e door. (They rush to
the door and form a cordon before it with their spears. A mob of
women-servants and nurses surges out. Those in front recoil from
the spears, screaming to those behind to keep back. Belzanor's
voice dominates the disturbance as he shouts) Back there. In again,
unprofitable cattle.

THE GUARDSMEN. Back, unprofitable cattle.

BELZANOR. Send us out Ftatateeta, the Queen's chief nurse.

THE WOMEN (calling into the palace). Ftatateeta, Ftatateeta. Come, come.
Speak to Belzanor.

A WOMAN. Oh, keep back. You are thrusting me on the spearheads.

A huge grim woman, her face covered with a network of tiny wrinkles, and
her eyes old, large, and wise; sinewy handed, very tall, very strong;
with the mouth of a bloodhound and the jaws of a bulldog, appears on the
threshold. She is dressed like a person of consequence in the palace,
and confronts the guardsmen insolently.

FTATATEETA. Make way for the Queen's chief nurse.

BELZANOR. (with solemn arrogance). Ftatateeta: I am Belzanor, the
captain of the Queen's guard, descended from the gods.

FTATATEETA. (retorting his arrogance with interest). Belzanor: I am
Ftatateeta, the Queen's chief nurse; and your divine ancestors were
proud to be painted on the wall in the pyramids of the kings whom my
fathers served.

The women laugh triumphantly.

BELZANOR (with grim humor) Ftatateeta: daughter of a long-tongued,
swivel-eyed chameleon, the Romans are at hand. (A cry of terror from the
women: they would fly but for the spears.) Not even the descendants
of the gods can resist them; for they have each man seven arms, each
carrying seven spears. The blood in their veins is boiling quicksilver;
and their wives become mothers in three hours, and are slain and eaten
the next day.

A shudder of horror from the women. Ftatateeta, despising them and
scorning the soldiers, pushes her way through the crowd and confronts
the spear points undismayed.

FTATATEETA. Then fly and save yourselves, O cowardly sons of the cheap
clay gods that are sold to fish porters; and leave us to shift for
ourselves.

BELZANOR. Not until you have first done our bidding, O terror of
manhood. Bring out Cleopatra the Queen to us and then go whither you
will.

FTATATEETA (with a derisive laugh). Now I know why the gods have taken
her out of our hands. (The guardsmen start and look at one another).
Know, thou foolish soldier, that the Queen has been missing since an
hour past sun down.