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KING ARGIMENES If Illuriel could be cast down as my god was cast down perhaps King Darniak could be overcome as I was overcome in my sleep? ZARB If Illuriel were cast down all the people would utter a cry and flee away. It would be a fearful portent. KING ARGIMENES How many men are there in the armoury at the palace? ZARB There are ten men in the palace armoury when all the slave-guards are out.
ZARB But you are lucky to have such things in your memory as you have. I have nothing in my memory Once I went for a year without being flogged, and I remember my cleverness in contriving it I have nothing else to remember. KING ARGIMENES It is very terrible to have been a king. ZARB But we have nothing who have no good memories in the past. It is not easy for us to hope for the future here.
KING ARGIMENES How do you know? ZARB Because whenever their officer leaves them they sit upon the ground and play with dice. KING ARGIMENES How does that show that there are not another six in sight of them? ZARB How witless you are, Argimenes. Of course it shows there are not. Because, if there were, another officer would see them, and their thumbs would be cut off. KING ARGIMENES Ah.
ZARB The officer of the slave-guard has gone away they are playing with dice now. ZARB Majesty! It is not a common sword, it is some king's sword. AN OLD SLAVE Argimenes will be dreadfully flogged. We shall hear him cry all night. His cries will frighten us, and we shall not sleep. ZARB No! no! The guards flog poor slaves, but Argimenes had an angry look.
ZARB You have been thinking too much of the King's dog, Argimenes, and that has made you hungry, and hunger has driven you mad. KING ARGIMENES I have found such a sword. ZARB Why then you will wear a purple cloak again, and sit on a great throne, and ride a prancing horse, and we shall call you Majesty. KING ARGIMENES I shall break a long fast first and drink much water, and sleep.
Then he will grow thin if he does not die soon. If it had been a hurt! but we should not complain. I complain more often than you do because I had not learned to submit while I was yet young. ZARB If your beautiful memories do not please you, you should hope more. I wish I had your memories. I should not trouble to hope then. It is very hard to hope.
Then we might take the King and bind him and lay him on the ground and fasten his tongue outside his mouth with thorns and put honey on it and sprinkle honey near. Then the grey ants would come from one of their big mounds. My father found gold once when he was digging. ZARB No. Because the King's Overseer found him looking at the gold and killed him.
KING ARGIMENES Once there were other songs. Has this no name? ZARB I think the soldiers have a name for it. KING ARGIMENES What do the soldiers call it? ZARB The soldiers call it the tear-song, the chaunt of the low-born. KING ARGIMENES It is a good song. I could sing no other now. It is of no use here. Suddenly he drops on his knees and works excitedly in the earth with his hands.
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