y words.

Jeremiah vainly endeavours to dissuade him. The prophet is unwilling
that Baruch should share in his dreams and his awesome fate. But Baruch
insists upon joining Jeremiah, and the young man's ardent faith is
superadded to and redoubles that of the prophet.

JEREMIAH. Thou believest in me when I myself scarcely believe in my own
dreams.... Thou hast made my blood flow and hast mingled thy will with
mine.... Thou art the first to believe in me, the first-born of my
faith, the son of my anguish.

The crowd flocks back into the square, uttering cries of delight, for
war has been decided on. Heading a solemn procession, the king appears,
gloomy, with naked sword. Hananiah dances before him, like David.
Jeremiah cries out to the king, "Throw down the sword. Save Jerusalem!
Peace! God's peace!" His words are drowned by the shouting, and he is
pushed aside. But the king has heard. He halts for a moment, looking
round and trying to find the speaker. Then, sword in hand, he marches
forward, and goes up into the temple.

SCENE THREE

RUMOURS.

The war has begun. The crowd is awaiting news. They talk at random,
catching at the words which please them, or shaping utterances which
express their wishes. Longing for victory, they imagine it won. In
masterly fashion, Zweig shows how a vague rumour spreads in the
hallucinated mind of the multitude, to attain in an instant a certainty
surpassing that of truth. Details pass from mouth to mouth; precise
figures of the false victory are given. Jeremiah, the defeatist prophet,
is mocked. The bird of ill-omen is informed that the Chaldeans have been
crushed, and that King Nebuchadnezzar has been slain. Jeremiah, at first
dumb with astonishment, thanks God for having turned to derision his
gloomy forebodings. Then, pricked by the foolish pride of the people,
who become brutishly intoxicated with the victory and have learned
nothing from their trials, he scourges them with new threats.

JEREMIAH. Your joy will be brief.... God will rend it asunder like a
curtain.... Already the messenger is afoot, the bearer of evil tidings,
he is running, he is running; his swift footsteps lead towards
Jerusalem. Already, already, he is at hand, the messenger of fear, the
messenger of terror, already the messenger is at hand.

And lo, the messenger enters, panting for breath. Before he speaks,
Jeremiah trembles with fear.

MESSENGER. The enemy is victorious. The Egyptians have come to ter