Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 5).djvu/355

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[In a loud voice.] Cursed be thou, Julianus Apostata! Cursed be thou, Emperor Julian! God the Lord hath spat thee forth out of his mouth! Cursed be thine eyes and thy hands! Cursed be thy head and all thy doings! Woe, woe, woe to the apostate! Woe, woe, woe  [''A hollow rumbling noise is heard. The roof and columns of the temple totter, and are seen to collapse with a thundering crash, while the whole building is wrapped in a cloud of dust. The multitude utter shrieks of terror; many flee, others fall to the ground. There is breathless stillness for a while. Little by little the cloud of dust settles, and the temple of Apollo is seen in ruins.''

[''Whose two conductors have fled, stands alone, and says softly.''] God has spoken.

[Pale, and in a low voice.] Apollo has spoken. His temple was polluted: therefore he crushed it.

And I tell you it was that Lord who laid the temple of Jerusalem in ruins.

If it be so, then the churches of the Galilean shall be closed, and his priests shall be driven with scourges to raise up that temple anew.