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    Judith: A Play in Three Acts
    Judith: A Play in Three Acts
    Judith: A Play in Three Acts
    Ebook84 pages1 hour

    Judith: A Play in Three Acts

    By Arnold Bennett

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    About this ebook

    Arnold Bennett was a prolific British writer who penned dozens of works across all genres, from adventurous fiction to propaganda and nonfiction. He wrote plays like Judith and historical novels like Tales of the Five Towns.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherKrill Press
    Release dateNov 25, 2015
    ISBN9781518311413
    Judith: A Play in Three Acts
    Author

    Arnold Bennett

    Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) was an English novelist renowned as a prolific writer throughout his entire career. The most financially successful author of his day, he lent his talents to numerous short stories, plays, newspaper articles, novels, and a daily journal totaling more than one million words.

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      Book preview

      Judith - Arnold Bennett

      JUDITH: A PLAY IN THREE ACTS

      ..................

      Arnold Bennett

      KRILL PRESS

      Thank you for reading. In the event that you appreciate this book, please consider sharing the good word(s) by leaving a review, or connect with the author.

      This book is a work of fiction; its contents are wholly imagined.

      All rights reserved. Aside from brief quotations for media coverage and reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any form without the author’s permission. Thank you for supporting authors and a diverse, creative culture by purchasing this book and complying with copyright laws.

      Copyright © 2015 by Arnold Bennett

      Interior design by Pronoun

      Distribution by Pronoun

      TABLE OF CONTENTS

      CHARACTERS

      ACT I

      ACT II

      SCENE I

      SCENE II

      SCENE III

      ACT III

      SCENE I

      SCENE II

      Judith: A Play in Three Acts

      By

      Arnold Bennett

      Judith: A Play in Three Acts

      Published by Krill Press

      New York City, NY

      First published 1919

      Copyright © Krill Press, 2015

      All rights reserved

      Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

      About Krill Press

      Krill Press is a boutique publishing company run by people who are passionate about history’s greatest works. We strive to republish the best books ever written across every conceivable genre and making them easily and cheaply available to readers across the world. Please visit our site for more information.

      CHARACTERS

      ..................

      Hebrews

      JUDITH

      HAGGITH, her waiting-woman

      RAHEL

      OZIAS, Governor of Bethulia

      CHABRIS, an elder

      CHARMIS, an elder

      A SOLDIER

      A MESSENGER

      Assyrians

      HOLOFERNES, General of the Assyrian armies

      BAGOAS, his chief eunuch

      ACHIOR, a captain

      INGUR, a soldier

      AN ATTENDANT ON BAGOAS

      ACT I

      ..................

      A STREET IN THE CITY of Bethulia in Judea. Bethulia is in the hill country, overlooking the great plain of Jezreel to the south-west. Back, the gates of the city, hiding the view of the plain. Right, Judith’s house, with a tent on the roof. Left, houses. The street turns abruptly, back left, along the wall of the city. Left centre, a built-up vantage-point, from which the plain can be seen over the gates.

      TIME: Fifth century B.C.

      Towards evening.

      Ozias is standing alone in the street, drinking from a leathern bottle. Enter Chabris, back left.

      OZIAS (quickly, but with perfect calmness, hiding the bottle in his garments). Old man! It is years since I saw you. How came you past the guard, old man?

      CHABRIS. Old? Old? I am not yet a hundred. Who are you?

      OZIAS. Ozias.

      CHABRIS. Ah! So this is Ozias, the son of Ezbon. Before your father could walk I have nursed him on my knee; and he was filled like the full moon—with naughtiness.

      OZIAS. What has brought you at last out of your house? Are you come to prophesy once more?

      CHABRIS. I have given up prophesying.

      OZIAS. A profession full of risks.

      CHABRIS. I pass my endless days in meditation and solitude.

      OZIAS. That sounds much safer. How comely is the wisdom of old men!

      CHABRIS. And what do you do, sprig?

      OZIAS. Has none told you?

      CHABRIS. I see nobody but my daughter’s granddaughter, and her I forbid to speak to me, because being a woman she has the tongue of a woman, and a woman’s tongue is unfavourable to meditation. How should I be told?

      OZIAS. I am the governor of this great city of Bethulia.

      CHABRIS. You are responsible for this city?

      OZIAS. I am.

      CHABRIS. Now I understand my misfortune. And the truth was in me when I said to your mother as she lay dying: Better it is to die without children than to have them that are ungodly.

      OZIAS. Oh! How comely a thing is the judgment of grey hairs!

      CHABRIS. You ask me what has brought me at last out of my house. I will tell you. Thirst! Thirst has brought me out of my house. Every morning and every evening my great-grandchild serves me with pulse and water. For five days she has furnished less and less water, and this day—not a drop! Can one eat pulse without water to drink? Half an hour ago I went to her to reason with her, and she lay on her bed cracked, and raved that she herself had not drunk for three days and that there was no water left in all Bethulia. So I came at last out of my house into the streets of this city famous for its cool fountains which never fail. And lo! I meet the governor of this city, and he is Ozias! Ozias! Seven days do men mourn for him that is dead, but for an ungodly man all the days of his life! Why is there no water in Bethulia, sprig?

      OZIAS. Old man, meditation is good and solitude is good, but think not because you sit staring all day at your own belly that the sun and stars have ceased to revolve round the earth and the kings of this world to make war. Is it possible that you do not know what has happened?

      CHABRIS. I only

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