nt.

SLAG My Master will yet devise a plan.

AGMAR (to the Thief) Slip away to some high place and look towards the
desert and see how long we have to devise a plan. (Exit Thief.)

SLAG My Master will devise a plan.

OOGNO He has taken us into a trap.

THAHN His wisdom is our doom.

SLAG He will find a wise plan yet. (Re-enter Thief.)

THIEF It is too late.

AGMAR It is too late?

THIEF The dromedary men are here.

OOGNO We are lost.

AGMAR Be silent! I must think. (They all sit still. Citizens enter and
prostrate themselves. Agmar sits deep in thought.)

ILLANAUN (to Agmar) Two holy pilgrims have gone to your sacred
shrines, wherein you were wont to sit before you left the mountains.
(Agmar says nothing) They return even now.

AGMAR They left us here and went to find the gods. A fish once took a
journey into a far country to find the sea.

ILLANAUN Most reverend Deity, their piety is so great that they have
gone to worship even your shrines.

AGMAR I know these men that have great piety. Such men have often
prayed to me before, but their prayers are not acceptable. They little
love the gods, their only care is their piety. I know these pious
ones. They will say that the seven gods were still at Marma. So shall
they seem more pious to you all, pretending that they alone have seen
the gods. Fools shall believe them and share in their damnation.

OORANDER (to Illanaun) Hush. You anger the gods.

ILLANAUN I am not sure whom I anger.

OORANDER It may be they are the gods.

ILLANAUN Where are these men from Marma?

CITIZEN Here are the dromedary men, they are coming now.

ILLANAUN (to Agmar) The holy pilgrims from your shrine are come to
worship you.

AGMAR The men are doubters. How the gods hate the word! Doubt ever
contaminated virtue. Let them be cast into prison and not besmirch
your purity, (rising) Let them not enter here.

ILLANAUN But O most reverened Deity from the mountain, we also doubt,
most reverend Deity.

AGMAR You have chosen. You have chosen. And yet it is not too late.
Repent and cast these men in prison and it may not be too late. _The
gods have never wept_. And yet when they think upon damnation and the
dooms that are withering a myriad bones, then almost, were they not
divine, they _could_ weep. Be quick. Repent of your doubt.

ILLANAUN Most reverend Deity, it is a mighty doubt.

CITIZENS _Nothing has killed him! They are not the gods_!

SLAG (to Agmar) You have a plan