O blessed day! MLAN O happy times! SLAG O my wise master! [_Illanaun takes the goblet. All the beggars stretch out their hands including Agmar. Illanaun gives it to Agmar. Agmar takes it solemnly, and very carefully pours it upon the ground._ FIRST BEGGAR He has spilt it. SECOND BEGGAR He has spilt it. (_Agmar sniffs the fumes, loquitur_) AGMAR It is a fitting libation. Our anger is somewhat appeased. ANOTHER BEGGAR But it was Woldery! AKMOS (_kneeling to Agmar_) Master, I am childless, and I-- AGMAR Trouble us not now. It is the hour at which the gods are accustomed to speak to the gods in the language of the gods, and if Man heard us he would guess the futility of his destiny, which were not well for Man. Begone! Begone! ONE LINGERS (_loquitur_) Master-- AGMAR Begone! [_Exeunt. Agmar takes up a piece of meat and begins to eat it; the beggars rise and stretch themselves: they laugh, but Agmar eats hungrily._ OOGNO Ah! Now we have come into our own. THAHN Now we have alms. SLAG Master! My wise master! ULF These are the good days, the good days; and yet I have a fear. SLAG What do you fear? There is nothing to fear. No man is as wise as my master. ULF I fear the gods whom we pretend to be. SLAG The gods? AGMAR (_taking a chunk of meat from his lips_) Come hither, Slag. SLAG (_going up to him_) Yes, master. AGMAR Watch in the doorway while I eat. (_Slag goes to the doorway_) Sit in the attitude of a god. Warn me if any of the citizens approach. [_Slag sits in the doorway in the attitude of a god, back to the audience._ OOGNO (_to Agmar_) But, master, shall we not have Woldery wine? AGMAR We shall have all things if only we are wise at first for a little. THAHN Master, do any suspect us? AGMAR We must be _very_ wise. THAHN But if we are not wise, master? AGMAR Why, then death may come to us-- THAHN O master! AGMAR --slowly. [_All stir uneasily except Slag, who sits motionless in the doorway._ OOGNO Do they believe us, master? SLAG (_half turning his head_) Someone comes. [_Slag resumes his position._ AGMAR (_putting away his meat_) We shall soon know now. [_All take up the attitude. Enter One, loquitur._ ONE Master, I want the god that does not eat. AGMAR I am he. ONE Master, my child was bitten in the throat by a death-adder at noon. Spare him, master; he still breathes, but slowly. AGMAR Is he indeed your child? ONE He is surely my child, master. AGMAR Was it your wont to thwart him in his play, while he was strong and well? ONE I never thwarted him, master. AGMAR Whose child is Death? ONE Death is the child of the gods. AGMAR Do you that never thwarted your child in his play ask this of the gods? ONE (_with some horror, perceiving Agmar's meaning_) Master! AGMAR Weep not. For all the houses that men have builded are the play-fields of this child of the gods. [_The Man goes away in silence, not weeping._ OOGNO (_taking Thahn by the wrist_)