THE KING.  Ah! that is true.  But his voice troubles me.  I do not like to hear it.

THE SERVANT.  His lungs are fattened with hunger.  Of a truth they are quite strong.

THE KING.  Well, propose a remedy to weaken them.

THE SERVANT.  A remedy, O king?

(He stops fanning.)

THE KING.  That is what I said.  A remedy—­and do not stop fanning me.  I am exceedingly warm.

THE SERVANT (fanning vigorously).  A crust of bread, O king, dropped from yonder window—­forsooth that might prove a remedy.

THE KING (angrily).  I have said I will not give him a crust of bread.  If I gave him a crust to-day he would be just as hungry again to-morrow, and my troubles would be as great as before.

THE SERVANT.  That is true, O king.  Thy mind is surely filled with great learning.

THE KING.  Therefore, some other remedy must be found.

THE SERVANT.  O king, the words of thy illustrious mouth are as very meat-balls of wisdom.

THE KING (musing).  Now let me consider.  Thou sayest he does not suffer pain—­

THE SERVANT.  Therefore he cannot be tortured.

THE KING.  And he will not die—­

THE SERVANT.  Therefore it is useless to kill him.

THE KING.  Now let me consider.  I must think of some other way.

THE SERVANT.  Perhaps a small crust of bread, O king—­

THE KING.  Ha!  I have it.  I have it.  I myself will order him to stop.

THE SERVANT (horrified).  O king!

THE KING.  Send the beggar here.

THE SERVANT.  O king!

THE KING.  Ha!  I rather fancy the fellow will stop his noise when the king commands him to.  Ha, ha, ha!

THE SERVANT.  O king, thou wilt not have a beggar brought into thy royal chamber!

THE KING (pleased with his idea).  Yea.  Go outside and tell this fellow that the king desires his presence.

THE SERVANT.  O great and illustrious king, thou wilt surely not do this thing.  Thou wilt surely not soil thy royal eyes by looking on such a filthy creature.  Thou wilt surely not contaminate thy lips by speaking to a common beggar who cries aloud in the streets for bread.

THE KING.  My ears have been soiled too much already.  Therefore go now and do as I have commanded thee.

THE SERVANT.  O great and illustrious king, thou wilt surely not—­

THE KING (roaring at him).  I said, Go! (THE SERVANT, abashed, goes out.) Forsooth, I fancy the fellow will stop his bawling when I order him to.  Forsooth, I fancy he will be pretty well frightened when he hears that the king desires his presence.  Ha, ha, ha, ha!

THE SERVANT (returning).  O king, here is the beggar.

(A shambling creature hung in filthy rags follows THE SERVANT slowly into the royal chamber.)

THE KING.  Ha!  A magnificent sight, to be sure.  Art thou the beggar who has been crying aloud in the streets for bread?