三
年轻叙利亚军官︰请您坐下，公主。
希罗底的侍从︰你为什么和她说话？你为什么看着她？噢！不吉祥的事情将要发生了。
莎乐美︰见到月光多么令人舒畅！她就像是一小片金钱，你会以为她是朵小小的银花。月亮冷冽贞洁。我确信她是位处女，她有处女的美丽。是的，她是位处女。她从未受到玷污。她从未像其它的女神那样委身与男人。
施洗者约翰的声音︰主来临了。神的儿子来临了。半人马（centaur）已隐身在河流中，海妖（siren）已离开水底躲藏在森林的树丛中。
莎乐美︰是谁在喊叫？
第二士兵︰是先知，公主。
莎乐美︰啊，先知！他就是陛下所惧怕的人吗？
第二士兵︰我们无从知悉，公主。刚刚那是先知约翰的声音。
年轻叙利亚军官︰您是否愿意，让我吩咐将轿子唤来，公主？夜晚的庭院相当美丽。
莎乐美︰他对我的母亲说过严厉的话，是吗？
第二士兵︰我们不懂他所说的话，公主。
莎乐美︰是的；他对母亲说了严厉的话。
〔一个奴隶上〕
奴隶︰公主殿下，陛下请您回到宴席去。
莎乐美︰我不回去。
年轻叙利亚军官︰请恕我插口，公主，但若您不回去的话，会有不幸的事情发生。
莎乐美︰他是个老人吗，那位先知？
年轻叙利亚军官︰公主，请您最好回去。请容许我引您进入宴会厅。
莎乐美︰那位先知……是个老人吗？
第一士兵︰不，公主，他是个年轻人。
第二士兵︰你无法确定。有人说他是伊莱贾（Elias）。
莎乐美︰谁是伊莱贾？
第二士兵︰是这个国家里，一位相当古老的先知，公主。
奴隶︰我应该用什么话去回答陛下？
施洗者约翰的声音︰你无法承受喜悦呀，巴勒斯坦的土地，因为施打你的棒子已经折断。因为蛇（serpent）的种子将孵化为毒蜥蝎（basilisk），它一出生将会吞没所有的飞鸟。
莎乐美︰多么奇怪的声音！我愿和他说话。
第一士兵︰恕难从命，公主。陛下不愿任何人与他交谈。甚至连最高祭司都不能和他说话。
莎乐美︰我想和他说话。
第一士兵︰那不可能，公主。
莎乐美︰我要和他说话。
年轻叙利亚军官︰是否回到宴席上比较好呢？
莎乐美︰将那先知带过来。
〔奴隶下〕
第一士兵︰我们不敢，公主。
莎乐美〔靠近水牢并向下望去〕︰这底下多么黑暗呀！待在这样的黑暗深坑里一定很可怕！就像是一座坟墓……〔向士兵。〕你们听到我说的话吗？将先知带出来。我要见他。
第二士兵︰公主，我求您不要对我们下这道命令。
莎乐美︰你们敢让我等待！
第一士兵︰公主，我们的生命属于您，但我们无法遵从您的命令。因此，您不应向我们要求。
莎乐美〔向年轻的叙利亚军官〕︰啊！
希罗底的侍从︰噢！到底是怎么回事！我确信将有不幸的事情要发生了。
莎乐美〔靠近年轻叙利亚军官〕︰你会愿意帮我吗，奈拉伯斯（Narraboth）？你会愿意帮我的。我只不过是想要见见这位奇特的先知。大家都提到这个人。我认为陛下十分怕他。而你，甚至是你，也怕着他吗，奈拉伯斯？
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Will you be seated, Princess.
THE PAGE OF HERODIAS
Why do you speak to her? Oh! something terrible will happen. Why do you look at her?
SALOME
How good to see the moon! She is like a little piece of money, a little silver flower. She is cold and chaste. I am sure she is a virgin. She has the beauty of a virgin. Yes, she is a virgin. She has never defiled herself. She has never abandoned herself to men, like the other goddesses.
THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
Behold! the Lord hath come. The Son of Man is at hand. The centaurs have hidden themselves in the rivers, and the nymphs have left the rivers, and are lying beneath the leaves in the forests.
SALOME
Who was that who cried out?
SECOND SOLDIER
The prophet, Princess.
SALOME
Ah, the prophet! He of whom the Tetrarch is afraid?
-12-
SECOND SOLDIER
We know nothing of that, Princess. It was the prophet Iokanaan who cried out.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Is it your pleasure that I bid them bring your litter, Princess? The night is fair in the garden.
SALOME
He says terrible things about my mother, does he not?
SECOND SOLDIER
We never understand what he says, Princess.
SALOME
Yes; he says terrible things about her.
[Enter a Slave.]
THE SLAVE
Princess, the Tetrarch prays you to return to the feast.
SALOME
I will not return.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Pardon me, Princess, but if you return not some misfortune may happen.
SALOME
Is he an old man, this prophet?
-13-
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Princess, it were better to return. Suffer me to lead you in.
SALOME
This prophet . . . is he an old man?
FIRST SOLDIER
No, Princess, he is quite young.
SECOND SOLDIER
One cannot be sure. There are those who say that he is Elias.
SALOME
Who is Elias?
SECOND SOLDIER
A prophet of this country in bygone days, Princess.
THE SLAVE
What answer may I give the Tetrarch from the Princess?
THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
Rejoice not, O land of Palestine, because the rod of him who smote thee is broken. For from the seed of the serpent shall come a basilisk, and that which is born of it shall devour the birds.
-14-
SALOME
What a strange voice! I would speak with him.
FIRST SOLDIER
I fear it may not be, Princess. The Tetrarch does not suffer any one to speak with him. He has even forbidden the high priest to speak with him.
SALOME
I desire to speak with him.
FIRST SOLDIER
It is impossible, Princess.
SALOME
I will speak with him.
THE YOUNG SYRIAN
Would it not be better to return to the banquet?
SALOME
Bring forth this prophet.
[Exit the Slave.]
FIRST SOLDIER
We dare not, Princess.
SALOME
[Approaching the cistern and looking down into
-15-
it.]
How black it is, down there! It must be terrible to be in so black a hole! It is like a tomb . . . . [To the soldiers.]
Did you not hear me? Bring out the prophet. I would look on him.
SECOND SOLDIER
Princess, I beg you, do not require this of us.
SALOME
You are making me wait upon your pleasure.
FIRST SOLDIER
Princess, our lives belong to you, but we cannot do what you have asked of us. And indeed, it is not of us that you should ask this thing.
SALOME
[Looking at the young Syrian.]
Ah!
THE PAGE OF HERODIAS
Oh! what is going to happen? I am sure that something terrible will happen.
SALOME
[Going up to the young Syrian.]
Thou wilt do this thing for me, wilt. thou not, Narraboth? Thou wilt do this thing for me. I have ever been kind towards thee. Thou wilt do it for me. I would but look at him, this strange prophet. Men have talked so much of him. Often I have heard the Tetrarch talk of him. I think he is afraid of him, the Tetrarch. Art thou, even thou, also afraid of him, Narraboth?