88
THE KING'S THRESHOLD
Much honoured, my lord. Oh, she’s the girl to do it;
For when the intellect is out, my lord,
Nobody but a woman’s any good.
[Is shoved again.
Much honoured, my lord [is shoved again], much honoured, much honoured!
[Is shoved out, shoving brian out before him
[All through this scene, from the outset of the quarrel, seanchan has kept his face turned away, or hidden in his cloak. While the chamberlain has been speaking, the soldier and the monk have come out of the palace. The monk stands on top of steps at one side, soldier a little down steps at the other side. court ladies are seen at opening in the palace curtain behind soldier. chamberlain is in the centre.
chamberlain [to seanchan]. Well, you must be contented, for your work
Has roused the common sort against the King,
And stolen his authority. The State
Is like some orderly and reverend house,
Wherein the master, being dead of a sudden,
The servants quarrel where they have a mind to,
And pilfer here and there.
[Pause, finding that seanchan does not answer.
