Page:Joseph and His Brethren A Pageant Play.djvu/55

JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN

[At a sign from Heru, the warriors form a line holding the Brothers back]

Heru [To Judah] Hold thy peace! Ho, slaves, strip him!

[The Slaves tear off the coat of many colors. Joseph stands as they first saw him, clad in skins]

Joseph [Calmly] Ye cannot slay me.

Heru. Can we not? [To a slave] Show him the knife.

Joseph. God will deliver me, for He is not a lying God as yours are——

Zuleika's Voice. Slay him!—I will wash my hands in his blood.

Heru [To slave] Make ready.

[The slave sharpens the knife]

Judah. See how he faces them!

Levi [Veiling his face] I cannot look upon this.

Zuleika's Voice. Wait!—I would see!

[She opens the curtains of the basourah and appears in all her loveliness]

Judah [Awed; pointing to her] Look! Look!

Zuleika. Now! [The slave raises the knife to plunge it into Joseph's throat. Joseph's eyes are turned on Zuleika. She cries] Stop!

[Heru catches the slave's arm just in time]

Zuleika [To Joseph] What is thy name?

Joseph. Joseph.

Zuleika [Very musically, drawing out the syllables] Joh-seph. [To Heru] Lo! I sought a gift to bring to my lord Potiphar, and I found nought. Here is what

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