scarcely noticed them._

MELIFLOR: See how they waste the hours.

XIMENUNG: They have brought treasure from the Golden Hoard.

ZOON: Yes, from the Golden Hoard beyond the marshes. I went there once
with old brown Oomuz there.

MELIFLOR: Of what avail is it to come back burdened thus? Has not the
Queen more wealth than she'll ever need?

MOOMOOMON: Aye, the Queen needs nothing more.

ZOON: How can we know that?

MOMOOMON: Why not?

ZOON: The Queen obeys old impulses. Her sires are dead. Who knows whence
those impulses come? How can we say what they are?

MOOMOOMON: She cannot need more wealth than what is here.

MELIFLOR: No, no, she cannot.

ZOON: She needs more, for she has bidden them go again to the Golden
Hoards. Her impulses have demanded it.

MOOMOOMON: Then there is no reason in her impulses.

ZOON: They do not come from reason.

MOOMOOMON: So I said.

ZOON: They come from Fate.

MOOMOOMON: From Fate!

[_There is a hush at this._ OOMUZ _comes nearer and kneels down._

OOMUZ: Oh, Masters, Masters. If there be anything greater, greater than
the Queen, speak not of it, Masters, speak not its name.

ZOON: No, Oomuz. We need nothing greater.

OOMUZ: The name frightened me, Mighty Highness.

ZOON: Yes, yes, Oomuz; there is only the Queen.

MOOMOOMON: No, there is nothing greater than the Queen, and she has no
need of anything more than the treasure that he guards there.

OOMUZ: There is one thing more.

MOOMOOMON: More? What is that?

OOMUZ: There is one thing more. The Queen needs one thing more. This has
been told us and we know.

MOOMOOMON: What is it?

OOMUZ: How should we know that? None knows the need of the Queen.

[OOMUZ _returns to guard his heap._

ZOON: What think you, Oomuz? What think you is this need of the Queen?

[OOMUZ _shakes his head about three times._ PRINCE OF ZOON _sighs._

SEVERAL PRINCES (_together wearily_): Heigho.

MELIFOR: Take comfort in our heritage, illustrious comrades. Come! We
will drink to the sun.

SOME: To the sun! To the sun! (_They drink._)

MELIFLOR: To the golden idle hours! (_He drinks._) Let us be worthy,
glorious companions, of our exalted calling. Let us enjoy the days of
idleness. Sing to us, mighty one of Zoon, as the idle hours go by. Sing
us a song.

MOOMOOMON (_idly_): Yes, sing to us.

ZOON: As you all know, I can but hum. But I will hum you a song that I
heard yesterday; very strange it was; sung in the meadows by two th