[_The leading Green Thing points his forefinger at the lantern--the flame turns green. When the six are seated the leader points one by one at each of the seven beggars, shooting out his forefinger at them. As he does this each beggar in his turn gathers himself back on to his throne and crosses his legs, his right arm goes stiffly upward with forefinger erect, and a staring look of horror comes into his eyes. In this attitude the beggars sit motionless while a green light falls upon their faces. The gods go out._ _Presently enter the Citizens, some with victuals and fruit. One touches a beggar's arm and then another's._ CITIZEN They are cold; they have turned to stone. [_All abase themselves, foreheads to the floor._ ONE We have doubted them. We have doubted them. They have turned to stone because we have doubted them. ANOTHER They were the true gods. ALL They were the true gods. CURTAIN THE GOLDEN DOOM PERSONS THE KING CHAMBERLAIN CHIEF PROPHET GIRL BOY SPIES FIRST PROPHET SECOND PROPHET FIRST SENTRY SECOND SENTRY STRANGER ATTENDANTS _Scene: Outside the King's great door in Zericon._ _Time: Some while before the fall of Babylon._ THE GOLDEN DOOM _Two Sentries pace to and fro, then halt, one on each side of the great door._ FIRST SENTRY The day is deadly sultry. SECOND SENTRY I would that I were swimming down the Gyshon, on the cool side, under the fruit trees. FIRST SENTRY It is like to thunder or the fall of a dynasty. SECOND SENTRY It will grow cool by night-fall. Where is the King? FIRST SENTRY He rows in his golden barge with ambassadors or whispers with captains concerning future wars. The stars spare him! SECOND SENTRY Why do you say "the stars spare him"? FIRST SENTRY Because if a doom from the stars fall suddenly on a king it swallows up his people and all things round about him, and his palace falls and the walls of his city and citadel, and the apes come in from the woods and the large beasts from the desert, so that you would not say that a king had been there at all. SECOND SENTRY But why should a doom from the stars fall on the King? FIRST SENTRY Because he seldom placates them. SECOND SENTRY Ah! I have heard that said of him. FIRST SENTRY Who are the stars that a man should scorn them? Should they that rule the thunder, the plague and the earthquake withhold these things save for much prayer? Always ambassadors are with the King, and his commanders, come in from distant lands, prefects of cities and makers of the laws, but never the priests of the stars. SECOND SENTRY Hark! Was that thunder? FIRST SENTRY Believe me, the stars are angry. [_Enter a Stranger. He wanders toward the King's door, gazing about him._ SENTRIES (_lifting their spears at him_) Go back! Go back! STRANGER Why? FIRST SENTRY It is death to touch the King's door. STRANGER I am a stranger from Thessaly. FIRST SENTRY