John the Baptist: A Play Part 48

Dear friend, this is the most enjoyable entertainment that has ever been provided for me at meat. Let them come! Let them come!

HEROD

[_Signs._]

GAOLER

[_Retires behind curtain of door and beckons._]

SCENE VIII

_The same. Mana.s.sa. Amarja._

[_They seem at first as if they would rush to John, but overcome by shyness stand still._]

JOHN

What have ye to tell me?

MANa.s.sA

Master!

HEROD

Speak louder, my good men! Unless ye let us partic.i.p.ate in the news, I will have you carried off through separate doors.

MANa.s.sA

May we, Master?

JOHN

Speak freely, for methinks we are alone together.

MANa.s.sA

We took the road in all haste to Bethesda, and at break of day we found Him there.

JOHN

Ye found him there?

MANa.s.sA

And many people were gathered about him resting in the olive gardens, and praised the Lord for the miracle which had been done to them at that hour. And behold there was a light in every eye, and in every mouth the music of thanksgiving.

JOHN

And He? How looked His countenance? What were His gestures?

MANa.s.sA

Master, I know not.

JOHN

But ye saw Him?

AMARJA

Rabbi, thou mightest as well ask, What is the face of the sun, and what the gestures of light?... As we beheld His smile we sank to the ground, and in our souls was a great peace.

JOHN

And when ye had questioned Him, and He began to speak, tell me what was His manner of speech? Say; I stand here awaiting His wrath.

AMARJA

Rabbi.... He spoke to us like a brother. His speech was simple.

MANa.s.sA

And it was beautiful ... like the voice of the wind which blows from the sea towards evening.

AMARJA

And this is what He spake. "Go and tell John what ye have seen and heard. The blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead rise, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

JOHN

The poor--He said the poor?

MANa.s.sA

And when He prepared to come hither to this town with the people who were gathered about Him, we accompanied Him as far as the gate, and then hurried on before, according to thy wish.

JOHN

And said He nothing else to you? Reflect well.

AMARJA

Yes; yet one more thing. He said, "Blessed be he who hath not been offended at me." But this we could not understand.

JOHN

But I understand it well and to whom He spoke. I have been offended, for I have not recognized Him. And my anger filled the world, for I knew Him not. Ye yourselves are my witnesses that I have said, "I am not the Christ, but one sent to prepare the way for Him that cometh." A man can take nothing to himself that is not given him by Heaven. And unto me nothing was given. The key of death ... I held it not ... the scales of sin were not confided to me. For out of no man's mouth may the name of sin sound, save out of the mouth of the one that loveth.