THE BEGGAR. O king, thou hast commanded me not to beg in the
streets for bread, for the noise of my voice offends thee. Now
therefore do I likewise command thee to remove thy crown from thy
forehead and throw it from yonder window into the street. For
when thou hast thrown thy crown into the street, then will I no
longer be obliged to beg.
THE KING. Fft! _Thou_ commandest _me!_ _Thou_, a
beggar from the streets, commandest _me_, a king, to remove
my crown from my forehead and throw it from yonder window into
the street!
THE BEGGAR. That is what I said.
THE KING. Why, dost thou not know I can have thee slain for such
words?
THE BEGGAR. No. Thou canst not have me slain. The spears of thy
soldiers are as straws against my body.
THE KING. Ha! We shall see if they are. We shall see!
THE SERVANT. O king, it is indeed true. It is even as he has told
thee.
THE BEGGAR. I have required thee to remove thy crown from thy
forehead. If so be thou wilt throw it from yonder window into the
street, my voice will cease to annoy thee any more. But if thou
refuse, then thou wilt wish thou hadst never had any crown at
all. For thy days will be filled with a terrible boding and thy
nights will be full of horrors, even as a ship is full of rats.
THE KING. Why, this is insolence. This is treason!
THE BEGGAR. Wilt thou throw thy crown from yonder window?
THE KING. Why, this is high treason!
THE BEGGAR. I ask thee, wilt thou throw thy crown from yonder
window?
THE SERVANT (_aside to_ THE KING). Perhaps it were wise to humor
him, O king. After thou hast thrown thy crown away I can go
outside and bring it to thee again.
THE BEGGAR. Well? Well? (_He points to the window._) Well?
THE KING. No! I will not throw my crown from that window--no, nor
from any other window. What! Shall I obey the orders of a beggar?
Never!
THE BEGGAR (_preparing to leave_). Truly, that is spoken like a
king. Thou art a king, so thou wouldst prefer to lose thy head
than that silly circle of gold that so foolishly sits upon it.
But it is well. Thou art a king. Thou couldst not prefer
otherwise. (_He walks calmly toward the door._)
THE KING (_to_ THE SERVANT). Stop him! Seize him! Does he think to
get off so easily with his impudence!
THE BEGGAR (_coolly_). One of thy servants cannot stop me. Neither
can ten thousand of them do me any harm. I am stronger than a
mountain. I am stronger than the sea!
THE KING. Ha! We will see about that, we will see about that. (_To_
THE SERVANT) Hold him, I say. Call the guards. He shall be put in
chains.
THE BEGGAR. My strength is greater than a mountain and my words
are more fearful than a hurricane. This servant of thine cannot
even touch me. With one breath of my mouth I can blow over this
whole palace.
THE KING. Dost thou hear the impudence he is offering me? Why
dost thou not seize him? What is the matter with thee? Why dost
thou not call the guards?
THE BEGGAR. I will not harm thee now. I will only cry aloud in
the streets for bread wherewith to fill my belly. But one day I
will not be so kind to thee. On that day my mouth will be filled
with a rushing wind and my arms will become as strong as steel
rods, and I will blow over this palace, and all the bones in thy
foolish body I will snap between my fingers. I will beat upon a
large drum and thy head will be my drumstick. I will not do these
things now. But one day I will do them. Therefore, when my voice
sounds again in thine ears, begging for bread, remember what I
have told thee. Remember, O king, and be afraid!
(_He walks out. THE SERVANT, struck dumb, stares after him. THE
KING sits in his chair, dazed._)
THE KING (_suddenly collecting his wits_). After him! After him! He
must not be allowed to escape! After him!
THE SERVANT (_faltering_). O king--I cannot seem to move.
THE KING. Quick, then. Call the guards. He must be caught and put
in chains. Quick, I say. Call the guards!
THE SERVANT. O king--I cannot seem to call them.
THE KING. How! Art thou dumb? Ah!
(THE BEGGAR'S _voice is heard outside._)
THE BEGGAR. Bread. Bread. Give me some bread.
THE KING. Ah. (_He turns toward the window, half-frightened, and
then, almost instinctively, raises his hands toward his crown,
and seems on the point of tossing it out the window. But with an
oath he replaces it and presses it firmly on his head._) How! Am I
afraid of a beggar!
THE BEGGAR (_continuing outside_). Bread. Bread. Give me some
bread.
THE KING (_with terrible anger_). Close that window!
(THE SERVANT _stands stupent, and the voice of THE BEGGAR grows
louder as the curtain falls._)