not have her dance.
salomé
I will dance for you, Tetrarch.
herod
You hear what your daughter says. She is going to dance for me. You do well to dance for me, Salomé. And when you have danced for me, forget not to ask of me whatsoever you wish. Whatsoever you wish I will give it you, even to the half of my kingdom. I have sworn it, have I not?
salomé
You have sworn it, Tetrarch.
herod
And I have never broken my word. I am not of those who break their oaths. I know not how to lie. I am the slave of my word, and my word is the word of a king. The King of Cappadocia always lies, but he is no true king. He is a coward. Also he owes me money that he will not repay. He has even insulted my ambassadors. He has spoken words that were wounding. ·52· But Cæsar will crucify him when he comes to Rome. I am sure that Cæsar will crucify him. And if not, yet will he die, being eaten of worms. The prophet has prophesied it. Well! wherefore dost thou tarry, Salomé?
salomé
I am awaiting until my slaves bring perfumes to me and the seven veils, and take off my sandals.
[Slaves bring perfumes and the seven veils, and take off the sandals of Salomé.]
herod
Ah, you are going to dance with naked feet. ’Tis well! ’Tis well. Your little feet will be like white doves. They will be like little white flowers that dance upon the trees…. No, no, she is going to dance on blood. There is blood spilt on the ground. She must not dance on blood. It were an evil omen.
herodias
What is it to you if she dance on blood? Thou hast waded deep enough therein….
herod
What is it to me? Ah! look at the moon! She has become red. She has become red as blood. Ah! the prophet prophesied truly. He prophesied that the moon would become red as blood. Did he not prophesy it? All of you heard him. And now the moon has become red as blood. Do ye not see it?
·53· herodias
Oh, yes, I see it well, and the stars are falling like ripe figs, are they not? and the sun is becoming black like sackcloth of hair, and the kings of the earth are afraid. That at least one can see. The prophet, for once in his life, was right, the kings of the earth are afraid…. Let us go within. You are sick. They will say at Rome that you are mad. Let us go within, I tell you.
the voice of jokanaan
Who is this who cometh from Edom, who is this who cometh from Bozra, whose raiment is dyed with purple, who shineth in the beauty of his garments, who walketh mighty in his greatness? Wherefore is thy raiment stained with scarlet?
herodias
Let us go within. The voice of that man maddens me. I will not have my daughter dance while he is continually crying out. I will not have her dance while you look at her in this fashion. In a word, I will not have her dance.
herod
Do not rise, my wife, my queen, it will avail thee nothing. I will not go within till she hath danced. Dance, Salomé, dance for me.
·54· herodias
Do not dance, my daughter [E: daughter.]
salomé
I am ready, Tetrarch.
[Salomé dances the dance of the seven veils.]
herod
Ah! wonderful! wonderful! You see that she has danced for me, your daughter. Come near, Salomé, come near, that I may give you your reward. Ah! I pay the dancers well. I will pay thee royally. I will give thee whatsoever thy soul desireth. What wouldst thou have? Speak.
salomé
[Kneeling]. I would that they presently bring me in a silver charger …
herod
[Laughing]. In a silver charger? Surely yes, in a silver charger. She is charming, is she not? What is it you would have in a silver charger, O sweet and fair Salomé, you who are fairer than all the daughters of Judæa? What would you have them bring thee in a silver charger? Tell me. Whatsoever