The Project Gutenberg eBook, David, by Cale Young Rice This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. Title: David A Tragedy Author: Cale Young Rice Release Date: February 3, 2015 [eBook #48143] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVID*** E-text prepared by David Garcia and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by Kentuckiana Digital Library (http://kdl.kyvl.org) Note: Images of the original pages are available through Kentuckiana Digital Library. See http://kdl.kyvl.org/catalog/xt7bvq2s5156_3? DAVID; A TRAGEDY BY CALE YOUNG RICE BY THE SAME AUTHOR Charles Di Tocca DAVID; A TRAGEDY BY CALE YOUNG RICE Anchor NEW YORK MCCLURE, PHILLIPS & CO. MCMIV Two hundred and fifty copies of this book have been printed at the McClure Press, of which this is No. __________ Copyright, 1904, by McClure, Phillips & Co. Published May, 1904. N. AFFECTIONATELY TO MY BROTHER LACY L. RICE CHARACTERS SAUL King of Israel. JONATHAN Heir to the throne. ISHUI His brother. SAMUEL The Prophet of Israel. ABNER Captain of the Host of Israel. DOEG An Edomite; Chief Servant of Saul, and suitor for Michal. ADRIEL A lord of Meholah, suitor for Merab. DAVID A Shepherd, secretly anointed King. ABISHAI A follower of David. ABIATHAR A Priest and follower of David. A PHILISTINE SPY AHINOAM The Queen. MERAB MICHAL }Daughters of Saul and Ahinoam. MIRIAM A blind Prophetess, and later the “Witch of Endor.” JUDITH LEAH ZILLA }Timbrel-players of the King. ADAH Handmaiden to Merab. A Chorus of Women. A Band of Prophets. Followers of David. Soldiers of Saul. People of the Court, etc. DAVID ACT I SCENE: A Hall of Judgment in the palace of Saul at Gibeah. The walls, pillars and ceiling are of cedar richly carven with images of serpents, pomegranates and cherubim in gold. The floors are of bright marble; the throne of ivory, hung with a lion’s skin whose head is its footstool. On the right and left, doors, draped with finely woven curtains of purple and white, lead to other portions of the palace. Seats toward the front. Lamps burn low. The Hall, supported on pillars, is open along the back, where a Porch, surrounding the Court of the palace, crosses. Through the Porch, on the environing hills, glow the camp-fires of the Philistines, the enemies of Israel. JUDITH, LEAH and ZILLA are reclining restively on the floor of the Hall. JUDITH [Springing to her feet impatiently.] O for a feast! pomegranate wine and song! LEAH Oh! oh! ZILLA A feast indeed! the men in camp! When was a laugh or any leaping here? Never; and none to charm with timbreling! [She goes to the porch.] LEAH What shall we do? JUDITH I’ll dance. ZILLA Until you’re dead. JUDITH Or till a youth wed Zilla for her beauty? I’ll not soil mine with sullen fear all day I’ll not soil mine with sullen fear all day Because these Philistines press round. As well Be wenches gathering grapes or wool! Come, Leah. [She prepares to dance.] LEAH No, Judith, I’ll put henna on my nails, And mend my anklet. [She sits down.] ZILLA [At the curtains.] Oh! oh, oh! JUDITH Now hear her! Who, who, now? who, who is it? dog, fox, devil? ZILLA All! JUDITH Then ’tis Ishui! [Bounding to curtains.] Yes, Ishui! And fury in him, sallow, sour fury! A jackal were his mate! Come, come, we’ll plague him. ZILLA And too—with David whom he hates! JUDITH Aie, David! A joy to rouse men up to jealousy! LEAH Why hates he David, Zilla? ZILLA Stupid Leah! JUDITH Hush, hush, be meet and ready now; he’s near. Look as for silly visions and for dreams! [They pose themselves. Ishui enters—sees them. Judith sighs.] ISHUI Now timbrel-gaud, why gaping here! JUDITH O! ’tis Prince Ishui! ZILLA Prince Ishui! Then he Will tell us! he will tell us! LEAH Yes! Yes! JUDITH Of David! O is he come! when, where, quick, quick, and will He pluck us ecstasies out of his harp, Winning until we’re wanton for him, mad, And sigh and laugh and weep to the moon! ISHUI Low thing! Chaff of the king! JUDITH The king! I had not thought! David a king! how beauteous would he be! ISHUI David? JUDITH Turban of sapphire! robe of gold! ISHUI A king? o’er Israel? JUDITH Who, who can tell! Have you not heard? Yesterday in the camp Among war-old but fearful men he offered Kingly to meet Goliath—great Goliath! ISHUI What do you say? to meet Goliath? JUDITH [Laughing in his face.] Aie! [He thrusts her from him. She goes dancing with Zilla and Leah.] ADRIEL [Who has entered.] Ishui, in a rage? ISHUI Should I not be! ADRIEL Not would you be yourself. ISHUI Not? [Deftly.] You say well. I should not, no. Pardon, then, Adriel. ADRIEL What was the offence? ISHUI Turn from it.—I have not Turn from it.—I have not Bidden you here for vapours; yet they had Substance as well for you! ADRIEL For me? ISHUI Who likes Laughter against him! ADRIEL I was laughed at? ISHUI Why, It is this shepherd! ADRIEL David? ISHUI With his harp! Flinging enchantment on the palace air Till he impassions to him all who breathe. ADRIEL What sting from that? He’s lovable and brave. ISHUI Lovable? Lovable? ADRIEL I do not see. ISHUI This then: you’ve hither come with gifts and gold, Dream-bringing amethyst and weft of Ind, To wed my sister, Merab? ADRIEL It is so. ISHUI And you’ve the king’s consent; but she denies? ADRIEL As every wind, you know it. ISHUI Still denies! And you, lost in the maze of her, fare on Blindly and find no reason for it! ADRIEL How? What reason can be? women are not clear; What reason can be? women are not clear; And least unto themselves. ISHUI Or to their fools. [He goes to curtains and draws out Adah.] Your mistress, Merab, girl, whom does she love? Unclench your hands. ADAH I hate her. ISHUI Insolent! Answer; I am not milky Jonathan. Answer; and for the rest—You hear? ADAH She loves— The shepherd David! ADRIEL Who, girl? ADAH I care not! She is unkind; I wilt not spy for her On Michal, and I’ll tell her secrets all! And David does not love her—and she raves. ISHUI Off to your sleep; now off— [Makes to strikes her.] ADRIEL Ishui, no. [Adah goes.] ISHUI And see you now how ‘lovable’ he is! I tell you that he stands athwart us all! The heart of Merab swung a censer to him, My seat at table with the king usurped! Mildew and mocking to the harp of Doeg, As it were any slave’s; the while we all Are lepered with suspicion. ADRIEL Of the king? ISHUI Ah! and of Jonathan and Michal. ADRIEL Hush. [Enter Michal passing with Miriam.] Michal, delay. Whom lead you? MICHAL Miriam, A prophetess. ADRIEL How of the king to-night? MICHAL He’s not at rest; dreads Samuel’s prophecy The throne shall pass from him, and darkens more Against this boundless Philistine Goliath Who dares at Israel daily on the hills, As we were dogs! ADRIEL Is David with him? MICHAL No; But he is sent for—and will ease him—Ah! He’s wonderful to heal the king with his harp! A waft, a sunny leap of melody, And swift the hovering mad shadow’s gone— As magic! ISHUI Michal.… Curst! MICHAL What anger’s this? ISHUI Disdaining Doeg and his plea to dust, His waiting and the winning-o’er of Edom, You are enamoured of this David too? MICHAL I think my brother Ishui hath a fever. [She goes—calmly, with Miriam.] ISHUI Now are you kindled—are you quivering, Or must this shepherd put upon us more? ADRIEL But has he not dealt honorably? ISHUI No. ADRIEL Why do you urge it? ISHUI Why have senses. He Why have senses. He With Samuel the prophet fast enshrouds Some secret, and has Samuel not told The kingdom from my father shall be rent And fall unto another? ADRIEL You are certain? ISHUI As granite. [Voices are heard in altercation.] Yonder! ADRIEL The king? ISHUI And Samuel With prophecy or some refusal tears him! [They step aside. Saul followed by Samuel strides in and mounts the throne.] SAUL You threat, and ever thunder threatening! Pour seething prophesy into my veins, Till a simoon of madness in me moves. Am I not king, the king? chosen and sealed? Who’ve been anathema and have been bane Unto the foes of Israel, and filled The earth with death of them? And do you still forbid that I bear gold And bribe away this Philistine array Folded about us, fettering with flame? SAMUEL Yes,—yes! While there is air, and awe of Heaven Do I forbid! A champion must rise To level this Goliath. Thus may we Loose on them pest of panic and of fear. SAUL Are forty days not dead? A champion! None will arise—’tis vain. And I’ll not wait On miracle. SAMUEL Offer thy daughter then, Michal, thy fairest, to whoever shall. SAUL Demand and drain for more! without an end. Ever vexation! No; I will not. SAMUEL Then, Out of Jehovah and a vast foreseen I tell thee again, thou perilous proud king, The sceptre shall slip from thee to another! [He moves to go.] SAUL The sceptre.… SAMUEL To another! SAUL From me! No! You rouse afar the billowing of ill. I grant—go not!—I grovel to your will, Fear it and fawn as to omnipotence, [Snatching at Samuel’s mantle.] And vow to all its divination—all! SAMUEL Then, Saul of Israel, the hour is near, When shall arise one, and Goliath fall! [Samuel goes slowly out, Saul sinks back.] ISHUI Oh,—subtle! SAUL Thus he sways me. ISHUI Subtle!—subtle! And yet I must not speak; come, Adriel, No use of us here. [He makes as if to go.] SAUL Use? subtle? Stand! ISHUI No, father, no. SAUL What mean you? ISHUI Do not ask.… Yet how it creeps, and how! SAUL Unveil your words. ISHUI Do you not see it crawl, this serpent scheme? Goliath slain—the people mad with praise, Then fallen from you—Michal the victor’s wife.… SAUL SAUL Say on; say on. ISHUI Or else the champion slain— Fear on the people—panic—the kingdom’s ruin! SAUL Now do the folds slip from me. ISHUI And you see? Ah then, if one arise? If one arise? SAUL Death, death! If he hath touched this prophet—if Merely a little moment!— ISHUI I have seen Your David with him. SAUL Death! if—Come here: David? ISHUI In secret. SAUL Say you? ISHUI Yes, SAUL The folds slip further; To this you lead me—hatred against David! To this with supple envy’s easy glide! ISHUI I have but told— SAUL You have but builded lies, As ever you are building and forever. I’ll hear no more against him—Abner—No. [To Abner, who enters.] David, and with his harp. ABNER My lord— SAUL Not come? He is not come? And never! but delays. ABNER Time’s yet to pass. SAUL There is not—Am I king? [A harp is heard.] See you, ’tis he! ’Tis David, and he sings! DAVID [Bravely, within.] Smiter of hosts, Terrible Saul! Vile on the hills shall he laugh who boasts None is among Great Israel’s all Fearless for Saul, king Saul! [Entering with people of the palace.] Aye, is there none Galled of the sting, Will at the soul of Goliath run? Wring it and up To his false gods fling?… None for the king, the king? [He drops to his knee, amid praise, before the throne.] SAUL [Darkening] Forego this praise and stand Away from him; ’tis overmuch. [To David] Why have You dallied and delayed? DAVID My lord, delayed? SAUL Do not smile wonder, mocking! DAVID Why, my lord, I do not mock. Only the birds have wings. Yet on the vales behind me I have left Haste and a swirling wonderment of air, And in the torrent’s troubled vein amaze, So swift I hurried hither at your urgence Out of the fields and folding the far sheep! SAUL You have not; you have dallied. [He motions. All go but David, whom he comes down toward, indeterminately.] You have dallied. DAVID Deep in the king I see a darkness foam And sheeted passion, as a lightning gust. Shall I not play to him? SAUL You shall not, no. [Slowly draws a dagger.] I’ll not be lulled. DAVID Is it a tiger gleam, Terrible fury stealing from the heart And crouching cold within the eye of Saul? SAUL I’ll not endure. They say that you— DAVID They say? What is this ravage in you. Does the truth So limpid overflow in palaces? Never an enemy to venom it? Am I not David, faithful, and thy friend? SAUL I’ll slay you, and regretless. DAVID [Unmoving] Slay, my lord? SAUL Do you not fear? and brave me to my breast! DAVID Have I done wrong that I should fear the king? Reed as I am, could he not breathe and break? And I should be oblivion at a word! But under the terror of his might have I Not seen his heart beat justice and beat love? See, even now…! SAUL I will not listen to them! DAVID To whom, my lord, and what? SAUL Ever they say, “This David,” and “this David!” DAVID Ah, my harp! SAUL But think you, David, I shall lose the kingdom? DAVID [Starting] My lord…! SAUL Pain in your eyes? you think it? Deem I cannot overleap this destiny? DAVID To that let us not verge; it has but ill. Deeper the future gulf is for our fears. Forget it. Forget the brink may ever gape, And wield the throne so well that God himself Must not unking you, more than he would cry The morning star from Heaven! Then, I swear it, None else will! SAUL Swear? DAVID Nay, nay! SAUL You swear? DAVID But words, Foolishly from the heart; a shepherd speech! Give them no mood; but see, see yonder fires Camping upon the peace of Israel, As we were carrion beneath the sun! Let us conceive annihilation on them, Hurricane rush and deluging and ruin. SAUL Ah, but the prophecy! the prophecy! It eats in me the food of rest and ease. And David, nearer: Samuel in my stead Another hath anointed. DAVID Saul, not this! This should not fall to me, my lord; no more! You cannot understand; it pains beyond All duty and enduring! SAUL Pains beyond…? Who is he? know you of him? do you? know you? You sup the confidence of Samuel? I’ll search from Nile to Nineveh— DAVID My lord! SAUL Mountain and desert, wilderness and sea, Under and over, search—and find. DAVID Peace, peace! [Enter Michal joyously.] MICHAL O father, father! David! Listen!—Why, All here is dark and quivering as pain, And a foreboding binds me ere I breathe! David, you have not been as sun to him! DAVID But Michal will be now. SAUL Child, well, what then? MICHAL Father, a secret! Oh, and it will make Dawn and delight in you! SAUL Perhaps; then, well? MICHAL Oh, I have heard…! SAUL Have heard?—Why do you pale? [She stands unaccountably moved.] Now are you Baal-bit? DAVID Michal! MICHAL [In terror.] David!… the dread. What does it mean? I cannot speak! It shrinks Shivering down upon my heart in awe! DAVID So piteous are you? suddenly so numb? And you are faint? let it rush from your lips! Can any moving in the world so bring Terror upon you! Speak, what is it? MICHAL Ah! I know not; danger rising and its wing Sudden against my lips! DAVID To warn? MICHAL It shall not! There—now again flows joy; I think it flows. SAUL Then—you have heard…?