[With great kindliness.]
Young, growing creatures, full of living’s joy,
O be not hard on them!
The Centurion.
Said Solomon,
The vine-rod spare, the birch-twig spare, and spoil
The schoolboy and the Christian! Mark you, so
Said Solomon! [He stalks off with great majesty.]
[The Overseer and The Slaves now return. The former, by gesture, indicates that the work of quarrying is to be resumed. The Young Slave gives one blow to the side of the rock, then throws down his tools.]
The Young Slave.