PESBES, the DWARF, comes and sits on the lowest step of the throne. The NOBLES who came in with the PHARAOH are in a small knot immediately on the left of the throne. Among these is IMHOTEP. Behind him are the four young SLAVES, one with a basket of grapes, one with a golden cup, one with a golden dish, and one with a napkin.]
[Great painted curtains are drawn at the back so that the hall is enclosed.]
[When the CROWD is in order, there is a moment of solemn pause, while all eyes are turned on the PHARAOH.]
PHARAOH: [Without moving] Tehuti.
[TEHUTI steps forward and prostrates himself.]
PHARAOH. My soul is heavy. [Movement among the CROWD] Are the priests and sages here as I commanded?
TEHUTI. O, King, they await thy word.
PHARAOH. Let the priests send their spokesman.
[TEHUTI crosses slowly to the group of PRIESTS] PHARAOH. I thirst
[IMHOTEP steps forward. The four young SLAVES follow him and kneel. Standing in front of the throne, IMHOTEP takes a large bunch of grapes in both hands and presses its juice into the golden cup, which the other slave holds aloft. IMHOTEP throws the skins into a golden dish brought by the third slave, and dries his hands on the napkin brought by the fourth slave. The SLAVES retire. IMHOTEP takes the cup in both hands, faces the PHARAOH, and sets the cup to his lips. Then he goes up the steps and places the cup in the PHARAOH'S hands. The PHARAOH drinks, hands the cup back to IMHOTEP, who retires, backward, to his place, where he returns the cup to the cup-bearer.]
TEHUTI. Will it please the King to hear Menthu, the high-priest of Neith?
[THE PHARAOH makes a gesture of assent. MENTHU steps forward.]
PHARAOH. Thou, too, art in sorrow today, for thou losest thy daughter, Asenath.
MENTHU. The great goddess, Neith, will reward me tenfold.
PHARAOH [With a touch of contempt.] Well—! Thou and the others, have ye besought the gods? Have ye searched your books? Have ye prayed and offered sacrifice?
MENTHU. All these things have we done.
PHARAOH. My dreams, then? What is
