(THE GRAVEYARD OF SPOON RIVER. TWO VOICES ARE HEARD BEHIND A SCREEN DECORATED WITH DIABOLICAL AND ANGELIC FIGURES IN VARIOUS ALLEGORICAL RELATIONS. A FAINT LIGHT SHOWS DIMLY THROUGH THE SCREEN AS IF IT WERE WOVEN OF LEAVES, BRANCHES AND SHADOWS.) FIRST VOICE. A game of checkers? SECOND VOICE Well, I don’t mind. FIRST VOICE I move the Will. SECOND VOICE You’re playing it blind. FIRST VOICE Then here’s the Soul. SECOND VOICE Checked by the Will. FIRST VOICE Eternal Good! SECOND VOICE And Eternal Ill. FIRST VOICE I haste for the King row. SECOND VOICE Save your breath. FIRST VOICE I was moving Life. SECOND VOICE You’re checked by Death. FIRST VOICE Very good, here’s Moses. SECOND VOICE And here’s the Jew. FIRST VOICE My next move is Jesus. SECOND VOICE St. Paul for you! FIRST VOICE Yes, but St. Peter— SECOND VOICE You might have foreseen— FIRST VOICE You’re in the King row— SECOND VOICE With Constantine! FIRST VOICE I’ll go back to Athens. SECOND VOICE Well, here’s the Persian. FIRST VOICE All right, the Bible. SECOND VOICE Pray now, what version? FIRST VOICE I take up Buddha. SECOND VOICE It never will work. FIRST VOICE From the corner Mahomet. SECOND VOICE I move the Turk. FIRST VOICE The game is tangled; where are we now? SECOND VOICE You’re dreaming worlds. I’m in the King row. Move as you will, if I can’t wreck you I’ll thwart you, harry you, rout you, check you. FIRST VOICE I’m tired. I’ll send for my Son to play. I think he can beat you finally— SECOND VOICE Eh? FIRST VOICE I must preside at the stars’ convention. SECOND VOICE Very well, my lord, but I beg to mention I’ll give this game my direct attention. FIRST VOICE A game indeed! But Truth is my quest. SECOND VOICE Beaten, you walk away with a jest. I strike the table, I scatter the checkers. (_A rattle of a falling table and checkers flying over a floor_.) Aha! You armies and iron deckers, Races and states in a cataclysm— Now for a day of atheism! (_The screen vanishes and_ BEELZEBUB _steps forward carrying a trumpet, which he blows faintly. Immediately_ LOKI _and_ YOCARINDRA _start up from the shadows of night._) BEELZEBUB Good evening, Loki! LOKI The same to you! BEELZEBUB And Yogarindra! YOGARINDRA My greetings, too. LOKI Whence came you, comrade? BEELZEBUB From yonder screen. YOGARINDRA And what were you doing? BEELZEBUB Stirring His spleen. LOKI How did you do it? BEELZEBUB I made it rough In a game of checkers. LOKI Good enough! YOGARINDRA I thought I heard the sounds of a battle. BEELZEBUB No doubt! I made the checkers rattle, Turning the table over and strewing The bits of wood like an army pursuing. YOGARINDRA I have a game! Let us make a man. LOKI My net is waiting him, if you can. YOGARINDRA And here’s my mirror to fool him with— BEELZEBUB Mystery, falsehood, creed and myth. LOKI But no one can mold him, friend, but you. BEELZEBUB Then to the sport without more ado. YOGARINDRA Hurry the work ere it grow to day.