ACT I



SCENE: A Hall of Judgment in the palace of SAUL
    at Gibeah. The walls and pillars of cedar are
    richly  carven-with  serpents, pomegranates,
    and cherubim in gold. The floors are of bright
    marble; the throne of ivory hung with a lion's
    skin whose head is its footstool. On the right,
    by the throne, and on the left are doors to
    other portions of the palace; they are draped
    with woven curtains of purple and white. In
    the rear, which is open and supported on pil-
    lars, a porch crosses a court. Through the
    porch, on the environing hills, glow the camp-
    fires of the Philistines, the enemies of Israel.
    Lamps in the Hall burn low, and on the floor
    JUDITH, LEAH and ZILLA are reclining rest-
    ively.