There have been doubters of late. Are they satisfied?
MAN
Master, they are terrified. Spare us, master.
AGMAR
It is wrong to doubt. Go and be faithful.
[_Exit Man._
SLAG
What have they seen, master?
AGMAR
They have seen their own fears dancing in the desert. They have seen something green after the light was gone, and some child has told them a tale that it was us. I do not know what they have seen. What should they have seen?
ULF
Something was coming this way from the desert, he said.
SLAG
What should come from the desert?
AGMAR
They are a foolish people.
ULF
That man"s white face has seen some frightful thing.
SLAG
A frightful thing?
ULF
That man"s face has been near to some frightful thing.
AGMAR
It is only we that have frightened them and their fears have made them foolish.
[_Enter an Attendant with a torch or lantern which he places in a receptacle. Exit._
THAHN
Now we shall see the faces of the girls when they come to the banquet.
MLAN
Never had beggars such a time.
AGMAR
Hark! They are coming. I hear footsteps.
THAHN
The dancing girls! They are coming!
THIEF
There is no sound of flutes, they said they would come with music.
OOGNO
What heavy boots they have; they sound like feet of stone.
THAHN
I do not like to hear their heavy tread. Those that would dance to _us_ must be light of foot.
AGMAR
I shall not smile at them if they are not airy.
MLAN
They are coming very slowly. They should come nimbly to us.
THAHN
They should dance as they come. But the footfall is like the footfall of heavy crabs.
ULF (_in a loud voice, almost chanting_)
I have a fear, an old fear and a boding. We have done ill in the sight of the seven G.o.ds. Beggars we were and beggars we should have remained.
We have given up our calling and come in sight of our doom. I will no longer let my fear be silent; it shall run about and cry; it shall go from me crying, like a dog from out of a doomed city; for my fear has seen calamity and has known an evil thing.
SLAG (_hoa.r.s.ely_)
Master!
AGMAR (_rising_)