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THAHN When I drink Woldery wine I am afraid of nothing. THIEF They are making a pleasant banquet ready for us; they are killing lambs, and girls are there with fruits, and there is to be much Woldery wine. MLAN Never had beggars such a time. AGMAR Do any doubt us now? THIEF I do not know. MLAN When will the banquet be? THIEF When the stars come out. OOGNO Ah. It is sunset already.
SLAG It shall be spoken of, Master. OOGNO This is our thief. THIEF I could only procure you three green raiments, Master. The city is not now well supplied with them; moreover it is a very suspicious city, and without shame for the baseness of its suspicions. THIEF I could do no more, Master. I have not practised thieving all my life. AGMAR You have got something: it may serve our purpose.
THAHN I have seen the comet o' nights. ULF The gods are drowsy. OOGNO If they awake not soon and make this city worthy again of our order, I for one shall forsake the calling and buy a shop and sit at ease in the shade and barter for gain. THAHN You will keep a shop? Agmar, though poorly dressed, is tall, imperious, and older than Ulf. AGMAR Is this a beggar who speaks?
Warn me if any of the citizens approach. AGMAR We shall have all things if only we are wise at first for a little. THAHN Master, do any suspect us? AGMAR We must be very wise. THAHN But if we are not wise, Master? AGMAR Why then death may come to us ... THAHN O Master! AGMAR ... slowly. OOGNO Do they believe us, master? ONE Master, I want the god that does not eat. AGMAR I am he.
AGMAR When will they know it? THIEF Three days ago they suspected us. AGMAR More than you think suspected us, but have any dared to say so? THIEF No, Master. AGMAR Then forget your fears, my thief. THIEF Two men went on dromedaries three days ago to see if the gods were still at Marma. AGMAR They went to Marma! THIEF Yes, three days ago. OOGNO We are lost. AGMAR They went three days ago?
How long have you been thieving? THIEF I stole first when I was ten. SLAG When he was ten! AGMAR We must tear them up and divide them amongst the seven. SLAG When my Master was ten he had already had to slip by night out of two cities. AGMAR Yes, into seven pieces. ULF We will each wear a piece of it over our rags. OOGNO Yes, yes, we shall look fine.
ONE Master.... AGMAR Begone! OOGNO Ah, now we have come into our own. THAHN Now we have alms. SLAG Master! My wise Master! ULF These are the good days, the good days; and yet I have a fear. SLAG What do you fear? There is nothing to fear. No man is as wise as my Master. ULF I fear the gods whom we pretend to be. SLAG The gods? AGMAR Watch in the doorway while I eat.
OOGNO Yes, master, a poor beggar. AGMAR How long has the calling of beggary existed? OOGNO Since the building of the first city, Master. AGMAR And when has a beggar ever followed a trade? When has he ever haggled and bartered and sat in a shop? OOGNO Why, he has never done so. AGMAR Are you he that shall be first to forsake the calling? OOGNO Times are bad for the calling here.
SLAG My Master a Merchant! No, no. He is no merchant. My Master is no merchant. OOGNO I perceive that he is some lord in disguise. The gods have woken and have sent him to save us. SLAG No, no. You do not know my Master. You do not know him. THAHN Is he the Soldan's self that has come to rebuke us? SLAG There is none like my Master.
ULF Also it were well not to anger the gods. AGMAR Is not all life a beggary to the gods? Do they not see all men always begging of them and asking alms with incense, and bells, and subtle devices? OOGNO Yes, all men indeed are beggars before the gods. AGMAR Does not the mighty Soldan often sit by the agate altar in his royal temple as we sit at a street corner or by a palace gate?
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