Chapter I: Front Matter

WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR

_NOVELS_

A MAN FROM THE NORTH ANNA OF THE FIVE TOWNS LEONORA A GREAT MAN SACRED AND PROFANE LOVE WHOM GOD HATH JOINED BURIED ALIVE THE OLD WIVES' TALE THE GLIMPSE THE ROLL CALL HELEN WITH THE HIGH HAND CLAYHANGER HILDA LESSWAYS THE CARD THE REGENT THE PRICE OF LOVE THESE TWAIN THE LION'S SHARE THE PRETTY LADY

_FANTASIES_

THE GRAND BABYLON HOTEL THE GATES OF WRATH THERESA OF WATLING STREET THE LOOT OF CITIES HUGO THE GHOST THE CITY OF PLEASURE

_SHORT STORIES_

TALES OF THE FIVE TOWNS THE GRIM SMILE OF THE FIVE TOWNS THE MATADOR OF THE FIVE TOWNS

_BELLES-LETTRES_

JOURNALISM FOR WOMEN FAME AND FICTION HOW TO BECOME AN AUTHOR THE TRUTH ABOUT AN AUTHOR MENTAL EFFICIENCY HOW TO LIVE ON TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY THE HUMAN MACHINE LITERARY TASTE FRIENDSHIP AND HAPPINESS THOSE UNITED STATES PARIS NIGHTS MARRIED LIFE LIBERTY OVER THERE: WAR SCENES THE AUTHORS CRAFT BOOKS AND PERSONS SELF AND SELF-MANAGEMENT

_DRAMA_

POLITE FARCES CUPID AND COMMONSENSE WHAT THE PUBLIC WANTS THE HONEYMOON THE TITLE THE GREAT ADVENTURE MILESTONES (In Collaboration with Edward Knoblock)

_In Collaboration with Eden Phillpotts_

THE SINEWS OF WAR: A ROMANCE THE STATUE: A ROMANCE

*JUDITH*

A PLAY IN THREE ACTS

_Founded on the apocryphal book of "Judith"_

BY

ARNOLD BENNETT

LONDON

1919

_First published April 30, 1919_

NOTE

This play was presented for the first time at the Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne, on Monday, April 7th, 1919, with the following cast:

Judith LILLAH MCCARTHY Haggith ESMÉ HUBBARD Rahel MADGE MURRAY Ozias CAMPBELL GULLAN Holofernes CLAUDE KING Bagoas ERNEST THESIGER Achior GEOFFREY DOUGLAS Chabris E.H. PATERSON Charmis FEWLASS LLEWELLYN Ingur FREDERICK VOLPE Messenger FELIX AYLMER Soldier CLIFFORD MOLLISON Attendant EDWIN OXLEE

The play was produced by WILFRED EATON

CHARACTERS

_Hebrews_

JUDITH HAGGITH, her waiting-woman RAHEL OZIAS, Governor of Bethulia CHABRIS, an elder CHARMIS, an elder A SOLDIER A MESSENGER

_Assyrians_

HOLOFERNES, General of the Assyrian armies BAGOAS, his chief eunuch ACHIOR, a captain INGUR, a soldier AN ATTENDANT ON BAGOAS

ACT I

_A street in the city of Bethulia_.

ACT II

SCENE I. _The valley near the Assyrian camp. Time, morning; two days later_.

SCENE II. _The tent of Holofernes. Time, later, the same morning_.

SCENE III. _The same. Time, the same night_.

ACT III

SCENE I. _Same as Act I. Time, later, the same night._

SCENE II. _The same. Time, the next day_.