they would never permit such woes to be
borne by one small woman. But they only look at men and their horrible
wars. Why must men slay one another and make horrible war?

Ackazarpses:

I blame your enemies, Illustrious Lady, more than the gods. Why should
they trouble you who are so fair and so easily hurt by their anger? It
was but a little territory you took from them. How much better to lose
a little territory than to be unmannerly and unkind.

Queen:

O speak not of the territory. I know naught of these things. They say
my Captains took it. How should I know? O why will they be my enemies?

Ackazarpses:

You are most fair to-night, Illustrious Lady.

Queen:

I must needs be fair to-night.

Ackazarpses:

Indeed you are most fair.

Queen:

A little more perfume, Ackazarpses.

Ackazarpses:

I will tie the coloured bow more evenly.

Queen:

O they will never look at it. They will not know if it is orange or
blue. I shall weep if they do not look at it. It is a pretty bow.

Ackazarpses:

Calm yourself, lady! They will be here soon.

Queen:

Indeed I think they are very close to me now, for I feel myself
trembling.

Ackazarpses:

You must not tremble, Illustrious Lady; you must not tremble.

Queen:

They are such terrible men, Ackazarpses.

Ackazarpses:

But you must not tremble, for your raiment is now perfect; yet if you
tremble, alas! who may say how it will hang?

Queen:

They are such huge, terrible men.

Ackazarpses:

O the raiment, the raiment; you must not, you must not!

Queen:

O I cannot bear it. I cannot bear it. There is Rhadamandaspes, that
huge, fierce soldier, and the terrible Priest of Horus, and... and...
O I cannot see them, I cannot see them.

Ackazarpses:

Lady, you have invited them.

Queen:

O say I am ill, say I am sick of a fever.

Quick, quick, say I have some swift fever and cannot see them.

Ackazarpses:

Illustrious Lady----

Queen:

Quick, for I cannot bear it.

[Exit Ackazarpses.]

Queen:

O, I cannot bear to have enemies.

Ackazarpses:

Lady, they are here.

Queen:

O what shall we do?... Set this bow higher upon my head so that it
must be seen. [Ackazarpses does so.] The pretty bow.

[She continues to look in a hand mirror. A Slave descends the
stairs. Then Rhadamandaspes and Zophernes. Rhadamandaspes and
Zophernes stop; the Slave stops lower down.]

Zophernes:

For the last time, Rhadamandaspes,