[Enter Ichtharion]

I am sure that the prophet will betray you.  But we have spoken to the Queen.  We have told her it would be dreadful if the King were to grow angry with you, and she things she will cry all night if he is angry.

Ichtharion: 

Poor frightened brain!  How strong are little fancies!  She should be a beautiful Queen.  But she goes about white and crying, in fear of the gods.  The gods, that are no more than shadows in the moonlight.  Man’s fear rises weird and large in all this mystery and makes a shadow of himself upon the ground and Man jumps and says “the gods.”  Why they are less than shadows; we have seen shadows, we have not seen the gods.

Tharmia: 

O do not speak like that.  There used to be gods.  They overthrew Bleth dreadfully.  And if they still live on in the dark of the hills, why, they might hear your words.

Ichtharion: 

Why! you grow frightened, too.  Do not be frightened.  We will go and speak with the prophet, while you follow the Queen; be much with her, and do not let her forget that she will cry if the King should be angry with us.

Arolind: 

I am almost afraid when I am with the Queen; I do not like to be with her.

Tharmia: 

She could not hurt us; she is afraid of all things.

Arolind: 

She makes me have huge fears of prodigious things.

    [Exeunt Tharmia and Arolind.]

    [Enter Ludibras.]

Ludibras: 

The prophet is coming this way.

Ichtharion: 

Sit down.  We must speak with him.  He will betray us.

Ludibras: 

Why should the prophet betray us?

Ichtharion: 

Because the guilt of the false prophecy is not his guilt; it is ours; and the King may spare him if he tells him that.  Again, he mutters of vengeance as he walks; many have told me.

Ludibras: 

The King will not spare him even if he betrays us.  It was he that spoke the false prophecy to the King.

Ichtharion: 

The King does not in his heart believe in the gods.  It is for cheating him that the prophet is to die.  But if he knows we had planned it——­

Ludibras: 

What can we say to the prophet?

Ichtharion: 

Why, we can say nothing.  But we can learn what he will do from what he says to us.

Ludibras: 

Here he is.  We must remember everything that he says.

Ichtharion: 

Watch his eyes.

    [Enter the Prophet, his eyes concealed by his cloak.]

Ichtharion and Ludibras: 

The gods are good.

Voice-of-the-Gods: 

They are benignant.

Ichtharion: 

I am much to blame.  I am very much to blame.

Ludibras: 

We trust that the King will relent.

Ichtharion: