Page:Selections from the Writings of Lord Dunsany.djvu/67

 ZARB Yes, the slave-guard saw me. They came and seized me at once and bound my arms. The great dog wanted me to speak to him again, but I was hurried away.

KING ARGIMĒNĒS You should have made obeisance.

ZARB The great dog seemed so friendly that I forgot he was the King's great dog.

KING ARGIMĒNĒS But tell me more. Was he hurt, or is it a sickness?

ZARB They say that it is a sickness.

KING ARGIMĒNĒS Ah. Then he will grow thin if he does not die soon. If it had been a hurt! — but we should not complain. I complain more often than you do because I had not learned to submit while I was yet young.

ZARB If your beautiful memories do not please you, you should hope more. I wish I had your memories. I should not trouble to hope then. It is very hard to hope.

KING ARGIMĒNĒS There will be nothing more to hope for when we have eaten the King's dog.

ZARB Why you might find gold in the earth while you were digging. Then you might bribe the commander of the guard to lend you his sword; we would all follow you if you had a sword. Then we