SCENE I.—_The HIGH-PRIESTESS’S Apartment in a Building called the House of the Stars. Several Cages with Parrots, Turtle-Doves, and other Birds, are hanging or standing about the Room. The HIGH-PRIESTESS is employed in feeding the Birds._ HIGH-PRIESTESS. There, there, little Bibi!—You rogue you would devour every thing!—These girls are gone a long time, I suppose they are somewhere prattling together, upon some trifling subject, till they forget how time goes.—Wait a few minutes, Lulu,—your turn will come in time.—These tedious creatures put me out of all patience, Heaven knows what they are doing, they are as stupid as oysters, and as slow as tortoises.—Come hither, Dudu,—there take this, and give a bit to your wife—oh you little ingrate! you can bite, can you.—This is too much!—the sun is already risen above the hills, and they are not returned!—the giddy creatures rely too much upon the mildness and gentleness of my heart, don’t they Bibi?—I am too ready to overlook a fault, am I not Lulu?—But locking them up for a while without food will tame them, and make them more tractable, won’t it Dudu? SCENE II.—_Enter IDALI and AMAZILI in haste and almost breathless. They both speak together._ _Idali and Amazili._ Here we are already. _High-Priestess._ Softly, softly, children!—Poor Bibi, are you frightened?—And so you are absolutely here already? _Idali._ Oh yes, we have run all the way. _High-Priestess._ Whence, then, do you come? _Idali._ From the garden. } (_Both speaking together._) _Amazili._ From the temple. } _High-Priestess._ One of you must be guilty of a falsehood. _Idali._ It is I! } (_Extremely terrified and speaking together._) _Amazili._ It is I! } _High-Priestess._ Why how now?—One of you have uttered an untruth again. What is at the bottom of all this?—Idali, do you remain where you are, and you, Amazili, come with me. (_She leads her to the other side of the Stage, and speaks in a half whisper_) Tell me truly, do you come from the temple? _Amazili._ Yes. _High-Priestess._ Now don’t stir. (_She goes to Idali._) Amazili positively asserts that you come from the garden, I can scarcely believe her—tell me the real truth. _Idali._ Oh yes, we come from the garden. _High-Priestess._ So, so!—Some pretty trick has been playing here, and I must sift out the truth as well as I can. Idali, don’t stir from your corner.—And what is the meaning of all this winking, and nodding, and shaking of the head?—Keep your head still, and your eyes upon the ground. (_She goes to Amazili_) Have you found Cora? _Amazili._ Yes. _High-Priestess._ Where did you find her? _Amazili._ She had fallen asleep under the large palm-tree that stands before the porch of the temple. _High-Priestess._ Remain there, and don’t take your eyes from the ground. (_She goes to Idali_) Have you found Cora? _Idali._ Yes. _High-Priestess._ Where did you find her?