VERUS, MARY MAGDALENE AND NEARLY ALL THE CHARACTERS OF SCENE III
VERUS
Come in, come in, you have nothing to fear!... (They ENTER, timidly.) Are you all there?... There seem to be fewer of you.... Where are the others gone?...
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA
Sir, some of them fear lest the night....
VERUS
I understand; they were afraid.... Their love and their faith do not take any risk of blows.... However, these will do.... Do you see that woman?... I came to offer to save your master. She had only to say yes. She has said no. She orders his death. He will therefore die at sunrise.
(Sensation in the crowd.)
NICODEMUS
What is he saying, Magdalene?...
(MARY MAGDALENE does not reply.)
VERUS
Ask her, you will learn....
NICODEMUS
Magdalene, is it true?...
(MARY MAGDALENE remains silent.)
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA
But come, answer!... What is the matter with you?...
VERUS
She is at the same time betraying and destroying all those who followed the tempter. I have spoken. Farewell. Look to yourselves. (He turns to the door.)
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA (stopping him and beseeching him)
Sir, I beg of you, do not go away like this.... She is mistaken, you will see.... There is some terrible misunderstanding.... Magdalene, come, what is he saying, what do you say?... Why, it is impossible!... What has happened?...
SEVERAL SICK MEN and BEGGARS (surrounding MAGDALENE, who remains motionless, gazing blindly into the distance)
Magdalene! Magdalene....
A HUNCHBACK
She also has sold him!... She was with the Iscariot!...
MARTHA (putting her arms around MAGDALENE’S neck)
Magdalene!... Listen to me!... You used to love me.... What has come to you?... Tell me it is not true.... You have not heard....
MARY CLEOPHAS (putting her hand on MAGDALENE’S shoulder)
Magdalene, Magdalene!... No, it is impossible.... You cannot have forgotten....
A POOR MAN
How much did you receive?...
A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE
Yes, how much?... Where is the money?...
ANOTHER
Give back the gold! Give back the gold!... Search her!...
MARY SALOME
Magdalene! Magdalene!... She is mad!...
A VAGRANT
Harlot!... Soldiers’ wench!...
ANOTHER
Strumpet! Strumpet! Strumpet!
A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE
The seven devils whom he cast out have entered her body again!...
ANOTHER
She has sold us like a herd of oxen!...
A SICK MAN
We shall all have to suffer!...
ANOTHER
Yes, but not before she does!...
THE MAN WHOSE HAND WAS WITHERED
She shall not go from here until....
A PALSIED MAN
In any case, she shall not go hence alive, take my word for it!...
(Almost ALL, shouting, gesticulating, threatening, with clenched fists, crowd round MAGDALENE, who remains motionless and dumb.)
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA (INTERVENING)
Come, come, do not forget who you are, where you are nor in whose name you are speaking. (To VERUS) Sir, I beg of you, a little patience.... I am a just and reasonable man; and everything will be explained.... Listen, Magdalene, I am speaking to you in his name.... There is still time to say yes.... I am speaking as a father....
(MAGDALENE maintains her motionless silence.)
THE HUNCHBACK
You see!... She has received the price!...
(An explosion of hatred. ALL surround her more closely. The cries, the threats, the imprecations, the entreaties, the moans are redoubled. Suddenly, in the street, rises a tumult which drowns that in the Supper-room. It is the shouting of an angry crowd approaching swiftly, the sound of arms and horses. The uproar in the room is at once lulled. ALL listen, anxiously.)
A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE
The Romans!... The soldiers!... They are coming to arrest us!... She has betrayed us!... Let us fly!... This way, this way!...
(ALL lose their heads. Some run wildly round the room, seeking for an outlet.)
A VAGRANT
No, no!... Do not go out!... There is only one door!... We cannot escape!... They would discover us!...
A MAN CURED BY A MIRACLE
Be silent!... Hide yourselves!...
A CRIPPLE
Why do you not put out the lamps?... They will see the lights!... Quick! Quick! Put out the lamps!...
(The lamps are put out.)
ANOTHER
Do not go to the windows!... Do not show yourselves at the windows!... Lie down along the walls!...
VERUS
It is a noble spectacle and I long to see it out....
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHÆA (GOING UP TO VERUS)
Sir, do not ruin them.... They are weak and poor.... Almost all of them are sick.... They know not what they do.... Have pity on men and do not judge them....
(The shouts—“Crucify him! Crucify him!... Tempter! Tempter!... Galilean! Nazarene!... He would destroy the Temple!... He would destroy the Law!... Blasphemer!... Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!”—are redoubled in the street and are now heard outside the house itself. The red light of the torches is cast into the room. THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO steals up to one of the windows and looks out.)
A PANIC-STRICKEN VOICE
Do not go to the windows!...
A LAME MAN (going to another window)
What is happening?...
THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO
(Several PERSONS, irresistibly attracted, climb up to the windows and look into the street, with infinite caution. Occasionally ONE of them turns to those who remain at the back of the room, to tell them what he sees.)
ONE OF THOSE AT THE WINDOWS
There are soldiers all around him!... There is a crowd of them!...
ANOTHER
He is coming! He is coming this way!... His hands are bound!... They are striking him!...
ANOTHER
He is weeping!... His eyes are bleeding!...
ANOTHER
They are taking him to Pilate!... There are Peter and John, hiding themselves!...
ANOTHER
The blood is dripping on his feet!...
ANOTHER
He cannot walk any farther!... He staggers! He staggers!...
VERUS (to MAGDALENE, who has not moved and who stands against a column, in the middle of the room, staring before her, without turning towards the windows)
Magdalene!...
(In the street, suddenly, the tumult falls, as a huge, heavy object might fall. A wonderful silence.)
A VOICE (in the room)
What is it?...
THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO (AT THE WINDOW)
He falls!... He has fallen!... He is looking at the house!...
VERUS
Magdalene, I still promise you....
MARY MAGDALENE (without stirring, without looking at VERUS, without anger, simply, in a voice from another life, full of peace, full of divine clarity and certainty)
Go!...
THE BLIND MAN OF JERICHO (AT THE WINDOW)
He rises to his feet!... They drag him along!...
(The tumult, the shouts of “Crucify him!” are resumed and redoubled in the street. VERUS GOES OUT slowly, with his eyes on MAGDALENE, who remains motionless, as though in ecstasy and all illumined with the light of the departing torches.)
CURTAIN
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