"Smith, Clark Ashton - The Dead Will Cuckold You" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith Clark Ashton)

The Dead will Cuckold You

Clark Ashton Smith

A Drama in Six Scenes

{1951}

PERSONAE

Smaragad, King of Yoros
Queen Somelis
Galeor, a wandering poet and lute-player, guest of Smaragad
Natanasna, a necromancer
Baltea, tiring-woman to Somelis
Kalguth, Natanasna's negro assistant
Sargo, the King's treasurer
Boranga, captain of the King's guards
Waiting-women, court-ladies, courtiers, guards and chamberlains.

THE SCENE: Faraad, capital of Yoros, in Zothique

SCENE I

A large chamber in the Queen's suite, in the palace of Smaragad. Somelis
sits on a high throne-like chair. Galeor stands before her, holding a lute.
Baltea and several other women are seated on divans, at a distance. Two
black chamberlains stand in attendance at the open door.

Galeor (playing on his lute and singing):

Make haste, and tarry not, O ardent youth,
To find upon the night,
Outlined in fuming fire,
The footsteps of the goddess Ililot.

Her mouth and eyes make fair the bourns of sleep,
Between her brows a moon
Is seen. A magic lute
Foretells her with wild music everywhere.

Her opened arms, which are the ivory gates
Of some lost land of lote
Where from charmed attars flow,
Will close upon you 'neath the crimson star.

Somelis: I like the song. Tell me, why do you sing
So much of Ililot?

Galeor: She is the goddess