HOLOFERNES (gratefully). Hear me, Judith. Thy god shall be my god.
JUDITH. In truth thou art set apart to be his. HOLOFERNES (close to her). Thy body trembles.
JUDITH (smiling). Thinkst thou then that I was not afraid for thee? But my fear is gone from me, for now I know thy fate and the decree of heaven concerning thee.
HOLOFERNES (aside). To-morrow is appointed for my triumph, but this night also shall I exult. (To Judith.) Let us eat and drink together, for we are alone in the night, and thou hast promised.
JUDITH (gaily). Let us feast.
HOLOFERNES (animated by her responsive tone). Take off thy tunic; thou art in thy own house. Let Holofernes be thy tire-woman. (Approaching her.)
JUDITH. No! (Moving from him to the further side of the couch.) But he shall be my slave to serve me. Pour out the wine, great slave.
(While Holofernes cheerfully obeys, Judith takes the knife from her garments and places it behind the couch. Then, as he stands with the wine, gazing at her and separated from her only by the couch, she slowly removes her tunic and appears in indoor attire. She comes towards him and takes the wine from him and drinks.)
HOLOFERNES. I feared that in the strictness of thy Hebrew scruples thou wouldst not drink of my wine.
JUDITH. I will drink again. (She does so.)