Priest of Horus: 

Illustrious Lady, the generosity of your royal heart has given the gods much joy.

Queen:  [smiles at him.]

Thank you.

Priest of Horus: 

Er... in the matter of the tribute due to Horus from all the people of
Egypt...

Queen: 

It is yours.

Priest of Horus: 

Illustrious Lady.

Queen: 

I will take none of it.  Use it how you will.

Priest of Horus: 

The gratitude of Horus shall shine on you.  My little Ackazarpses, how happy you are in having so royal a mistress.

    [His arm is round Ackazarpses’ waist:  she smiles at him.]

Queen:  [rising]

Princes and gentlemen, let us drink to the future.

Priest of Horus:  [starting suddenly]

Ah-h-h!

Queen: 

Something has troubled you, holy companion of the gods?

Priest of Horus: 

No, nothing.  Sometimes the spirit of prophecy comes on me.  It comes not often.  It seemed to come then.  I thought that one of the gods spoke to me clearly.

Queen: 

What said he?

Priest of Horus: 

I thought he said... speaking here [right ear] or just behind me... 
Drink not to the Future.  But it was nothing.

Queen: 

Will you drink then to the past?

Priest of Horus: 

O no, Illustrious Lady, for we forget the past; your good wine has made us forget the past and its quarrels.

Ackazarpses: 

Will you not drink to the present?

Priest of Horus: 

Ah, the present!  The present that places me by so lovely a lady.  I drink to the present.

Queen:  [to the others]

And we, we will drink to the future, and to forgetting—­to the forgetting of our enemies.

    [All drink; good temper comes on all.  The banquet begins “to
    go well.”]

Queen: 

Ackazarpses, they are all merry now.

Ackazarpses: 

They are all merry.

Queen: 

They are telling Ethiopian tales.

1st Duke of Ethiopia: 

...for when Winter comes the pigmies at once put themselves in readiness for war and having chosen a place for battle wait there for some days, so that the cranes when they arrive find their enemy already arrayed.  And at first they preen themselves and do not give battle, but when they are fully rested after their great journey they attack the pigmies with indescribably fury so that many are slain, but the pigmies...

Queen:  [taking her by the wrist]

Ackazarpses!  Come!

    [The Queen rises.]

Zophernes: 

Queen, you do not leave us?

Queen: 

For a little while, Prince Zophernes.

Zophernes: 

For what purpose?