《莎乐美》第16章

they　are　treasures　above　all　price。　but　this　is　not　all。　in　an　ebony　coffer　i　have　two　cups　of　amber　that　are　like　apples　of　pure　gold。　if　an　enemy　pour　poison　into　these　cups　they　bee　like　apples　of　silver。　in　a　coffer　incrusted　with　amber　i　have　
…62…
sandals　incrusted　with　glass。　i　have　mantles　that　have　been　brought　from　the　land　of　the　serer；　and　bracelets　decked　about　with　carbuncles　and　with　jade　that　e　from　the　city　of　euphrates　。　。　。　。　what　desirest　thou　more　than　this；　salome？　tell　me　the　thing　that　thou　desirest；　and　i　will　give　it　thee。　all　that　thou　askest　i　will　give　thee；　save　one　thing　only。　i　will　give　thee　all　that　is　mine；　save　only　the　life　of　one　man。　i　will　give　thee　the　mantle　of　the　high　priest。　i　will　give　thee　the　veil　of　the　sanctuary。
the　jews
oh！　oh！
herodias
give　me　the　head　of　iokanaan！
herod
＇sinking　back　in　his　seat。＇
let　her　be　given　what　she　asks！　of　a　truth　she　is　her　mothers　child。　＇the　first　soldier　approaches。　herodias　draws　from　the　hand　of　the　tetrarch　the　ring　of　death；　and　gives　it　to　the　soldier；　who　straightway　bears　it　to　the　executioner。　the　executioner　looks　scared。＇
who　has　taken　my　ring？　there　was　a　ring　on　my　right　hand。　who　has　drunk　my　wine？　there　was　wine　in　my　cup。　it　was　full　of　wine。　some　one　has　drunk　it！　oh！　surely　some　evil　will　befall　some　one。　＇the　executioner　goes　down　into　the　cistern。＇
ah！　wherefore　did　i　give　my　
…63…
oath？　hereafter　let　no　king　swear　an　oath。　if　he　keep　it　not；　it　is　terrible；　and　if　he　keep　it；　it　is　terrible　also。
herodias
my　daughter　has　done　well。
herod
i　am　sure　that　some　misfortune　will　happen。
salome
＇she　leans　over　the　cistern　and　listens。＇
there　is　no　sound。　i　hear　nothing。　why　does　he　not　cry　out；　this　man？　ah！　if　any　man　sought　to　kill　me；　i　would　cry　out；　i　would　struggle；　i　would　not　suffer　。　。　。　。　strike；　strike；　naaman；　strike；　i　tell　you。　。　。　。　no；　i　hear　nothing。　there　is　a　silence；　a　terrible　silence。　ah！　something　has　fallen　upon　the　ground。　i　heard　something　fall。　it　was　the　sword　of　the　executioner。　he　is　afraid；　this　slave。　he　has　dropped　his　sword。　he　dares　not　kill　him。　he　is　a　coward；　this　slave！　let　soldiers　be　sent。　＇she　sees　the　page　of　herodias　and　addresses　him。＇
e　hither。　thou　wert　the　friend　of　him　who　is　dead；　wert　thou　not？　well；　i　tell　thee；　there　are　not　dead　men　enough。　go　to　the　soldiers　and　bid　them　go　down　and　bring　me　the　thing　i　ask；　the　thing　the　tetrarch　has　promised　me；　the　thing　that　is　mine。　＇the　page　recoils。　she　turns　to　the　soldiers。＇
hither；　ye　soldiers。　get　ye　down　into　this　cistern　and　bring　me　the　head　of　this　man。　tetrarch；　tetrarch；　
…64…
mand　your　soldiers　that　they　bring　me　the　head　of　iokanaan。
＇a　huge　black　arm；　the　arm　of　the　executioner；　es　forth　from　the　cistern；　bearing　on　a　silver　shield　the　head　of　lokanaan。　salome　seizes　it。　herod　hides　his　face　with　his　cloak。　herodias　smiles　and　fans　herself。　the　nazarenes　fall　on　their　knees　and　begin　to　pray。＇
ah！　thou　wouldst　not　suffer　me　to　kiss　thy　mouth；　iokanaan。　well！　i　will　kiss　it　now。　i　will　bite　it　with　my　teeth　as　one　bites　a　ripe　fruit。　yes；　i　will　kiss　thy　mouth；　iokanaan。　i　said　it；　did　i　not　say　it？　i　said　it。　ah！　i　will　kiss　it　now　。　。　。　。　but　wherefore　dost　thou　not　look　at　me；　iokanaan？　thine　eyes　that　were　so　terrible；　so　full　of　rage　and　scorn；　are　shut　now。　wherefore　are　they　shut？　open　thine　eyes！　lift　up　thine　eyelids；　iokanaan！　wherefore　dost　thou　not　look　at　me？　art　thou　afraid　of　me；　iokanaan；　that　thou　wilt　not　look　at　me？　。　。　。　and　thy　tongue；　that　was　like　a　red　snake　darting　poison；　it　moves　no　more；　it　speaks　no　words；　iokanaan；　that　scarlet　viper　that　spat　its　venom　upon　me。　it　is　strange；　is　it　not？　how　is　it　that　the　red　viper　stirs　no　longer？。　。　。thou　wouldst　have　none　of　me；　iokanaan。　thou　rejectedst　me。　thou　didst　speak　evil　words　against　me。　thou　didst　bear　thyself　toward　me　as　to　a　harlot；　as　to　a　woman　that　is　a　wanton；　to　me；　salome；　daughter　of　herodias；　princess　of　jud？a！　well；　i　still　live；　but　thou　art　dead；　and　thy　head　belongs　to　me。　i　can　do　with　it　what　i　will。　i　can　throw　it　to　the　dogs　and　to　the　birds　of　the　air。　that　which　the　dogs　
…65…
leave；　the　birds　of　the　air　shall　devour　。　。　。　。　ah；　iokanaan；　iokanaan；　thou　wert　the　man　that　i　loved　alone　among　men！　all　other　men　were　hateful　to　me。　but　thou　wert　beautiful！　thy　body　was　a　column　of　ivory　set　upon　feet　of　silver。　it　was　a　garden　full　of　doves　and　lilies　of　silver。　it　was　a　tower　of　silver　decked　with　shields　of　ivory。　there　was　nothing　in　the　world　so　white　as　thy　body。　there　was　nothing　in　the　world　so　black　as　thy　hair。　in　the　whole　world　there　was　nothing　so　red　as　thy　mouth。　thy　voice　was　a　censer　that　scattered　strange　perfumes；　and　when　i　looked　on　thee　i　heard　a　strange　music。　ah！　wherefore　didst　thou　not　look　at　me；　iokanaan？　with　the　cloak　of　thine　hands；　and　with　the　cloak　of　thy　blasphemies　thou　didst　hide　thy　face。　thou　didst　put　upon　thine　eyes　the　covering　of　him　who　would　see　his　god。　well；　thou　hast　seen　thy　god；　iokanaan；　but　me；　me；　thou　didst　never　see。　if　thou　hadst　seen　me　thou　hadst　loved　me。　i　saw　thee；　and　i　loved　thee。　oh；　how　i　loved　thee！　i　love　thee　yet；　iokanaan。　i　love　only　thee　。　。　。　。　i　am　athirst　for　thy　beauty；　i　am　hungry　for　thy　body；　and　neither　wine　nor　apples　can　appease　my　desire。　what　shall　i　do　now；　iokanaan？　neither　the　floods　nor　the　great　waters　can　quench　my　passion。　i　was　a　princess；　and　thou　didst　scorn　me。　i　was　a　virgin；　and　thou　didst　take　my　virginity　from　me。　i　was　chaste；　and　thou　didst　fill　my　veins　with　fire　。　。　。　。　ah！　ah！　wherefore　didst　thou　not　look　at　me？　if　thou　hadst　looked　at　me　thou　hadst　loved　me。　well　i　know　that　thou　wouldst　have　loved　me；　and　
…66…
the　mystery　of　love　is　greater　than　the　mystery　of　death。
．．
莎乐美十四
小说
希律王︰她是只野兽，妳的女儿，她完全是只野兽。事实上，她所做的一切都是犯罪。我确信那是一件反对未知神的犯罪。　
希罗底︰我同意我女儿的行为。现在，我愿意待在这里了。　
希律王〔站起〕︰啊！这个乱伦的妻子！来吧！我不愿意待在这儿。来，我告诉妳。将会有可怕的不幸即将来临。马那色，伊萨恰（issachar），欧季亚（ozias），熄灭火光。我再也看不?