希律王︰即使是我王國的一半。妳將會獲得超越王后的榮耀，莎樂美，如果妳真的要求我王國的一半。她不是個卓越的王后嗎？啊！這兒好冷！有股冷例的風吹來，我又聽到……為何我聽到空中有振翅的聲響？啊！像是一隻鳥，一隻巨大的黑色鵬鳥在宮廷上徘徊盤旋。為什麼我見不到那隻鳥？振翅的聲音多麼可怕。鼓風的氣息多麼可怕。一股寒風。不，那不冷，而是熱氣。我快窒息了。將水倒在我的掌上。我要一飲冰冷的白雪。解開我的外披風。快點！快點！解開我的披風。不，先別忙。是我頭上的花環刺痛了我，我的玫瑰花環。花朵就火一般地燃燒。它們燙了我的額頭。 〔他將花冠扯碎並擲向桌子。 〕啊！我可以喘口氣了。這些花瓣多麼鮮紅！它們就像衣服上的紅色血跡。不打緊。你無法在所見的事物上找到任何象徵。那樣的生命太辛苦了。最好是說，這些鮮紅的血跡就如同玫瑰花瓣一般可愛。這樣的說法令人感到舒暢多了……但我們不要談論這件事。我現在感到快樂，我太高興了。我無權享受快樂嗎？妳的女兒要為我跳舞。妳願意為我跳舞嗎，莎樂美？妳承諾要為我跳舞。
希羅底︰我不要她為你跳舞。
莎樂美︰我會為您跳舞，陛下。
希律王︰妳聽到妳女兒怎麼說了。妳要為我跳舞。妳真的要為我跳舞，莎樂美。當妳為我跳舞時，別忘了向我提出妳的要求。無論妳要什麼，我都會給妳，就算是我王國的一半。我已經立誓，不是嗎？
莎樂美︰您已經立誓，陛下。
希律王︰我從未違反我的諾言。我並非那種背棄誓約的人。我不知如何撒謊。我是我誓言的奴隸，我說的話是話中之王。卡帕多西亞國王一生都在撒謊，但他不是真正的王。他是個懦夫。並且他還虧欠我未償還的債金。他甚至侮辱我派去的使者。他的話語處處創傷對方。但西澤會將他釘在十字架上，只要他一到羅馬去。我確定西澤會向他施以釘刑。要不然，他還是該死，受萬蟲穿咬而死。先知已經預言過了。好吧，妳還在等什麼，莎樂美？
莎樂美︰我等我的奴隸帶來香水與七層紗，我要脫下我的鞋。
〔奴隸帶來香水與七層紗，並幫莎樂美除掉鞋子。 〕
希律王︰啊，妳要赤腳跳舞。太好了！太好了。妳纖細的雙腳就像一對純白的鴿子。它們就像樹上兩朵翩然起舞的白花……不，不，她要在血上跳舞。地上染滿了鮮血。她不該在血泊上跳舞。太不吉祥了。
希羅底︰她在血泊上跳舞又有何妨？你剛剛已經那上頭走過。
希律王︰我有嗎？啊！看那月亮！她變得赤紅。她赤紅如血。啊！先知的預言實現了。他預言月亮會變成血紅。他是不是如此說過？你們都聽見了。現在月亮紅得跟血一樣。你們看見了嗎？
希羅底︰噢，是呀，我看得很清楚，而天上的眾星就像成熟的無花果掉落大地，不是嗎？還有太陽就像是深黑的麻布袋，地上的諸王將恐懼莫名。至少我們看到一件事情成立。那所謂的先知，他在這輩子裡總算說對了一件，地上的國王將恐懼莫名……我們進去吧。你病了。如果在羅馬，他們會說你瘋了。我再次告訴你，我們進去吧。
約翰的聲音︰是誰自以東而來，是誰自波次拉(Bozra)而來？誰的衣服染成紫色，誰用他的華麗衣裳炫耀，誰志得意滿地睥睨旁人？為何你的外衣沾染著猩紅血跡？
希羅底︰我們進去吧。聽這個人的聲音令我瘋狂。我不願意我的女兒，在這種不斷咆叫的環境下跳舞。我不願意她在你這種目光注視之下跳舞。簡單地說一句，我不讓她跳舞。
希律王︰不要忙著站起來，我的妻子，我的王后，這對妳毫無益處。除非讓她跳完，我不會讓妳進去裡頭。跳吧，莎樂美，為我跳舞。
希羅底︰不要跳，我的女兒。
莎樂美︰我準備好了，陛下。
〔莎樂美跳著七層紗之舞。 〕
希律王︰啊！太美了！太美了！妳看她為我跳舞，妳的女兒。過來這兒，莎樂美，過來，我會給妳任何希望的賞賜。啊！我對舞者的賞賜豐厚。我要重重地賞賜妳。我會給妳任何想要的東西。妳想要什麼？說吧。
莎樂美〔下跪〕︰我希望現在能給我一個銀製的盤子，裡頭裝著……
希律王〔笑〕︰銀製盤子？當然，銀製盤子。她太迷人了，不是嗎？妳希望盤子裡頭裝著什麼？噢，甜美可愛的莎樂美，妳比所有猶太王國的女兒更美麗。妳希望銀製盤子裡頭裝了什麼東西給妳？告訴我。無論妳的願望為何，我都會給妳。我的寶物屬於妳。妳要什麼，莎樂美？
莎樂美〔站起〕︰約翰的頭。
希羅底︰啊！說的好，我的女兒。
HEROD
Even to the half of my kingdom. Thou wilt be passing fair as a queen, Salome, if it please thee to ask for the half of my kingdom. Will she
-51-
not be fair as a queen? Ah! it is cold here! There is an icy wind, and I hear . . . wherefore do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! one might fancy a huge black bird that hovers over the terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird? The beat of its wings is terrible. The breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind. Nay, but it is not cold, it is hot. I am choking. Pour water on my hands. Give me snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. Quick! quick! loosen my mantle. Nay, but leave it. It is my garland that hurts me, my garland of roses. The flowers are like fire. They have burned my forehead. [He tears the wreath from his head, and throws it on the table.]
Ah! I can breathe now. How red those petals are! They are like stains of blood on the cloth. That does not matter. It is not wise to find symbols in everything that one sees. It makes life too full of terrors. It were better to say that stains of blood are as lovely as rose-petals. It were better far to say that . . . . But we will not speak of this. Now I am happy. I am passing happy. Have I not the right to be happy? Your daughter is going to dance for me. Wilt thou not dance for me, Salome? Thou hast promised to dance for me.
HERODIAS
I will not have her dance.
SALOME
I will dance for you, Tetrarch.
-52-
HEROD
You hear what your daughter says. She is going to dance for me. Thou doest well to dance for me, Salome. And when thou hast danced for me, forget not to ask of me whatsoever thou hast a mind to ask. Whatsoever thou shalt desire I will give it thee, even to the half of my kingdom. I have sworn it, have I not?
SALOME
Thou hast sworn it, Tetrarch.
HEROD
And I have never failed of my word. I am not of those who break their oaths. I know not how to lie. I am the slave of my word, and my word is the word of a king. The King of Cappadocia had ever a lying tongue, but he is no true king. He is a coward. Also he owes me money that he will not repay. He has even insulted my ambassadors. He has spoken words that were wounding. But C?sar will crucify him when he comes to Rome. I know that C?sar will crucify him. And if he crucify him not, yet will he die, being eaten of worms. The prophet has prophesied it. Well! Wherefore dost thou tarry, Salome?
SALOME
I am waiting until my slaves bring perfumes to me and the seven veils, and take from off my feet my sandals. [Slaves bring perfumes and the seven veils, and take off the sandals of Salome.]
-53-
HEROD
Ah, thou art to dance with naked feet! Tis well! Tis well! Thy little feet will be like white doves. They will be like little white flowers that dance upon the trees . . . . No, no, she is going to dance on blood! There is blood spilt on the ground. She must not dance on blood. It were an evil omen.
HERODIAS
What is it to thee if she dance on blood? Thou hast waded deep enough in it . . . . .
HEROD
What is it to me? Ah! look at the moon! She has become red. She has become red as blood. Ah! the prophet prophesied truly. He prophesied that the moon would become as blood. Did he not prophesy it? All of ye heard him prophesying it. And now the moon has become as blood. Do ye not see it?
HERODIAS
Oh, yes, I see it well, and the stars are falling like unripe figs, are they not? and the sun is becoming black like sackcloth of hair, and the kings of the earth are afraid. That at least one can see. The prophet is justified of his words in that at least, for truly the kings of the earth are afraid . . . . Let us go within. You are sick. They will say at Rome that you are mad. Let us go within, I tell you.
-54-
THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
Who is this who cometh from Edom, who is this who cometh from Bozra, whose raiment is dyed with purple, who shineth in the beauty of his garments, who walketh mighty in his greatness? Wherefore is thy raiment stained with scarlet?
HERODIAS
Let us go within. The voice of that man maddens me. I will not have my daughter dance while he is continually crying out. I will not have her dance while you look at her in this fashion. In a word, I will not have her dance.
HEROD
Do not rise, my wife, my queen, it will avail thee nothing. I will not go within till she hath danced. Dance, Salome, dance for me.
HERODIAS
Do not dance, my daughter.
SALOME
I am ready, Tetrarch.
HEROD
[Salome dances the dance of the seven veils.]
Ah! wonderful! wonderful! You see that she has danced for me, your daughter. Come near, Salome, come near, that I may give thee thy fee. Ah! I pay a royal price to those who dance
-55-
for my pleasure. I will pay thee royally. I will give thee whatsoever thy soul desireth. What wouldst thou have? Speak.
SALOME
[Kneeling.]
I would that they presently bring me in a silver charger . .
HEROD
[Laughing.]
In a silver charger? Surely yes, in a silver charger. She is charming, is she not? What is it that thou wouldst have in a silver charger, O sweet and fair Salome, thou that art fairer than all the daughters of Jud?a? What wouldst thou have them bring thee in a silver charger? Tell me. Whatsoever it may be, thou shalt receive it. My treasures belong to thee. What is it that thou wouldst have, Salome?
SALOME
[Rising.]
The head of Iokanaan.
HERODIAS
Ah! that is well said, my daughter.