SEPHINE

Waiting is so tedious. It puts me in a bad humour, and I lose my
enthusiasm.

PRINCE

Before you have quite found it, eh?

[_A gong sounds. Two stalwart men move the cart to left centre of
stage; with a click the sides of the carriage are flung open and
a stage about twelve feet wide and four feet above the ground
appears. In the back is a green curtain, ornamented with
constellations. Suddenly a grotesque figure completely hooded and
masked, attended by two small drummer boys, makes its appearance.
The figure squats upon the floor in direct centre of stage. The
drummers seat themselves beside it and all three begin to play;
the attendants upon their drums, the centre figure upon a flute.
No human part of him can be seen, save his hands which are
remarkably beautiful, sensitive and pallid. He moves them with
extraordinary grace. He plays upon his flute an air from India.
Suddenly upon the stage above him appears a Hindu girl. She
executes a sinuous pantomimic dance of youth and desire. The
figure playing upon the flute gradually turns his back to the
audience and facing the dancer continues to play. Finally the
dancer, noticing her admirer, commences to dance for him alone.
The music becomes more breathless; the hooded figure plays a
screaming tone upon his flute. Immediately a third slave, attired
as a drummer, rushes out and catches his flute from the green
masque, who jumps upon the stage, and seizing the dancer,
savagely--gracefully, about her slim waist, dances with her, at
once tenderly and primitively._]

QUEEN

What agility and strength the man has got. He has made me catch my
breath already, which is far better than to laugh.

JOSEPHINE

He dances like a demon over burning altars.

PRINCE

What was that, Josephine?

JOSEPHINE

Don't distract my attention.

PRINCE [_laughing_]

Attention? Attention? Why, Josephine, I never knew that gift was among
your talents!

JOSEPHINE

Sh! Sh!

[_During the dance, the Hindu girl becomes more and more
enamoured of her partner, who eludes and attacks her in a perfect
frenzy of grace and passion. Finally she tries to unmask him or
to pull off his cloak, without success. A chime is heard. The
drummers play a strange, sinister march. An old man enters--the
slave owner. He sees his slave in the arms of