OZIAS.  Oh!  I will not speak smoothly for a pretence!  Thou knowest that my jealousy smokes against Achior.  Yea, and against Holofernes also.

JUDITH.  But Holofernes is dead.

OZIAS.  Before he went down to his place, didst thou not sin with him?

JUDITH.  As the Lord liveth, my countenance deceived him to his destruction, yet did he not shame me.

OZIAS.  Blessed be our God!

JUDITH.  But how does this matter touch thee, and what is my virtue in thy regard?

OZIAS.  Let Holofernes suffice thee, and drive not me also to death with the softness of thy voice.  Art thou not aware that the soul of my soul burns for thee and will not wait—­the more so since thou hast done a mighty deed and art proved a woman beyond all women?

JUDITH.  Nay!  I have done naught; but the Lord hath saved Israel by thy hand.

OZIAS.  What is this humbleness?

JUDITH.  AS I came towards the city with Achior, the messenger from Jerusalem met us in the way, and he was full to bursting of the word of Ozias, and that Ozias had delivered Israel, and that what I did I did by thy device and at thy command.  But the messenger in speaking knew not that he spoke to Judith, and I let him go.

OZIAS.  Judith——­

JUDITH.  Yet it seems to me that thou wast ignorant of all that which I went out to do, and my plan was hidden from thee.

OZIAS (powerfully persuasive).  Hearken to me, Judith.  I swear it was for thee that I boasted.  My aim was that thy mighty deed should gain preferment in Jerusalem.  But thou art a woman and therefore preferment is not for thee.  Yet now by reason of my boasting I shall be greatly advanced and lifted up, and in all Judea there will be none higher than me, and thus wilt thou also be advanced and lifted up.

JUDITH.  I desire no preferment.

OZIAS.  But I would have it in thy behalf; and my appetite is double.  I rage for glory and dominion, and I rage also for thee.  And I will offer thee glory and dominion, for I seek these things as a gift to thy beauty.  And if I cannot lay them on thy lap my heel shall spurn mankind and I will tread it to dust.  My desires are terrible; they will not be withstood; they consume me daily, but daily I am renewed.  I am on fire, but by the fierceness of the fire I am strengthened.  I was conceived for greatness and my mother bore me for mastery, and the huge earth shall shake with the terror of my commands....  And I am held between thy fingers.

JUDITH.  I deny not thy greatness.

OZIAS.  Surely thou canst not.  For thou too art great.  And my greatness yearns to thine.

JUDITH.  Wilt thou listen?

OZIAS.  I hear.

JUDITH.  With this greatness of thine goes deceit and laxity of mind.

OZIAS.  Yet when thou didst thy mighty deed didst thou not deceive cruelly?

JUDITH.  I deceived not for myself, but for Israel; and my guile was for the glory of God.  But thy heart is set only upon advancement and power, which is corruption.