"He will leave her. He will have no choice--who can war with Fate?"

_The sun shifts a little_; _a light breeze kisses the motionless palm
leaves_--_they quiver gracefully_. _Attendants appear R. and L. bearing
a great Shamiana_ (_tent_), _silver poles_, _carved chairs_, _foot
supports_, _fruit_, _flowers_, _embroidered fans_. _Three musicians in
semi-Venetian-Burmese costume follow with their instruments_. _The tent
erected_, _enter_ (C.) MENG BENG _and_ MAH PHRU, _followed by two Burmese
women carrying two tiny children in Burmese fashion on their hips_.

_The servants retire to a distance_. MENG BENG _and_ MAH PHRU _seat
themselves on carven chairs_; _the children are placed at their feet and
given coloured glass balls to play with_. MENG BENG _and_ MAH PHRU _gaze
at them with deep affection and then at each other_.

_The musicians play light_, _zephyr-like airs_. MENG BENG _and_ MAH PHRU
_talk together_. MENG BENG _smokes a cigar_, MAH PHRU _has one of the
big yellow cheroots affected by Burmese women to-day_.

"It wants but two days to the two years," _he tells her sadly_.

"And you are happy?"

"As a god."

_She smiles radiantly_. _She suspects nothing_. _She is more beautiful
than before_. _Her dress is of the richest Mandalay silks_. _She wears
big nadoungs of rubies in her ears_.

_Presently_ MENG BENG _arranges a set of ivory chessmen on a low table
between them_. _The sun sinks slowly_. _The sound of approaching wheels
is heard_.

_Enter_ (_C._) U. RAI GYAN THOO, _preceded by two servants_. MENG BENG
_looks up in surprise_--_in alarm_. _He rises_, _etc._, _and goes
forward_. U. RAI GYAN THOO _presents a letter written on palm leaves_.
MENG BENG _does not open it_.

_The curtains at the opening of the tent are_, _Oriental fashion_,
_dropped_. _The music ceases_.

MENG BENG _and the_ GRAND VIZIER _converse apart_. _The Minister
explains that the Princess of Ceylon's ship and its great convoy have
already been sighted_. _The Court and city wait in eager expectancy_.
_The King has worshipped long enough at the Pagoda of Golden
Flowers_--_his subjects and his bride call to him_. U. RAI GYAN THOO
_has come to take him to them_.

MENG BENG _is terribly distressed_.

"You can return one day," _the Vizier tells him_. "The Pagoda will
remain. I also, once, in years long dead, Lord of the Sea and Moon,
worshipped at a Pagoda."

MENG BENG _seeks_ MAH PHRU _to explain that he goe