the King's fool, with his legs full of
last night's wine.

SHUMAKIM: [Balancing himself in front of them and chuckling.]
Wrong, my lords, very wrong! This is not last night's wine,
but a draught the King's physician gave me this morning
for a cure. It sobers me amazingly! I know you all,
my lords: any fool would know you. You, master, are a
statesman; and you are a politician; and you are a patriot.

RAKHAZ:
Am I a statesman? I felt something of the kind about me.
But what is a statesman?

SHUMAKIM:
A politician that is stuffed with big words; a fat man in a
mask; one that plays a solemn tune on a sackbut full o' wind.

HAZAEL:
And what is a politician?

SHUMAKIM:
A statesman that has dropped his mask and cracked his sackbut.
Men trust him for what he is, and he never deceives them,
because he always lies.

IZDUBHAR:
Why do you call me a patriot?

SHUMAKIM:
Because you know what is good for you; you love your country
as you love your pelf. You feel for the common people,--as
the wolf feels for the sheep.

SABALLIDIN:
And what am I?

SHUMAKIM:
A fool, master, just a plain fool; and there is hope of thee
for that reason. Embrace me, brother, and taste this; but
not too much,--it will intoxicate thee with sobriety.

[The hall has been slowly filling with courtiers and
soldiers; a crowd of people begin to come up the steps
at the rear, where they are halted by a chain guarded
by servants of the palace. A bell tolls; the royal door
is thrown open; the aged King totters across the hall
and takes his seat on the throne with the four tall
sentinels standing behind him. All bow down shading
their eyes with their hands.]

BENHADAD:
The hour of royal audience is come.
I'll hear the envoys. Are my counsellors
At hand? Where are the priests of Rimmon's house?

[Gongs sound. REZON comes in from the side, followed
by a procession of priests in black and yellow. The
courtiers bow; the King rises; REZON takes his stand
on the steps of the throne at the left of the King.]

BENHADAD:
Where is my faithful servant Naaman,
The captain of my host?

[Trumpets sound from the city. The crowd on the steps
divide; the chain is lowered; NAAMAN enters, followed