urges them that come near to him, to admonish them. (_She
kneels. Following her example, everybody kneels_.) O Lord God of my
father Simeon, the Assyrians are multiplied in their power; they trust
in shield, and spear, and bow, and sling; and know not that thou art the
Lord which breakest battles; the Lord is thy name. Behold their pride,
and send thy wrath upon their heads; give into my hand, which am a
widow, the power that I have conceived. For thy power standeth not in
multitude, nor thy might in strong men. Smite the Assyrians by the
deceit of my lips; break down their stateliness by the hand of a woman.
And make my speech and deceit to be their wound and stripe, who have
purposed cruel things against thy covenant and against the top of Zion.
And make every nation and tribe to acknowledge that thou art the God of
all power, and that there is none other that protecteth the people of
Israel but thou. (_She rises. The crowd murmurs:_ 'Amen.' _All rise._
Judith _comes down from the vantage-point. Silence_.)

OZIAS (_moved_). Open the gates.

JUDITH (_to_ Haggith). Nothing is forgotten?

HAGGITH. Nothing.

(Judith _moves a step towards the gates._)

OZIAS. The soul of my soul goes with you into the valley.

JUDITH (_to_ Haggith, _solemnly_). And the knife?

(Haggith _gives a gesture. At the same moment a woman comes from the
house with a knife, which she hands to_ Haggith, _who hands it to_
Judith, _who takes it ceremoniously, and hides it in her dress. The
gates are now opened, and the distant plain under the setting sun is
seen covered with the tents of the Assyrian army_.)

(Judith _goes slowly through the gates, followed by_ Haggith _carrying
the baggage_.)

VOICES (_as_ Judith _passes_). Water! Water!

OZIAS (_with deep emotion_). Close the gates. Light the watchfires.

(_The gates begin slowly to close. The glow of the watchfires is seen_.)

CURTAIN.

ACT II

SCENE I

_The valley of Jezreel. The city of Bethulia on the hill in the
distance_.

Haggith _with her baggage enters to_ Ingur _and his men_.

TIME: _The next morning but one_.

INGUR. What art thou?

HAGGITH (_prudishly and coldly_). If it please thee, I am a woman.

INGUR. No. Thou art a hedgehog.

HAGGITH (_suddenly cajoling_). I ask pardon. When I saw thy great
handsomeness I grew afraid, and my tongue was stiffened. In my country
there is no man so handsome as thou art.

INGUR. Ah! (_Much mollified_.) And what then i