HOLOFERNES.  Thou art bold.

JUDITH.  The word of Achior is true.  For the Israelites shall not be punished, and the sword shall not prevail against them, except they sin against their God.

HOLOFERNES.  Not even my sword?

JUDITH.  Not even the sword of my lord and governor, except they sin against their God. (With significance.) But they will sin.

HOLOFERNES.  Ah!  They will sin?  In what will they sin?

JUDITH.  Death is fallen upon them, and they will provoke their God to anger, for their water is scant, and they faint in their thirst; and they will drink the holy wine which was sanctified and reserved for the priests who serve before the face of our God:  which thing is not lawful for any of the people so much as to touch with their hands.

HOLOFERNES.  What has all this to do with me?  There is no god but
Nebuchadnezzar.

JUDITH.  It touches my lord and governor, because, knowing all this, I am fled from Bethulia, which shall be accurst; and the God of Israel has sent me to work things with my lord and governor whereat the whole earth shall be astonished.

HOLOFERNES (looking at her, interested).  What things?  And what have I to do with thy god?  I need not thy god, for after the Israelites have drunk their wine they will thirst again; and when the city is broken with fainting, it will fall safe into my hands while I sit and watch.

JUDITH (with fire).  And when the city has fallen while the Assyrians sit and watch, and when all men whisper one to another that the greatest captain of the earth conquered by a device because he dared not attack boldly with spear, and bow, and sling—­in that day will my lord and governor be content?  Or will he be ashamed, and blush to lift up his eyes?

HOLOFERNES (disturbed).  It is a true word.

BAGOAS.  It is a true word.

HOLOFERNES (savagely).  This day will I attack the city and take it, and though I make fifty thousand widows and orphans in Assyria I will compass Bethulia, and not one house in it shall be left standing, nor one Israelite alive.

JUDITH (shaking her head slowly).  Why is my lord against the pleasure of the Most High?  Do I not say, and has it not been revealed to me, that Bethulia shall not perish until its inhabitants have sinned before God?  Listen, illustrious Prince, I will remain this night.  And when the time comes I will go into the valley, and I will pray to God, and mayhap He will tell me when the Israelites in Bethulia have committed their sin.  And I will come and show it to you, and thereupon my lord and governor shall go forth with all his army, and none shall resist him.

HOLOFERNES (fascinated).  Thou wilt come to me when the time is at hand for my triumph!

JUDITH.  And hearken further!  I will lead my lord and governor in the midst of Judea, until he comes to Jerusalem; and I will set his throne in the midst of Jerusalem, and a dog shall not so much as open his mouth at my lord and prince.  For these things were declared unto me from on high, and I am sent to tell them.