No More Learning

--
I now with fires of uproarious heat,
Exclaiming yellow flames and towering splendour
And a huge fragrant smoke of precious woods,
Must build against thy overlooking, Stars,
And against thy terrible eternal news
Of Beauty that burns quietly and pure,
A lodge of wild extravagant earthly fire;
Even as under passions of fleshly pleasure
I hide myself from my desiring soul.

[_Enter Guards with_ JUDITH.

_Guard_ 1.

We found this woman wandering in the trenches,
And calling out, "Take me to Holofernes,
Assyrians, I am come for Holofernes. "

_Guard_ 2.

She would not, for no words of ours, unveil,
And something held us back from handling her.

_Guard_ 1.

We think she must be beautiful, although
She is so stubborn with that veil of hers.

_Guard_ 2.

We minded my lord's word, that he be shewn
All the seized women which are strangely fair.

_Holofernes_.
Take off thy veil.

_Judith_.
I will not.

_Holofernes_.
Take thy veil
From off thy face, Jewess, or thou straight goest
To entertain my soldiers.

_Judith_.
I will not.

_Holofernes_.
Am I to tear it, then?

_Judith_.
My lord, thou durst not.

_Holofernes_.
Ha, there is spirit here. I have the whim,
Jewess, almost to believe thee: I dare not!
But tell me who thou art.

_Judith_.
That shalt thou know
Before the night has end.

_Holofernes_.
Take off thy veil.

_Judith_.