THE QUEEN. It is ready to sail. They are waiting for you. Why do you
not go?
THE PRINCE. I am sorry. But it is as you say. The ship is ready to
sail. I must go.
THE QUEEN. Go quickly.
THE PRINCE. Farewell, then.
THE QUEEN. No, stay. (_She throws herself at his feet, and clasps his
knees_.) See, I beg you to stay. I have no shame left. I beg you.
Stay even though you despise me. Stay even though you hate me. I do not
care. I will be your slave, your bondwoman. I cannot let you go.
_She puts her head in her hands, and weeps_.
THE PRINCE. (_looking down at her_) I am sorry. (_After a pause_)
Farewell.
_He touches her lightly on the shoulder, and, looking toward the sea,
leaves her. She rises, and watches him with a stony face until he
goes_.
_The fool enters_.
THE QUEEN. Are you drunken, fool, as I bade you be?
THE FOOL. I am drunken, yes, but not with wine. I am drunken with
bitterness. With the bitterness of love.
THE QUEEN. Of love, fool?
THE FOOL. With the bitterness of love. It will amuse you, and so I will
tell you what I mean. It is you that I love.
THE QUEEN. Life grows almost interesting once more. But are you not
afraid that I will have you whipped?
THE FOOL. You would have had me whipped a week ago if I had told you
this. But now you will not. Now you know what it is to love. . . .
THE QUEEN. My secrets are on a fool's tongue. But what does it matter?
Go on.
THE FOOL. Why did I try to keep the man you love from going away? In
the hope that one day I should see you kissing him in the garden, and
thus I would be spared the trouble of killing myself. In a word, I am a
fool. But I have tried to help you. Why did you not keep him?
THE QUEEN. I have been asking that question of my own heart, fool. I
would that I had not come to him a virgin and a Queen, but a light
woman skilled in all the ways of love. Then perhaps I could have
held him. But now he is gone, and the world is black.
THE FOOL. It is not the world, it is your heart that is black. And it
is black with hatred. . . .
THE QUEEN. I think you understand, fool. I would set fire to this
palace which the King my father built, I would burn it down tonight,
save that it would not make light enough to take away the blackness
from my heart.
_The sailor again, staggering_.
THE QUEEN. What, has the ship not gone?
THE SAILOR. Gone, and left me behind. Gone, and left me. . . .
THE FOOL. Here is still wine in the flagon.
THE SAILOR. Good. Good. Give it to me.
THE QUEEN. (_to the fool_) First bring it to me. (_She takes off a
ring, and dips it in the wine. To the fool_)--I have spoken lightly of
poisoning today. Now I think I will try it. I would like to see a man
die. It will ease me a little. Come!
_The sailor comes and takes it from her hands, while the fool stares
fascinated_.
THE QUEEN. How does it taste?
THE SAILOR. (_suddenly straightening up, no longer drunk_) Bitter.
What was in it?
THE QUEEN. The bitterness of my heart. It will kill you.
THE SAILOR. I have been poisoned. (_He puts his hand to his side_.) I
am dying. But first--!
_He draws a short sword, and runs at her. The fool starts up, but the
Queen motions him away, and waits. When the sailor is almost upon her,
he stops, throws up his hands, drops his sword, and falls in a heap_.
THE QUEEN. (_after a moment, going up, and touching the body with her
foot_) Dead. So that is what it is like?
THE FOOL. (_trembling_) Do you find it so interesting?
THE QUEEN. No--my heart is already aching with its emptiness again....
What shall I do?
THE FOOL. You might poison me, too. I think I would die in a more
original manner than that silly sailor. Yes, I would seize you in my
arms and kiss you before I died.
THE QUEEN. That would be amusing. But it is a pity to waste kisses on a
dying man. And besides, you are the only one in my kingdom who
understands me. I must have you alive to talk to.
THE FOOL. There are strange stories about the kisses of queens.
THE QUEEN. Tell them to me.
THE FOOL. There is an old saying that three kisses bestowed by a queen
upon a fool will make a hero of him.
THE QUEEN. That might be interesting. I think I will try it. Come to
me, do not be afraid. This day I have given my kisses to a man who
thought no more of them than that dead sailor there of the kisses of a
harlot. What, must you kneel? Well, then, upon your forehead.
_She kisses him upon the forehead as he kneels_.
_He slowly rises, and as he rises he takes on dignity. His fool's cap
is dropped aside, he picks up the dead sailor's sword and girds it on
him_.
THE QUEEN. Ah, it is true. There is magic in it. You are handsome, too.
I am not sorry to have kissed you.
_The old woman comes in_.
THE QUEEN. Well, what is the news? The ship has sailed, has it not?
THE OLD WOMAN. Straight into the sunset. (_She sees the dead man, and
looks at the Queen and at the fool_.) Who killed him?
THE QUEEN. I killed him. He was left behind, and I do not like to have
strangers about.
THE OLD WOMAN. It is a good omen. I have not seen a dead man for twenty
years, save those that died of sickness and old age. When shall we have
the good old times when men killed each other with swords? I feel that
it is coming. When shall we fall upon the four kingdoms, and tear them
to pieces?
THE QUEEN. Ah, that is an idea. That would be something to do.
THE FOOL. Hush your croakings, old woman, and tell us the news that you
have come with.
THE OLD WOMAN. How do you know that I come with news? Where is your
cap, fool?
THE FOOL. Speak, or be gone.
THE QUEEN. Beware of this man, for I have been making a hero out of
him.
THE OLD WOMAN. Are you mad?
THE QUEEN. Yes, I am mad, so beware of me, too, and tell your news,
THE OLD WOMAN. (_tamed_) It is only that a boat has been seen to
put out from the ship, and is coming back to shore.
THE QUEEN. It is doubtless a present for me. The Prince has bethought
himself to pay me for my kindness to him. Go, and give orders that any
men who are in the boat are to be brought to me, with their hands tied
behind them, that I may decide what punishment to inflict upon them.
Let it be understood that we do not like strangers in this kingdom.
THE OLD WOMAN. (_grimly_) It shall be as you say.
_She goes out_.
THE QUEEN. And now I must finish my quaint task. It pleases me to be
kissing fools. I think it is becoming a habit of mine. Come to this
garden bench, where he and I sat together, and I will kiss you upon the
mouth, as I kissed him. Does it hurt you for me to say that? Good.
(_They sit down_.) You are the only one in the kingdom who understands
me. Lift up your head. (_She kisses him. He lifts his head proudly, and
sits beside her like a king_.) You are silent. Why do you not say
something appropriate?
THE FOOL. What I have to say will be with my sword, and your enemies
will be the ones to hear it.
THE QUEEN. Ah, I forgot, it is a hero I am making out of you, and all a
hero can do is fight. That is a stupid thing. I am sorry now that I
kissed you.
THE FOOL. You will not be sorry when I have destroyed your enemies.
THE QUEEN. Now you are beginning to talk like my old nurse. It is well
enough to fight, but it should be for amusement, and not with such
seriousness. I have only succeeded in making you dull. You were better
as a fool.
_The Prince enters, with his hands tied behind him, conducted by some
soldiers_.
THE PRINCE. (_Indignantly_) Why am I treated in this fashion?
THE QUEEN. So it is you?
_She looks at him quietly_.
THE PRINCE. (_haughtily_) Order that these bonds be taken from my
wrists.
THE QUEEN. We do not like strangers in this country. You were tied by
my command, and brought here that I might decide what punishment to
mete out to you. Look, this was one of your men. (_Pointing to the
dead body_) Carry it away.
_The soldiers carry off the body_.
THE PRINCE. Are you mad?
THE QUEEN. So it would seem. (_To the fool_) Now cut his bonds.
THE FOOL. He is a brave man, and does not deserve to be treated in this
manner.
THE PRINCE. Who are you that you should plead for me? Have I not seen
you with a fool's cap?
THE FOOL. And now you see me with a sword.
_He cuts the Prince's bonds_.
THE PRINCE. Leave us. I wish to speak with the Queen.
THE QUEEN. (_to the fool_) No, stay. (_To the Prince_) It is not
necessary for you to speak. You wish to tell me that the kisses you
had from me were so sweet that you would like to buy some more, and are
willing to put off your journey for a while.
THE PRINCE. I have given up my journey for ever. I know that the only
thing that is real in all the world is love. You are scornful. But I
have neither pride nor shame. I kneel at your feet, and beg you to
forgive me for my folly.
_He kneels_.
THE QUEEN. It is a pretty speech. But you are too late. I have
forgotten you. While they were tying your hands, I was kissing this man
upon the mouth.
THE PRINCE. (_springing up_) It is a lie!
THE FOOL. Did you say that the Queen lies?
_He draws his sword_.
THE PRINCE. I do not fight with fools. (_To the Queen_) Send him away,
and have him beaten.
THE QUEEN. Are you not willing to fight with him for me?
THE PRINCE. What do you mean?
THE QUEEN. I mean that I have a new appetite, the appetite for death. I
have held myself too lightly, I have gone too willingly to the arms of
a chance lover. Now there must be blood to sweeten the kisses.
THE PRINCE. Do you wish this fellow killed?
THE QUEEN. Or you. It makes no difference--not the least. What are my
kisses, that I should be careful to whom they go?
THE PRINCE. You speak strangely, and I hardly know you. I have come
back as a lover and not as a butcher.
THE QUEEN. My whim has changed--I am in the mood for butchers, now.
THE PRINCE. Say but one word to show that you still love me!
THE QUEEN. I have no word to say.
THE PRINCE. Doubt makes my sword heavy. . . .
THE FOOL. And have you nothing to say to me?
THE QUEEN. You remind me. Come. I must finish what I have begun.
_She kisses him on the mouth--the third kiss_.
THE PRINCE. (_covering his eyes_) It is I that am mad.
THE FOOL. Come, if you are not afraid.
_They go out, the Prince giving one long look at the Queen, whose
face remains hard_.
_It has become a dark twilight_.
THE QUEEN. They told me that love was like this--but I laughed, and did
not believe.
_The old woman comes in_.
THE QUEEN. I have sent him out to die.
THE OLD WOMAN. The fool?
THE QUEEN. No, no, no, my lover, my beloved. I tortured him and denied
him, and sent him out to die.
THE OLD WOMAN. It is well enough. Death is among us again, and the old
times have come back.
_There are sounds of fighting, and the women wait in silence. Then
the sounds cease, and slowly the soldiers bear in a dead body, which
they lay on the steps. They affix torches to either side of the palace
door, and go out_.
THE FOOL. (_going up to the Queen, and holding out his sword to her,
hilt-foremost_) I have done your bidding, and slain a brave man. Bid
some one take this sword and slay me.
THE OLD WOMAN. What a faint heart you are! The fool's cap is on you
still. Put back your sword in your scabbard. You will make a soldier
yet.
THE QUEEN. You are a brave man. Put back your sword in your scabbard,
and may it destroy all my enemies from this day forth.
THE FOOL. What shall I do?
THE QUEEN. I have created you, and now I must give you work to do. You
can only fight. Very well, then. Take my soldiers, and lead them to the
kingdom that thrusts its chief city against our kingdom's walls. There
should be good fighting, and much spoil. When the soldiers have glutted
themselves with wine and women, let the city be set on fire. I shall
look every night for a light in the sky, and when it comes I shall know
it is my bonfire. Perhaps it will light up my heart for a moment. When
that is finished, I shall find you other bloody work. Go.
THE FOOL. I understand. You shall have your bonfire. Come, old woman, I
want some of your advice.
THE OLD WOMAN. The good old days have come back. Ah, the smell of
blood!
_They go out.
The queen looks over at the dead man lying on the steps between the
torches, and gradually her face softens. She goes over slowly, and
kneels by his side, gazing on him. She kisses his mouth, and then
rises, goes slowly to the arbour, and sits down. She looks away, and
her face becomes hard again.
A sound of trumpets and shouting, the menacing prelude of war, is heard
outside_.