ZARB (to the other slaves) Argimenes has found a terrible sword and has gone to slay the slave-guard. It is not a common sword, it is some king's sword. AN OLD SLAVE Argimenes will be dreadfully flogged. We shall hear him cry all night. His cries will frighten us, and we shall not sleep. ZARB No! no! The guards flog poor slaves, but Argimenes had an angry look. The guards will be afraid when they see him look so angry and see his terrible sword. It was a huge sword, and he looked very angry. He will bring us the swords of the slave-guard. We must prostrate ourselves before him and kiss his feet or he will be angry with us too. OLD SLAVE Will Argimenes give me a sword? ZARB He will have swords for six of us if he slays the slave-guard. Yes, he will give you a sword. SLAVE A sword! No, no, I must not; the King would kill me if he found that I had a sword. SECOND SLAVE (slowly, as one who develops an idea) If the King found that I had a sword, why then it would be an evil day for the King. (They all look off left.) ZARB I think that they are playing at dice again. FIRST SLAVE I do not see Argimenes. ZARB No, because he was crouching as he walked. The slave-guard is on the sky-line. SECOND SLAVE What is that dark shadow behind the slave-guard? ZARB It is too still to be Argimenes. SECOND SLAVE Look! It moves. ZARB The evening is too dark, I cannot see. (They continue to gaze into the gathering darkness. They raise themselves on their knees and crane their necks. Nobody speaks. Then from their lips and from others further off goes up a long deep Oh! It is like the sound that goes up from the grand stand when a horse falls at a fence, or in England like the first exclamation of the crowd at a great cricket match when a man is caught in the slips.) THE FALL OF BABBULKUND