A PLAY IN THREE ACTS
Founded on the apocryphal book of "Judith"
BY
ARNOLD BENNETT
LONDON
1919
First published April 30, 1919
NOTE
This play was presented for the first time at the Devonshire ParkTheatre, Eastbourne, on Monday, April 7th, 1919, with the followingcast:
| Judith | LILLAH MCCARTHY |
| Haggith | ESMÉ HUBBARD |
| Rahel | MADGE MURRAY |
| Ozias | CAMPBELL GULLAN |
| Holofernes | CLAUDE KING |
| Bagoas | ERNEST THESIGER |
| Achior | GEOFFREY DOUGLAS |
| Chabris | E.H. PATERSON |
| Charmis | FEWLASS LLEWELLYN |
| Ingur | FREDERICK VOLPE |
| Messenger | FELIX AYLMER |
| Soldier | CLIFFORD MOLLISON |
| Attendant | EDWIN OXLEE |
The play was produced by WILFRED EATON
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
A street in the city of Bethulia
.
SCENE I. The valley near the Assyrian camp. Time, morning; two days later.
SCENE II. The tent of Holofernes. Time, later, the same morning.
SCENE III. The same. Time, the same night.
SCENE I. Same as Act I. Time, later, the same night.
SCENE II.The same. Time, the next day.
A street in the city of Bethulia in Judea. Bethulia is in the hillcountry, overlooking the great plain of Jezreel to the south-west. Back,the gates of the city, hiding the view of the plain. Right, Judith'shouse, with a tent on the roof. Left, houses. The street turns abruptly,back left, along the wall of the city. Left centre, a built-upvantage-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 hisgarments). Old man! It is years since I saw you. How came you past theguard, 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