The House of Rimmon | Page 7

shall perish, by the doom of Rimmon.
[All are terrified and look toward NAAMAN, shuddering. RUAHMAH alone seems not to heed the curse, but stands with her eyes fixed on NAAMAN.]
RUAHMAH: Be not afraid! There is a greater God Shall cover thee with His almighty wings: Beneath his shield and buckler shalt thou trust.
BENHADAD: Repent, my son, thou must not brave this curse.
NAAMAN: My King, there is no curse as terrible As that which lights a bosom-fire for him Who gives away his honour, to prolong A craven life whose every breath is shame! If I betray the men who follow me, The city that has put her trust in me, The country to whose service I am bound, What king can shield me from my own deep scorn, What god release me from that self-made hell? The tender mercies of Assyria I know; and they are cruel as creeping tigers. Give up Damascus, and her streets will run Rivers of innocent blood; the city's heart, That mighty, labouring heart, wounded and crushed Beneath the brutal hooves of the wild Bull, Will cry against her captain, sitting safe Among the nobles, in some pleasant place. I shall be safe,--safe from the threatened wrath Of unknown gods, but damned forever by The men I know,--that is the curse I fear.
BENHADAD: Speak not so high, my son. Must we not bow Our heads before the sovereignties of heaven? The unseen rulers are Divine.
NAAMAN; O King, I am unlearned in the lore of priests; Yet well I know that there are hidden powers About us, working mortal weal and woe Beyond the force of mortal to control. And if these powers appear in love and truth, I think they must be gods, and worship them. But if their secret will is manifest In blind decrees of sheer omnipotence, That punish where no fault is found, and smite The poor with undeserved calamity, And pierce the undefended in the dark With arrows of injustice, and foredoom The innocent to burn in endless pain, I will not call this fierce almightiness Divine. Though I must bear, with every man, The burden of my life ordained, I'll keep My soul unterrified, and tread the path Of truth and honour with a steady heart! But if I err in this; and if there be Divinities whose will is cruel, unjust, Capricious and supreme, I will forswear The favour of these gods, and take my part With man to suffer and for man to die. Have ye not heard, my lords? The oracle Proclaims to me, to me alone, the doom Of vengeance if I lead the army out. "Conquered or conquering!" I grip that chance! Damascus free, her foes all beaten back, The people saved from slavery, the King Upheld in honour on his ancient throne,-- O what's the cost of this? I'll gladly pay Whatever gods there be, whatever price They ask for this one victory. Give me This gilded sign of shame to carry back; I'll shake it in the face of Asshur's king, And break it on his teeth.
BENHADAD: [Rising.] Then go, my never-beaten captain, go! And may the powers that hear thy solemn vow Forgive thy rashness for Damascus' sake, Prosper thy fighting, and remit thy pledge.
REZON: [Standing beside the altar.] The pledge, O King, this man must seal his pledge At Rimmon's altar. He must take the cup Of soldier-sacrament, and bind himself By thrice-performed libation to abide The fate he has invoked.
NAAMAN: [Slowly.] And so I will.
[He comes down the steps, toward the altar, where REZON is filling the cup which TSARPI holds. RUAHMAH throws herself before NAAMAN, clasping his knees.]
RUAHMAH: [Passionately and wildly.] My lord, I do beseech you, stay! There's death Within that cup. It is an offering To devils. See, the wine blazes like fire, It flows like blood, it is a cursed cup, Fulfilled of treachery and hate. Dear master, noble master, touch it not!
NAAMAN: Poor maid, thy brain is still distraught. Fear not But let me go! Here, treat her tenderly!
[Gives her into the hands of SABALLIDIN.]
Can harm befall me from the wife who bears My name? I take the cup of fate from her. I greet the unknown powers; [Pours libation.] I will perform my vow; [Again.] I will abide my fate; [Again.] I pledge my life to keep Damascus free.
[He drains the cup, and lets it fall.]
CURTAIN.

ACT II
TIME: A week later
The fore-court of the House of Rimmon. At the back the broad steps and double doors of the shrine: above them the tower of the god, its summit invisible. Enter various groups of citizens, talking, laughing, shouting: RAKHAZ, HAZAEL, SHUMAKIM and others.
FIRST CITIZEN: Great news, glorious news, the Assyrians are beaten!
SECOND CITIZEN: Naaman is returning, crowned with victory. Glory to our noble captain!
THIRD CITIZEN: No,