CHABRIS.  Then I will return to my house and drink again.  No!  I will remain, and my eyes shall regard the women, as of old.

Enter through the gates a procession of women (including Rahel), waving branches.  At the end of the procession come Haggith and Ingur, and finally Judith, with Achior on one hand, and Ozias on the other.  Townspeople and soldiers, garlanded, follow the procession.

BALLET.

OZIAS (to Judith).  O daughter, blessed be thou above all the women of the earth.  Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem and the great glory of Israel, for the Lord hath directed thee to the cutting off of the head of the chief of our enemies, and thou hast revenged our ruin.

VOICES.  So be it.

JUDITH.  Holofernes came out of the mountains from the north, and his horsemen covered the hills; and he bragged that he would burn up the borders of Israel, and kill her young men with the sword, and make the virgins as a spoil.  But the Almighty Lord hath disappointed the Assyrians by the hand of a woman; and my sandals ravished the eye of Holofernes, and my beauty took his mind prisoner, and the knife passed through his neck.  Let all creatures serve the Lord!

VOICES.  So be it!

OZIAS.  Charmis, I appoint you to lead the people to the Temple, where are the banners of the Assyrians which we have captured this day, and each woman shall take a banner, and all shall return to this place before the house of the Lady Judith.

CHARMIS (swollen with pride).  I obey, lord Ozias.

(The procession begins to move away, L.  Haggith displays her importance and bullies Ingur, who accompanies her.)

RAHEL (to Chabris).  What, grandad!  You are abroad once more! (She takes him with her like a disobedient child.)

(Exeunt, processionally, all except Judith, Ozias and Achior.)

OZIAS (to Achior).  Thou goest not with the people?

JUDITH (to Achior).  Stay, I pray you, Achior.

OZIAS (to Judith, with growing excitement).  I wish to speak privily with the lady Judith, now!

JUDITH.  Let us speak here.

OZIAS.  Shall we not go into your house, you and I?

JUDITH.  My house is not ready to receive you, Ozias.

OZIAS.  Let it be so.  But before Achior I will not speak.

JUDITH.  Achior, go into my house, and do honour to my dwelling, and repose in it.

ACHIOR.  Gladly, O lady! (Exit into the house.)

JUDITH.  What is the urgency that oppresses you, Ozias, and why are you troubled in the hour of triumph?

OZIAS (losing control of himself).  Who is the heathen Achior that you should prefer him and make your mouth sweet to him?

JUDITH.  Leave Achior, and let us come at once to the matter that presses.