希律王︰即使是我王国的一半。妳将会获得超越王后的荣耀，莎乐美，如果妳真的要求我王国的一半。她不是个卓越的王后吗？啊！这儿好冷！有股冷例的风吹来，我又听到……为何我听到空中有振翅的声响？啊！像是一只鸟，一只巨大的黑色鹏鸟在宫廷上徘徊盘旋。为什么我见不到那只鸟？振翅的声音多么可怕。鼓风的气息多么可怕。一股寒风。不，那不冷，而是热气。我快窒息了。将水倒在我的掌上。我要一饮冰冷的白雪。解开我的外披风。快点！快点！解开我的披风。不，先别忙。是我头上的花环刺痛了我，我的玫瑰花环。花朵就火一般地燃烧。它们烫了我的额头。〔他将花冠扯碎并掷向桌子。〕啊！我可以喘口气了。这些花瓣多么鲜红！它们就像衣服上的红色血迹。不打紧。你无法在所见的事物上找到任何象征。那样的生命太辛苦了。最好是说，这些鲜红的血迹就如同玫瑰花瓣一般可爱。这样的说法令人感到舒畅多了……但我们不要谈论这件事。我现在感到快乐，我太高兴了。我无权享受快乐吗？妳的女儿要为我跳舞。妳愿意为我跳舞吗，莎乐美？妳承诺要为我跳舞。
希罗底︰我不要她为你跳舞。
莎乐美︰我会为您跳舞，陛下。
希律王︰妳听到妳女儿怎么说了。妳要为我跳舞。妳真的要为我跳舞，莎乐美。当妳为我跳舞时，别忘了向我提出妳的要求。无论妳要什么，我都会给妳，就算是我王国的一半。我已经立誓，不是吗？
莎乐美︰您已经立誓，陛下。
希律王︰我从未违反我的诺言。我并非那种背弃誓约的人。我不知如何撒谎。我是我誓言的奴隶，我说的话是话中之王。卡帕多西亚国王一生都在撒谎，但他不是真正的王。他是个懦夫。并且他还亏欠我未偿还的债金。他甚至侮辱我派去的使者。他的话语处处创伤对方。但西泽会将他钉在十字架上，只要他一到罗马去。我确定西泽会向他施以钉刑。要不然，他还是该死，受万虫穿咬而死。先知已经预言过了。好吧，妳还在等什么，莎乐美？
莎乐美︰我等我的奴隶带来香水与七层纱，我要脱下我的鞋。
〔奴隶带来香水与七层纱，并帮莎乐美除掉鞋子。〕
希律王︰啊，妳要赤脚跳舞。太好了！太好了。妳纤细的双脚就像一对纯白的鸽子。它们就像树上两朵翩然起舞的白花……不，不，她要在血上跳舞。地上染满了鲜血。她不该在血泊上跳舞。太不吉祥了。
希罗底︰她在血泊上跳舞又有何妨？你刚刚已经那上头走过。
希律王︰我有吗？啊！看那月亮！她变得赤红。她赤红如血。啊！先知的预言实现了。他预言月亮会变成血红。他是不是如此说过？你们都听见了。现在月亮红得跟血一样。你们看见了吗？
希罗底︰噢，是呀，我看得很清楚，而天上的众星就像成熟的无花果掉落大地，不是吗？还有太阳就像是深黑的麻布袋，地上的诸王将恐惧莫名。至少我们看到一件事情成立。那所谓的先知，他在这辈子里总算说对了一件，地上的国王将恐惧莫名……我们进去吧。你病了。如果在罗马，他们会说你疯了。我再次告诉你，我们进去吧。
约翰的声音︰是谁自以东而来，是谁自波次拉(Bozra)而来？谁的衣服染成紫色，谁用他的华丽衣裳炫耀，谁志得意满地睥睨旁人？为何你的外衣沾染着猩红血迹？
希罗底︰我们进去吧。听这个人的声音令我疯狂。我不愿意我的女儿，在这种不断咆叫的环境下跳舞。我不愿意她在你这种目光注视之下跳舞。简单地说一句，我不让她跳舞。
希律王︰不要忙着站起来，我的妻子，我的王后，这对妳毫无益处。除非让她跳完，我不会让妳进去里头。跳吧，莎乐美，为我跳舞。
希罗底︰不要跳，我的女儿。
莎乐美︰我准备好了，陛下。
〔莎乐美跳着七层纱之舞。〕
希律王︰啊！太美了！太美了！妳看她为我跳舞，妳的女儿。过来这儿，莎乐美，过来，我会给妳任何希望的赏赐。啊！我对舞者的赏赐丰厚。我要重重地赏赐妳。我会给妳任何想要的东西。妳想要什么？说吧。
莎乐美〔下跪〕︰我希望现在能给我一个银制的盘子，里头装着……
希律王〔笑〕︰银制盘子？当然，银制盘子。她太迷人了，不是吗？妳希望盘子里头装着什么？噢，甜美可爱的莎乐美，妳比所有犹太王国的女儿更美丽。妳希望银制盘子里头装了什么东西给妳？告诉我。无论妳的愿望为何，我都会给妳。我的宝物属于妳。妳要什么，莎乐美？
莎乐美〔站起〕︰约翰的头。
希罗底︰啊！说的好，我的女儿。
HEROD
Even to the half of my kingdom. Thou wilt be passing fair as a queen, Salome, if it please thee to ask for the half of my kingdom. Will she
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not be fair as a queen? Ah! it is cold here! There is an icy wind, and I hear . . . wherefore do I hear in the air this beating of wings? Ah! one might fancy a huge black bird that hovers over the terrace. Why can I not see it, this bird? The beat of its wings is terrible. The breath of the wind of its wings is terrible. It is a chill wind. Nay, but it is not cold, it is hot. I am choking. Pour water on my hands. Give me snow to eat. Loosen my mantle. Quick! quick! loosen my mantle. Nay, but leave it. It is my garland that hurts me, my garland of roses. The flowers are like fire. They have burned my forehead. [He tears the wreath from his head, and throws it on the table.]
Ah! I can breathe now. How red those petals are! They are like stains of blood on the cloth. That does not matter. It is not wise to find symbols in everything that one sees. It makes life too full of terrors. It were better to say that stains of blood are as lovely as rose-petals. It were better far to say that . . . . But we will not speak of this. Now I am happy. I am passing happy. Have I not the right to be happy? Your daughter is going to dance for me. Wilt thou not dance for me, Salome? Thou hast promised to dance for me.
HERODIAS
I will not have her dance.
SALOME
I will dance for you, Tetrarch.
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HEROD
You hear what your daughter says. She is going to dance for me. Thou doest well to dance for me, Salome. And when thou hast danced for me, forget not to ask of me whatsoever thou hast a mind to ask. Whatsoever thou shalt desire I will give it thee, even to the half of my kingdom. I have sworn it, have I not?
SALOME
Thou hast sworn it, Tetrarch.
HEROD
And I have never failed of my word. I am not of those who break their oaths. I know not how to lie. I am the slave of my word, and my word is the word of a king. The King of Cappadocia had ever a lying tongue, but he is no true king. He is a coward. Also he owes me money that he will not repay. He has even insulted my ambassadors. He has spoken words that were wounding. But C?sar will crucify him when he comes to Rome. I know that C?sar will crucify him. And if he crucify him not, yet will he die, being eaten of worms. The prophet has prophesied it. Well! Wherefore dost thou tarry, Salome?
SALOME
I am waiting until my slaves bring perfumes to me and the seven veils, and take from off my feet my sandals. [Slaves bring perfumes and the seven veils, and take off the sandals of Salome.]
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HEROD
Ah, thou art to dance with naked feet! Tis well! Tis well! Thy little feet will be like white doves. They will be like little white flowers that dance upon the trees . . . . No, no, she is going to dance on blood! There is blood spilt on the ground. She must not dance on blood. It were an evil omen.
HERODIAS
What is it to thee if she dance on blood? Thou hast waded deep enough in it . . . . .
HEROD
What is it to me? Ah! look at the moon! She has become red. She has become red as blood. Ah! the prophet prophesied truly. He prophesied that the moon would become as blood. Did he not prophesy it? All of ye heard him prophesying it. And now the moon has become as blood. Do ye not see it?
HERODIAS
Oh, yes, I see it well, and the stars are falling like unripe figs, are they not? and the sun is becoming black like sackcloth of hair, and the kings of the earth are afraid. That at least one can see. The prophet is justified of his words in that at least, for truly the kings of the earth are afraid . . . . Let us go within. You are sick. They will say at Rome that you are mad. Let us go within, I tell you.
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THE VOICE OF IOKANAAN
Who is this who cometh from Edom, who is this who cometh from Bozra, whose raiment is dyed with purple, who shineth in the beauty of his garments, who walketh mighty in his greatness? Wherefore is thy raiment stained with scarlet?
HERODIAS
Let us go within. The voice of that man maddens me. I will not have my daughter dance while he is continually crying out. I will not have her dance while you look at her in this fashion. In a word, I will not have her dance.
HEROD
Do not rise, my wife, my queen, it will avail thee nothing. I will not go within till she hath danced. Dance, Salome, dance for me.
HERODIAS
Do not dance, my daughter.
SALOME
I am ready, Tetrarch.
HEROD
[Salome dances the dance of the seven veils.]
Ah! wonderful! wonderful! You see that she has danced for me, your daughter. Come near, Salome, come near, that I may give thee thy fee. Ah! I pay a royal price to those who dance
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for my pleasure. I will pay thee royally. I will give thee whatsoever thy soul desireth. What wouldst thou have? Speak.
SALOME
[Kneeling.]
I would that they presently bring me in a silver charger . .
HEROD
[Laughing.]
In a silver charger? Surely yes, in a silver charger. She is charming, is she not? What is it that thou wouldst have in a silver charger, O sweet and fair Salome, thou that art fairer than all the daughters of Jud?a? What wouldst thou have them bring thee in a silver charger? Tell me. Whatsoever it may be, thou shalt receive it. My treasures belong to thee. What is it that thou wouldst have, Salome?
SALOME
[Rising.]
The head of Iokanaan.
HERODIAS
Ah! that is well said, my daughter.