Five Plays Part 30

Remove it.

THE KING'S OVERSEER

Yes, Majesty.

THE KING

When will the garden be ready for the Queens to walk in?

THE KING'S OVERSEER

Work is slow, Majesty, at this season of the year because the green stuff is scarce and the slaves grow idle. They even become insolent and ask for bones.

QUEEN CAHAFRA (_to the King's Overseer_)

Then why are they not flogged? (_To Queen Thragolind_) It is so simple, they _only_ have to flog them, but these people are so silly sometimes.

I want to walk in the great garden, and then they tell me: "It is not ready, Majesty. It is not ready, Majesty," as though there were any reason why it should _not_ be ready.

FOURTH QUEEN

Yes, they are a great trouble to us.

[_Meanwhile the King hands back the plans. Exit the King's Overseer.

Reenter Attendant with the Prophet, who is dressed in a long dark brown cloak; his face is solemn; he has a long dark beard and long hair.

Having bowed before the idol, he bows before the King and stands silent. The attendant, having bowed to both, stands by the doorway._

THE KING (_meanwhile to Queen Atharlia_)

Perhaps we shall lure the ducks when the marshes are frozen to come and swim in your stream; it will be like your own country. (_To the Prophet_) Prophesy unto us.

THE PROPHET (_speaks at once in a loud voice_)

There was once a King that had slaves to hate him and to toil for him, and he had soldiers to guard him and to die for him. And the number of the slaves that he had to hate him and to toil for him was greater than the number of the soldiers that he had to guard him and to die for him.

And the days of that King were few. And the number of thy slaves, O King, that thou hast to hate thee is greater than the number of thy soldiers.

QUEEN CAHAFRA (_to Queen Thragolind_)

--and I wore the crown with the sapphires and the big emerald in it, and the foreign prince said that I looked very sweet.

[_The King, who has been smiling at Atharlia, gives a gracious nod to the Prophet when he hears him stop speaking. When the Queens see the King nod graciously, they applaud the Prophet by idly clapping their hands._

THIRD QUEEN

Do ask him to make us another prophecy, Majesty! He is so interesting.

He looks so clever.

THE KING

Prophesy unto us.

THE PROPHET

Thine armies camped upon thy mountainous borders descry no enemy in the plains afar. And within thy gates lurks he for whom thy sentinels seek upon lonely guarded frontiers. There is a fear upon me and a boding.

Even yet there is time, even yet; but _little_ time. And my mind is dark with trouble for thy kingdom.

QUEEN CAHAFRA (_to Queen Thragolind_)

I do not like the way he does his hair.

QUEEN THRAGOLIND

It would be all right if he would only have it cut.

THE KING (_to the Prophet, dismissing him with a nod of the head_)

Thank you, that has been very interesting.

QUEEN THRAGOLIND

How clever he is! I wonder how he thinks of things like that?

QUEEN CAHAFRA

Yes, but I hate a man who is conceited about it. Look how he wears his hair.

QUEEN THRAGOLIND

Yes, of course, it is perfectly dreadful.

QUEEN CAHAFRA

Why can't he wear his hair like other people, even if he does say clever things?

QUEEN THRAGOLIND

Yes, I hate a conceited man.[1]

[Footnote 1: It is not necessary for the prophet's hair to be at all unusual.]

[_Enter an Attendant. He bows before the idol, then kneels to the King._

THE ATTENDANT

The guests are all a.s.sembled in the Chamber of Banquets.

[_All rise. The Queens walk two abreast to the Chamber of Banquets._

QUEEN ATHARLIA (_to Queen Oxara_)