he
should remain in the city to prepare for her a welcome. (_She points to
the gates and_ Achior _gladly moves forward. She takes_ Ingur _by the
ear_.) Bestir thy legs, booby!

OZIAS. The subtlety of women is past knowing.

HAGGITH (_at the gates, maliciously_). It may be. But would the lord
Ozias invite the displeasure of my mistress? It is day. Let my lord sit
in the sun.

CURTAIN.

SCENE II

SCENE: _The same_.

Charmis _is alone at the open gates. Glimpses are caught of the people
beyond the gates_.

TIME: _Afternoon of the same day_.

CHABRIS (_entering to_ Charmis, _at the gates_). They say there is now
much water in Bethulia.

CHARMIS. Seeing that I have toiled mightily seven hours this day in
charge of six score crazy carriers to carry water up from the wells!
Would that Ozias had granted me a whip to sharpen their brains! And now
Ozias hath left me in charge of the gates.

CHABRIS. Where is Ozias, and what does he do?

CHARMIS. He stands here beyond the gates to receive Judith and the women
who have gone forth to meet her.

CHABRIS. What is the deed of Judith? (_The noise of an approaching
procession is heard_. Charmis, _ignoring_ Chabris, _goes a little
outside the gates to watch._ Chabris _continues in a louder voice_.) The
streets of the city are empty. I say the streets of the city are empty.

CHARMIS. Dodderer! The whole city is afoot on the hill-side, and all the
Assyrians left alive are fled in panic into the East.

CHABRIS. Then I will return to my house and drink again. No! I will
remain, and my eyes shall regard the women, as of old.

_Enter through the gates a procession of women (including_ Rahel),
_waving branches. At the end of the procession come_ Haggith _and_
Ingur, _and finally_ Judith, _with_ Achior _on one hand, and_ Ozias _on
the other. Townspeople and soldiers, garlanded, follow the procession_.

BALLET.

OZIAS (_to_ Judith). O daughter, blessed be thou above all the women of
the earth. Thou art the exaltation of Jerusalem and the great glory of
Israel, for the Lord hath directed thee to the cutting off of the head
of the chief of our enemies, and thou hast revenged our ruin.

VOICES. So be it.

JUDITH. Holofernes came out of the mountains from the north, and his
horsemen covered the hills; and he bragged that he would burn up the
borders of Israel, and kill her young men with the sword, and make the
virgins as a spoil. But the Almighty Lord hath disap