Yea, I have a hundred and two and thirty thousand that
bow themselves at my feet and that live and die by my glance. And I am
at _thy_ feet and thy glance is my joy and my sorrow according to thy
whim. Judith, I entreat thee, command me something. For whatever thou
command me, that will I execute. And be not afraid in thy command, for
my power is very great and there is none like it save only my lord
Nebuchadnezzar's.
JUDITH (_tenderly_). I command thee that thou be happy. For thy captive
has no other desire.
HOLOFERNES. Say not my captive. For it is I that am thy prisoner. And I
will set thee on my throne, and in my great boldness I will dare to sit
beside thee. But thou shalt reign. And we will live together in Assyria
long years.
JUDITH (_changing her mood_). There is no requisition in the grave
whether you have lived ten or an hundred or a thousand years. But the
God of Israel is a shield.
HOLOFERNES (_eagerly_). And I have told thee that thy god shall be my
god; but in secret, because of that which I owe to King Nebuchadnezzar.
Yet shall the whole earth know that thou, Judith, alone art my god.
JUDITH.
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