First Spy: {runs forward to the King and kneels, abasing his forehead to the floor}
Something has written on the iron door.
Chamberlain:
On the iron door!
King:
Some fool has done it. Who has been here since yesterday?
First Sentry: {shifts his hand a little higher on his spear, brings the spear to his side and closes his heels all in one motion; he then takes one pace backward with his right foot; then he kneels on his right knee; when he has done these he speaks, but not before}
Nobody, Majesty, but a stranger from Thessaly.
King:
Did he touch the iron door?
First Sentry:
No, Majesty; he tried to, but we drove him away.
King:
How near did he come?
First Sentry:
Nearly to our spears, Majesty.
King:
What was his motive in seeking to touch the iron door?
First Sentry:
I do not know, Majesty.
King:
Which way did he go?
First Sentry: {pointing left}
That way, Majesty, an hour ago.
{The King whispers with one of his Spies, who stoops and examines the ground and steals away. The Sentry rises.}
King: {to his two remaining Spies}
What does this writing say?
A Spy:
We cannot read, Majesty.
King:
A good spy should know everything.
Second Spy:
We watch, Majesty, and we search out, Majesty. We read shadows, and we read footprints, and whispers in secret places. But we do not read writing.
King: {to the Chamberlain}
See what it is.
Chamberlain: {goes up and reads}
It is treason, Majesty.
King:
Read it.
Chamberlain:
I saw a purple bird
Go up against the sky
And it went up and up
And round about did fly.
I saw it die.
First Sentry: {aside}
The stars have spoken.
King: {to the Sentry}
Has anyone been here but the stranger from Thessaly?
Sentry: {kneeling as before}
Nobody, Majesty.
King:
You saw nothing?
First Sentry:
Nothing but a dog far out upon the plain and the children of the guard at play.
King: {to the Second Sentry}
And you?
Second Sentry: {kneeling}
Nothing, Majesty.
Chamberlain:
That is strange.
King:
It is some secret warning.
Chamberlain:
It is treason.
King:
It is from the stars.
Chamberlain:
No, no, Majesty. Not from the stars, not from the stars. Some man has done it. Yet the thing should be interpreted. Shall I send for the prophets of the stars?
{The King beckons to his Spies. They run up to him.}
King:
Find me some prophet of the stars. {Exeunt Spies} I fear that we may go no more, my chamberlain, along the winding ways of unequalled Zericon, nor play dahoori with the golden balls. I have thought more of my people than of the stars and more of Zericon than of windy Heaven.
Chamberlain:
Believe me, Majesty, some idle man has written it and passed by. Your spies shall find him, and then his name will be soon forgotten.
King:
Yes, yes. Perhaps you are right, though the sentries saw no one. No doubt some beggar did it.
Chamberlain:
Yes, Majesty, some beggar has surely done it. But look, here come two prophets of the stars. They shall tell us that this is idle.
{Enter two Prophets and a Boy attending them. All bow deeply to the King. The two Spies steal in again and stand at back.}
King:
Some beggar has written a rhyme on the iron gate, and as the ways of rhyme are known to you I desired you, rather as poets than as prophets, to say whether there was any meaning in it.
Chamberlain:
'Tis but an idle rhyme.
First Prophet: {bows again and goes up to the door. He glances at the writing}
Come hither, servant of those that serve the stars.
{Attendant approaches.}
First Prophet:
Bring hither our golden cloaks, for this may be a matter for rejoicing; and bring our green cloaks also, for this may tell of young new beautiful things with which the stars will one day gladden the King; and bring our black cloaks also, for it may be a doom. {Exit the Boy; the Prophet goes up to the door and reads solemnly} The stars have spoken.
King:
I tell you that some beggar has written this.
First Prophet:
It is written in pure gold. {He dons the black cloak over body and head}
King:
What do the stars mean? What warning is it?
First Prophet:
I cannot say.
King: {to Second Prophet}
Come you then and tell us what the warning is.
Second Prophet:
The stars have spoken. {He cloaks himself in black}
King:
What is it? What does it mean?
Second Prophet:
We do not know, but it is from the stars.
Chamberlain:
It is a harmless thing; there is no harm in it, Majesty. Why should not birds die?
King:
Why have the prophets covered themselves in black?
Chamberlain:
They are a secret people and look for inner meanings. There is no harm in it.
King:
They have covered themselves in black.
Chamberlain:
They have not spoken of any evil thing. They have not spoken of it.
King:
If the people see the prophets covered in black they will say that the stars are against me and believe that my luck has turned.
Chamberlain:
The people must not know.
King:
Some prophet must interpret to us the doom. Let the chief prophet of the stars be sent for.
Chamberlain: {going toward left exit}
Summon the chief prophet of the stars that look on Zericon.
Voices off:
The chief prophet of the stars. The chief prophet of the stars.
Chamberlain:
I have summoned the chief prophet, Majesty.
King:
If he interpret this aright I will put a necklace of turquoises round his neck with opals from the mines.
Chamberlain:
He will not fail. He is a very cunning interpreter.
King:
What if he covers himself with a huge black cloak and does not speak and goes muttering away, slowly with bended head, till our fear spreads to the sentries and they cry aloud?
Chamberlain:
This is no doom from the stars, but some idle scribe hath written it in his insolence upon the iron door, wasting his hoard of gold.