no, my love, the thing is cold, dull stone,
Shaped to a certain form, but still dull stone,
The lifeless, senseless mockery of life.
The gods make life, I can make only death!
Why, my Cynisca, though I stand so well,
The merest cut-throat, when he plies his trade,
Makes better death than I with all my skill!

CYN. Hush, my Pygmalion! the gods are good,
And they have made thee nearer unto them
Than other men; this is ingratitude!

PYG. Not so; has not a monarch's second son
More cause for anger that he lacks a throne
Than he whose lot is cast in slavery?

CYN. Not much more cause, perhaps, but more excuse.
Now I must go.

PYG. So soon, and for so long?

CYN. One day, 'twill quickly pass away!

PYG. With those who measure time, by almanacs, no doubt,
But not with him who knows no days save those
Born of the sunlight of Cynisca's eyes;
It will be night with me till she returns.

CYN. Then sleep it through, Pygmalion! But stay,
Thou shalt not pass the weary hours alone;
Now mark thou this--while I'm away from thee,
There stands my only representative; [_Withdrawing curtains._
She is my proxy, and I charge you, sir,
Be faithful unto her as unto me!
Into her quietly attentive ear
Pour all thy treasures of hyperbole,
And give thy nimble tongue full license, lest
Disuse should rust its glib machinery; [_Advancing._
If thoughts of love should haply crowd on thee,
There stands my other self, tell them to her,
She'll listen well; nay, that's ungenerous,
For she is I, yet lovelier than I,
And hath no temper, sir, and hath no tongue;
Thou hast thy license--make good use of it.
Already I'm half jealous--there!

[_Draws curtain concealing statue._

It's gone.
The thing is but a statue after all,
And I am safe in leaving thee with her;
Farewell, Pygmalion, till I return. [_Exit._

PYG. "The thing is but a statue after all!"
Cynisca little thought that in those words
She touched the key-note of my discontent.
True, I have powers denied to other men;
Give me a block of senseless marble--Well,
I'm a magician, and it rests with me
To say what ke