me to
thee, and wilt thou yield thyself without fear to the terrible flame of
my love? For thus shalt thou fulfil thyself and me. But give heed before
thou answerest, and know that if thou turnest from me, I will make all
the nations of the earth to tremble with my fury.

JUDITH. Thou art great also in thy loving.

OZIAS. Once thou didst love me.

JUDITH. Nay! I but looked upon thee in kindness. But now I will not go
to thee in marriage.

OZIAS (_half admiring_). Thou art not then afraid of my wrath!

JUDITH. I am Judith.

OZIAS (_with a fresh access of violence_). Thou hungerest for Achior.
Wouldst thou marry a heathen, thou a Hebrew woman?

JUDITH. And thou, if I had not accomplished the will of the Lord, and if
thou hadst been carried to Babylon as thou saidst, wouldst thou not have
denied the Most High and gone after other gods? But Achior believeth in
our God, and this day will be joined into the house of Israel.

OZIAS (_savagely scornful_). What is Achior but a simpleton!

JUDITH. It may be. But I love him and he shall rule me ... for he came
hither for a sign from the Lord.

OZIAS (_savagely resentful_). Oh! If I did not love thee, would I not
undo thee!

JUDITH. Thou! Thou art Ozias, but I am she who cut off the head of a
mightier than thou, even Holofernes in his tent. Go thy ways and fulfil
greatness. As for me I will remain obediently in my house, and truth and
righteousness shall reign in my house.

(_The procession returns, the women bearing the banners of the
Assyrians_. Achior _enters from the house_.)

(Judith _is crowned with olives_.)

JUDITH. And now let the priests and the elders enter with me into my
house, and Achior shall follow them, so that he may be received into
Israel, and I will be betrothed to him with all the ceremonies of the
law, for he came to me as a messenger from God. And when the marriage
has been performed, I will submit myself to him as a wife to her
husband.

HAGGITH. And let Ingur also be received into Israel, for he has repented
of his idolatries. And he shall be my husband, yet shall he not rule me.

OZIAS. Brethren, hearken! This night I go to Jerusalem, for I am called
to higher things, because I have delivered Israel. And I shall not
return to this little city; but ye will have tidings of me in the years
to come, and ye will say proudly to the strangers within your gates: He
was a Bethulian and once he ruled over us.

JUDITH. The lord Ozias is called