as many say,... that the noble should not feast till the base
have feasted, reminding us that our bodies even as the humble bodies
of the base----

Queen:

Why do you thus watch your slave, Prince Rhadamandaspes?

Rhadamandaspes:

Even to remind myself that I have done as our dynasty doth.

Queen:

Alas for me, Ackazarpses, they will not feast with me, but mock me
because I am little and alone. O I shall not sleep to-night, I shall
not sleep. [She weeps.]

Ackazarpses:

Yes, yes, Illustrious Lady, you shall sleep. Be patient and all shall
be well and you will sleep.

Rhadamandaspes:

But Queen, Queen, we are about to eat.

Duke of Ethiopia:

Yes, yes, indeed we do not mock you.

King of Four Countries:

We do not mock you, Queen.

Priest of Horus:

They do not mean to mock you.

Queen:

They... give my food to slaves.

Priest of Horus:

That was a mistake.

Queen:

It was... no mistake.

Priest of Horus:

The slaves were hungry.

Queen: [still weeping]

They believe I would poison them.

Priest of Horus:

No, no, Illustrious Lady, they do not believe _that_.

Queen:

They believe I would poison them.

Ackazarpses: [comforting her]

O hush, hush. They do not mean to be so cruel.

Priest of Horus:

They do not believe you would poison them. But they do not know if the
meat was killed with a poisonous arrow or if an asp may have
inadvertently bitten the fruit. These things may happen, but they do
not believe you would poison them.

Queen:

They believe I would poison them.

Rhadamandaspes:

No; Queen, see, we eat.

[They hastily whisper to slaves.]

1st Duke of Ethiopia:

We eat your viands, Queen.

2nd Duke of Ethiopia:

We drink your wine.

King of Four Countries:

We eat your good pomegranates and Egyptian grapes.

Zophernes:

We eat.

[They all eat.]

Priest of Horus: [smiling affably]

I _too_ eat of your excellent banquet, O Queen.

[He peels a fruit slowly, glancing constantly at the others.
Meanwhile the catches in the Queen's breath grow fewer, she
begins to dry her eyes.]

Ackazarpses: [in her ear]

They eat.

[Ackazarpses lifts her head and watches them.]

Queen:

Perhaps the wine is poisoned.

Priest of Horus:

No, no, Illustrious Lady.

Queen:

Perhaps the grape was cut by a poisoned arrow.

Priest of Horus:

But indeed... indeed...

[Queen drinks from his cup.]

Queen:

Will you n