Five Plays Part 12

Two holy pilgrims have gone to your sacred shrines, wherein you were wont to sit before you left the mountains. (_Agmar says nothing_) They return even now.

AGMAR

They left us here and went to find the G.o.ds? A fish once took a journey into a far country to find the sea.

ILLANAUN

Most reverend deity, their piety is so great that they have gone to wors.h.i.+p even your shrines.

AGMAR

I know these men that have great piety. Such men have often prayed to me before, but their prayers are not acceptable. They little love the G.o.ds; their only care is their piety. I know these pious ones. They will say that the seven G.o.ds were still at Marma. They will lie and say that we were still at Marma. So shall they seem more pious to you all, pretending that they alone have seen the G.o.ds. Fools shall believe them and share in their d.a.m.nation.

OORANDER (_to Illanaun_)

Hus.h.!.+ You anger the G.o.ds.

ILLANAUN

I am not sure whom I anger.

OORANDER

It may be they are the G.o.ds.

ILLANAUN

Where are these men from Marma?

CITIZEN

Here are the dromedary men; they are coming now.

ILLANAUN (_to Agmar_)

The holy pilgrims from your shrine are come to wors.h.i.+p you.

AGMAR

The men are doubters. How the G.o.ds hate the word! Doubt ever contaminated virtue. Let them be cast into prison and not besmirch your purity. (_Rising_) Let them not enter here.

ILLANAUN

But oh, most reverend deity from the Mountain, we also doubt, most reverend deity.

AGMAR

You have chosen. You have chosen. And yet it is not too late. Repent and cast these men in prison and it may not be too late. _The G.o.ds have never wept._ And yet when they think upon d.a.m.nation and the dooms that are withering a myriad bones, then almost, were they not divine, they could weep. Be quick! Repent of your doubt.

[_Enter the Dromedary Men._

ILLANAUN

Most reverend deity, it is a mighty doubt.

CITIZENS

_Nothing has killed him! They are not the G.o.ds!_

SLAG (_to Agmar_)

You have a plan, my master. You have a plan.

AGMAR

Not yet, Slag.

ILLANAUN (_to Oorander_)

These are the men that went to the shrines at Marma.

OORANDER (_in a loud, clear voice_)

Were the G.o.ds of the Mountain seated still at Marma, or were they not there?

[_The beggars get up hurriedly from their thrones._

DROMEDARY MAN

They were not there.

ILLANAUN

They were not there?

DROMEDARY MAN

Their shrines were empty.

OORANDER

Behold the G.o.ds of the Mountain!

AKMOS

They have indeed come from Marma.

OORANDER