KING ARGIMENES Ah. (a pause.) Zarb. (a pause) Would the slaves follow me if I tried to kill the guards?

ZARB No, Argimenes.

KING ARGIMENES Why would they not follow me?

ZARB Because you look like a slave.  They will never follow a slave, because they are slaves themselves, and know how mean a creature is a slave.  If you looked like a king they would follow you.

KING ARGIMENES But I am a king.  They know that I am a king.

ZARB It is better to look like a king.  It is looks that they would go by.

KING ARGIMENES If I had a sword would they follow me?  A beautiful huge sword of bronze.

ZARB I wish I could think of things like that.  It is because you were once a king that you can think of a sword of bronze.  I tried to hope once that I should some day fight the guards, but I couldn’t picture a sword, I couldn’t imagine it; I could only picture whips.

KING ARGIMENES Dig a little nearer, Zarb. (They both edge closer.) I have found a very old sword in the earth.  It is not a sword such as common soldiers wear.  A king must have worn it, and an angry king.  It must have done fearful things; there are little dints in it.  Perhaps there was a battle here long ago where all were slain, and perhaps that king died last and buried his sword, but the great birds swallowed him.

ZARB You have been thinking too much of the King’s dog, Argimenes, and that has made you hungry, and hunger has driven you mad.

KING ARGIMENES I have found such a sword. (A pause.)

ZARB Why—­then you will wear a purple cloak again, and sit on a great throne, and ride a prancing horse, and we shall call you Majesty.

KING ARGIMENES I shall break a long fast first and drink much water, and sleep.  But will the slaves follow me?

ZARB You will make them follow you if you have a sword.  Yet is Illuriel a very potent god.  They say that none have prevailed against King Darniak’s dynasty so long as Illuriel stood.  Once an enemy cast Illuriel into the river and overthrew the dynasty, but a fisherman found him again and set him up, and the enemy was driven out and the dynasty returned.

KING ARGIMENES If Illuriel could be cast down as my god was cast down perhaps King Darniak could be overcome as I was overcome in my sleep?

ZARB If Illuriel were cast down all the people would utter a cry and flee away.  It would be a fearful portent.

KING ARGIMENES How many men are there in the armoury at the palace?

ZARB There are ten men in the palace armoury when all the slave-guards are out. (They dig awhile in silence.)

ZARB The officer of the slave-guard has gone away—­they are playing with dice now. (Zarb throws down his spade and stretches his arms)—­The man with the big beard has won again, he is very nimble with his thumbs—­They are playing again, but it is getting dark, I cannot clearly see.