ACT II
[AHASUERUS _on his couch_.]
AHASUERUS.
What is the time? I hear the water drip Telling the time; and all the Court is still, Still as the midnight; not a footstep stirs Save the slow sentry on the palace wall. No glow of light is in the eastern heaven; The barren, dwindled moon her ruddy horn Heaves o’er the tree-tops; it is midnight, sure. I see Orion falling, and the Dog Bright at his heels. Deep midnight. Not a sound Save the most patient mouse that gnaws the wainscot.
[_He rises and walks._]
O weary Time, I cannot sleep to-night. All still, all sleep, save only I the King. And that great city at the palace foot Lies sleeping; yet a strange fear troubles me That some there do not sleep, but prepare evil; Evil against myself, against the King. Those foreigners whom Haman told me of, The Jews, who are to die, as Haman urged. Excellent Haman, guardian of my throne. It may be that this warning comes too late. What if those Jews be coming even now By the black alleys of that sleeping city Into my palace, up the guarded stairs From floor to floor, along the corridors, Stealthily, with masked eyes, with bated breath, On tiptoe to the threshold of my room. That captain of my guard has eyed me strangely These two nights now; he had an evil look. He smiled, but still, his eyes they did not smile. Where is my sword? It’s here. Look at that door. It moved. Was that the wind? Who stands without? I see you standing there. Come in there, you. Who is it?
GUARD [_Off_].
The great King’s guard is here. God save the King! And may he live for ever!
AHASUERUS.
Give me a cup of drink. I thirst. I thank you. You men were sleeping when I called for you. Sing, that I know you watching till I sleep.
[_The_ SOLDIERS _hum and sing together_. AHASUERUS _settles to his sleep again_. _He rouses up and walks again._]
There is a something evil in this room; I seem to give it power by lying down. It is as though the dark were full of souls That wait till I am helpless and then come Out of the corners, out of the air itself, About my body; but, being up, they fly. See, there is nothing here. I pass my hand--
[_He goes round feeling the walls._]
Here, here, and here. I do not like that corner: Is the thing there? The shadow on the wall Is like the black head of an African Thrown back in mockery, and it seems to move-- To move a little forward. It is but shadow. Yes, you are only shadow on the wall, Not what you thought. And yet I know this room Is living with the spirits of evil things; Spirits of evil things that I have done. It is so difficult to be a King, To wear the crown and to be ringed with death; To order “Thus,” with little time to think, No time to know, but to be just, far-seeing, Wise, generous, strict and yet most merciful, As though one knew. Now one by one they come, Those plotters who defied me, whom I killed, Crucified, burned, impaled, or tore with horses, Men who with white lips cursed me, going to death.
[_He turns._]
Yes, you pale ghosts, I mastered you in life, And will in death. I hold an Empire up, A thing that IS; no glimmering dream of boys Or what might be, but will not till men change; No phantom Paradise of vengeance glutted By poor men upon rich men, but a world Rising and doing its work and lying down Because my fierceness keeps the wolves at bay. And yet, those Jews, even at my palace door, So Haman said, have had my death contrived. What if that captain be in league with them? Guard! Is Hydaspes there?
GUARD.
He is here, great King. Hydaspes, the King calls.
[HYDASPES _enters_.]
HYDASPES.
Lord! Do you call?
AHASUERUS.
Come in. Let fall the hanging. Come you there Into the moonlight, that I see your face.
[HYDASPES _comes down Left_.]
Let me be sure that no one crawls behind you. Hold out your hands, so; let me see the fingers. Stay there. No nearer. You have travelled far?
HYDASPES.
I have been far, among the Indian lands.
AHASUERUS.
And saw strange peoples?
HYDASPES.
Some.
AHASUERUS.
Which were the strangest?
HYDASPES.
Those of Tibet, who made their pence of gold, And reckoned costly things by cups of water.
AHASUERUS.
What next seemed strange to you?
HYDASPES.
The Tartar horsemen Who live on cheese of mare’s milk and go on For ever over never-ending grass, And have no home except the black felt tent And the great plain and the great sky and silence.
AHASUERUS.
A good life, that, for men. Who, next to those?
HYDASPES.
The race of Sittras by the sacred river; They are all men, grown grey; no women there. They have put by their wives and families, Their crowns, their swords, their households and their cares, And seek for wisdom there, until they die.
AHASUERUS.
Do they find wisdom?
HYDASPES.
No, but they find peace.
AHASUERUS.
Do they, by Heaven; as a dead man does. Wisdom is life upon the tickle edge, Not the blind staring of the stupefied At nothing out of nothing. I envy you For travelling thus and seeing all these things, Which I shall only hear of. Tell me now, When you were wandering, did you meet the Jews?
HYDASPES.
No, never, Lord.
AHASUERUS.
Nor heard about their race?
HYDASPES.
Not in the East.
AHASUERUS.
But in the West you have?
HYDASPES.
Yes, here at home.
AHASUERUS.
What have you heard?
HYDASPES.
That they are heathen men, Brought from beyond the desert in the wars; Not desert savages, nor civilised, But enemies of both.
AHASUERUS.
Who told you this?
HYDASPES.
Prince Haman told me.
AHASUERUS.
They are now condemned; They have been plotting here. You do not know Any of their rebellious stock, by chance?
HYDASPES.
No, Lord, not one.
AHASUERUS.
Go to that door, Hydaspes. Is someone listening to us, as we speak?
HYDASPES [_Going to door_].
No, Lord; the guard is at the door beyond.
AHASUERUS.
Come nearer me. That captain of the guard, Is he a Jew?
HYDASPES.
No, Lord, a Persian, surely, Pordánatha, from lovely Arisai, The city white like snow; Persian as you.
AHASUERUS.
Thank you, Hydaspes. These times are dangerous. Go now from here, See the guards doubled at Queen Esther’s doors. These Jews are secret like that desert tribe Whom none has seen, who walk the moonless night And strike men dead, and go, and leave no trace Save the dead body.
HYDASPES.
I will place the guards Myself, great King.
[_Exit_ HYDASPES.]
AHASUERUS.
Esther, the Queen, not yet a trusted Queen. Not lightly can an Emperor put his trust In man or woman. She is proud, and pride Is slow to give or take in confidence. How the Queen Vashti comes into my mind! She disobeyed my order at the feast, So she is put away, and lives in exile. How little quiet have I known since then! Plot, plot and counter-plot, and none to comfort, Nor to advise, as Vashti used to do. Was it a plot that made her disobey? I sent Prince Memucan to bring her to me: He brought back word that she refused to come. How if Prince Memucan were lying to me? Misquoting what she said, to make me rage And put her from her place beside my throne? For since she went, Prince Memucan has been About me day and night, and grows in power. Who are the comrades of Prince Memucan? Meres, Adathan; but his chiefest friend Is Haman, my most trusted councillor. Haman, my friend, to whom I love to give Princedoms and palaces and silver mines. And yet, what if the two conspired together To rid me of the Queen, that they might rule me? I will send Memucan beyond the seas Upon some dangerous mission of great honour: He shall away to-morrow in all haste. But Haman I can trust.
[_He tries to compose himself to sleep._]
Princedoms, and palaces, and silver mines, Pomps, glories, splendours, princedoms, palaces-- Vashti the Queen, and enemies, and princedoms-- A long, long life, and heavy hours of time!
[_He sleeps. A clink of metal to mark passage of time._]
AHASUERUS [_Starting up_].
It was not I, It was the slave Harbonah poisoned him, Not I. I was not there. I never knew. Horrible white face with the blotch of death; Harbonah gave it in the honey cake-- The honey cake, I never gave it you. I was not at the feast, it is well known I was most sick that night.
[_He wakes._]
Merach! Merach! begone! It was not Merach, But someone at the footing of the bed. Someone, a Jew, with bones instead of face And blood that dripped.
[_He gropes at foot of bed. He rises._]
O blessed night, so full of peace, so calm, After that horror. Ah! I know it now, What the Chaldean told me long ago, That I should know no quiet rest at night, Being a King, unless I ate of bread Baked in a house where sorrow never came. O blessed bread, would I could eat of thee!
[_Goes Back._]
Guards! are the gates secure?
GUARDS [_Off_].
God save the King! The King’s gates are made sure, and the gates’ keys Here, under guard. May the King live for ever!
AHASUERUS.
The sentries on the walls; do they report All quiet in the city?
GUARD.
All, great King.
AHASUERUS.
No armed men moving, no suspicious thing?
GUARD.
Nothing, O Son of Heaven, but silent darkness, And here and there a priest of the great sun Praying long life and blessing on our Monarch.
AHASUERUS.
Long life, long misery! It is within this room the horror is-- That thing, that Jew, that thing out of the grave. No, nothing, nothing! I can see there’s nothing. So--I will sleep. I will repeat that song Made long ago by one who could not sleep, To help his fellow-sufferers.
[_Repeats._]
_Along the beach a wave comes slowly in, And breaks, and dies away, and dies away_; The moon is dimmed and all the ropes are taut.
_Along the beach a wave comes slowly in, And breaks and dies away, and dies away_, It is no season, sailor, to quit port.
_Along_--etc.
[_He sleeps._] [_Enter_ GHOST OF THARES. _The_ GHOST _comes behind_ AHASUERUS _and across stage. It stands still and hinnies like a snipe._]
AHASUERUS [_In his sleep_].
O no! Spare me! Spare me! Loose me my hands. O they have tied my feet! I cannot get from bed, and now they come. Merciful Gods! my thigh-bones are both broken. I cannot stir. Who is it gibbering there? Who are you? Who?
THARES [_In a disguised, piping voice_].
The shadow of what I was, Come for your blood.
AHASUERUS.
I’ll give you gold--my kingdom-- But let me go!
THARES [_Creeping slowly across, hands out_].
I cannot, Ahasuerus, I want your life, the soul out of your body. See, I come nearer and a little nearer, A little nearer still, and put out hands-- Lean, skinny hands, that used to serve your food, Thin hands to put your powerless hands aside And take you by the throat as now I do, And squeeze, and squeeze the life out of your flesh!
[_He begins to strangle_ AHASUERUS.]
AHASUERUS [_With effort_].
Ah, gods! He kills me! Kills me! Out, O gods! Hydaspes! Help! Hydaspes! Guards! Hydaspes!
[_Exit_ THARES, _L._]
HYDASPES [_R._].
Lord!
AHASUERUS.
The villain strangled me. It was a dream. A dreadful dream! And yet I knew his face. Who was the man? One who made plots against me, And died, from torture, as a due reward. Who was the man? Go, bring the records here, The wise Chaldeans and the record-writers, And let them read the records, for I know The man’s name will be there.
[_Exit_ HYDASPES.]
It was his spirit. An evil thing, a harbinger of evil, A plotter coming as the vulture comes Before the corpse. But the Chaldean scribes Will know his name, and by their magicry Tell me what evil comes. Thares it was-- Thares, the man was, who was put to death For plotting with the other, Bigdana.
[_Goes Back._]
Let pass the wise Chaldeans when they come.
THE GUARD [_Off_].
God save the King! May the King live for ever!
CURTAIN.
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