ANALYTIKOS. What's the matter?
TSUMU. Where's the King?
ANALYTIKOS. In the library.
TSUMU. I have news more precious than the gold of Midas.
ANALYTIKOS [giving her a purse]. Well! What is it?
TSUMU [speaking very dramatically and watching the effect of her
words]. The Queen has deserted Menelaus.
ANALYTIKOS [receiving the shock philosophically]. Swift are the
ways of Nature. The Gods have smiled upon him.
TSUMU. The Gods have forsaken the King to smile upon a prince.
ANALYTIKOS. What?
TSUMU. He was a prince.
ANALYTIKOS [apprehensively]. Why do you say that?
TSUMU [clutching her bosom]. I have a good reason to know.
[There is a sound of voices below in the courtyard. MENELAUS
rushes in expectantly. TSUMU falls prostrate before him.] Oh,
King, in thy bottomless agony blame not a blameless negress. The
Queen has fled!
MENELAUS [in his delight forgetting himself and flinging her a
purse]. Is it true?
TSUMU. Woe! Woe is me!
MENELAUS [storming]. Out of my sight, you eyeless Argus!
ANALYTIKOS [to TSUMU]. Quick, send a messenger. Find out who he
was.
[TSUMU sticks the third purse in her bosom and runs out.
Pages:
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120