Thou shalt not go down. Not thou. For my soul is thirsty. Teach me, master.
JOHN
What shall I teach thee?
SALOME
See, I am pious by nature, and I have a longing for salvation.... What thou givest to the humblest by the highway, give also to me. Let me sit at thy feet. I will be pious. Yea, I will. And if I touch thy hairy shirt, then be not frightened. I mean thee no harm.
JOHN
Why shouldst thou mean me harm, young virgin?
SALOME
Who can say ... if thou shouldst reject me! No one knows how powerful I am to-day. When I stretch my limbs [she spreads out her arms] it seems to me as if I carried the whole world like this ... only to hug it to my heart.
JOHN