The Throne Hall of King Darniak. The King is seated on his throne in the centre at the back of the stage; a little to his left, but standing out from the wall, a dark-green seated idol is set up. His Queens are seated about him on the ground, two on his right and two between him and the idol. All wear crowns. Beside the dark-green idol a soldier with a pike is kneeling upon one knee. The tear-song, the chant of the low-born, drifts faintly up from the slave-fields.
FIRST QUEEN
Do show us the new prophet, Majesty; it would be very interesting to see another prophet.
THE KING
Ah, yes.
[He strikes upon a gong, and an Attendant enters, walks straight past the King and bows before the idol; he then walks back to the centre of the stage and bows before the King.
THE KING
Bring the new prophet hither.
[Exit Attendant. Enter the King’s Overseer holding a roll of paper. He passes the King, bows to the idol, returns to the front of the King, kneels, and remains kneeling with bended head.
THE KING (speaking in the meanwhile to the Second Queen on his immediate right)
We are making a beautiful arbor for you, O Atharlia, at an end of the great garden. There shall be iris-flowers that you love and all things that grow by streams. And the stream there shall be small and winding like one of those in your country. I shall bring a stream a new way from the mountains. (Turning to Queen Oxara on his extreme right) And for you, too, O Oxara, we shall make a pleasance. I shall have rocks brought from the quarries for you, and my idle slaves shall make a hill and plant it with mountain shrubs, and you can sit there in the winter thinking of the North. (To the kneeling Overseer) Ah, what is here?
THE KING’S OVERSEER
The plans of your royal garden, Majesty. The slaves have dug it for five years and rolled the paths.
THE KING (takes the plans)
Was there not a garden in Babylon?
THE KING’S OVERSEER
They say there was a garden there of some sort, Majesty.
THE KING
I will have a greater garden. Let the world know and wonder. (Looks at the plans)
THE KING’S OVERSEER
It shall know at once, Majesty.
THE KING (pointing at the plan)
I do not like that hill, it is too steep.
THE KING’S OVERSEER
No, Majesty.
THE KING
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. Reënter 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.
[Enter an Attendant. He bows before the idol, then kneels to the King.
THE ATTENDANT
The guests are all assembled in the Chamber of Banquets.
[All rise. The Queens walk two abreast to the Chamber of Banquets.
QUEEN ATHARLIA (to Queen Oxara)
What was he talking about?
QUEEN OXARA
He was talking about the armies on the frontier.
QUEEN ATHARLIA
Ah! That reminds me of that young captain in the Purple Guard. They say that he loves Linoora.
QUEEN OXARA
Oh, Thearkos! Linoora probably said that.
[When the Queens come to the doorway they halt on each side of it. Then they turn facing one another. Then the King leaves his throne and passes between them into the Chamber of Banquets, each couple courtseying low to him as he passes. The Queens follow, then the attendants. There rises the wine-song, the chant of the nobles, drowning the chant of the low-born. Only the Idol-Guard remains behind, still kneeling beside Illuriel.
THE IDOL-GUARD
I do not like those things the Prophet said — It would be terrible if they were true — It would be very terrible if they were false, for he prophesies in the name of Illuriel — Ah! They are singing the wine-song, the chant of the nobles. The Queens are singing. How merry they are! — I should like to be a noble and sit and look at the Queens. (He joins in the song)
THE VOICE OF A SENTINEL
Guard, turn out. (The wine-song still continues)
THE VOICE OF ONE HAVING AUTHORITY
Turn out the guard there! Wake up, you accursed pigs!
[Still the wine-song. A faint sound as of swords.
A VOICE CRYING
To the armory! To the armory! Reinforce! The Slaves have come to the armory. Ah! mercy! (For awhile there is silence)
KING ARGIMENES (in the doorway)
Go you to the slave-fields. Say that the palace-guard is dead and that we have taken the armory. Ten of you, hold the armory till our men come from the slave-fields. (He comes into the hall with his slaves armed with swords) Throw down Illuriel.
THE IDOL-GUARD
You must take my life before you touch my god.
A SLAVE
We only want your pike.
[All attack him; they seize his sword and bind his hands behind him. They all pull down Illuriel, the dark-green idol, who breaks into seven pieces.
KING ARGIMENES
Illuriel is fallen and broken asunder.
ZARB (with some awe)
Immortal Illuriel is dead at last.
KING ARGIMENES
My god was broken into three pieces, but Illuriel is broken into seven. The fortunes of Darniak will prevail over mine no longer. (A slave breaks off a golden arm from the throne) Come, we will arm all the slaves. (Exeunt)
KING DARNIAK (enters with Retinue)
My throne is broken. Illuriel is turned against me.
AN ATTENDANT
Illuriel is fallen.
ALL (with King Darniak)
Illuriel is fallen, is fallen. (Some drop their spears)
KING DARNIAK (to the Idol-Guard)
What envious god or sacrilegious man has dared to do this thing?
THE IDOL-GUARD
Illuriel is fallen.
KING DARNIAK
Have men been here?
THE IDOL-GUARD
Is fallen.
KING DARNIAK
What way did they go?
THE IDOL-GUARD
Illuriel is fallen.
KING DARNIAK
They shall be tortured here before Illuriel, and their eyes shall be hung on a thread about his neck, so that Illuriel shall see it, and on their bones we will set him up again. Come!
[Those that have dropped their spears pick them up, but trail them along behind them on the ground. All follow dejectedly.
VOICES OF LAMENTATION (growing fainter and fainter off)
Illuriel is fallen, Illuriel is fallen. Illuriel, Illuriel, Illuriel. Is fallen. Is fallen. (The song of the low-born ceases suddenly. Then voices of the slaves in the slave-fields chanting very loudly) Illuriel is fallen, is fallen, is fallen. Illuriel is fallen and broken asunder. Illuriel is fallen, fallen, fallen.
[Clamor of fighting is heard, the clash of swords, and voices, and now and then the name of Illuriel.
THE IDOL-GUARD (kneeling over a fragment of Illuriel)
Illuriel is broken. They have overthrown Illuriel. They have done great harm to the courses of the stars. The moon will be turned to blackness or fall and forsake the nights. The sun will rise no more. They do not know how they have wrecked the world.
[Reënter King Argimenes and his men.
KING ARGIMENES (in the doorway)
Go you to the land of Ithara and tell them that I am free. And do you go to the army on the frontier. Offer them death, or the right arm of the throne to be melted and divided amongst them all. Let them choose. (The armed slaves go to the throne and stand on each side of it, loquitur) Majesty, ascend your throne. (King Argimenes, standing with his face toward the audience, lifts the sword slowly, lying on both his hands, a little above his head, then looking up at it, loquitur) Praise to the unknown warrior and to all gods that bless him. (He ascends the throne. Zarb prostrates himself at the foot of it and remains prostrated for the rest of the Act, muttering at intervals “Majesty.” An armed slave enters dragging the King’s Overseer. King Argimenes sternly watches him. He is dragged before the Throne. He still has the roll of parchment in his hand. For some moments King Argimenes does not speak. Then pointing at the parchment) What have you there?
THE KING’S OVERSEER (kneeling)
It is a plan of the great garden, Majesty. It was to have been a wonder to the world. (Unfolds it)
KING ARGIMENES (grimly)
Show me the place that I digged for three years. (The King’s Overseer shows it with trembling hands; the parchment shakes visibly) Let there be built there a temple to an Unknown Warrior. And let this sword be laid on its altar evermore, that the ghost of that Warrior wandering by night (if men do walk by night from across the grave) may see his sword again. And let slaves be allowed to pray there and those that are oppressed; nevertheless the noble and the mighty shall not fail to repair there too, that the Unknown Warrior shall not lack due reverence.
[Enter, running, a Man of the household of King Darniak. He starts and stares aghast on seeing King Argimenes.
KING ARGIMENES
Who are you?
MAN
I am the servant of the King’s dog.
KING ARGIMENES
Why do you come here?
MAN
The King’s dog is dead.
KING ARGIMENES AND HIS MEN (savagely and hungrily)
Bones!
KING ARGIMENES (remembering suddenly what has happened and where he is)
Let him be buried with the late King.
ZARB (in a voice of protest)
Majesty!
CURTAIN
It is not necessary for the prophet’s hair to be at all unusual.