KING: I will send for my butlers that are wise in wine and they shall
smell the cups.
AMBASSADOR: Alas, but the Emperor's poisoners have added so wine-like a
flavour to their most secret draught, that no man may tell by this means
which is their work and which that inestimable wine.
KING: I will send for my tasters and they shall taste of the cups.
AMBASSADOR: Alas, so great a risk may not be run.
KING: Risks are the duty of a king's tasters.
AMBASSADOR: If they chanced to taste of the treasure of the Emperor's
poisoners--well. But if they, or _any_ man of common birth, were to
taste of the wine that the Emperor sends only to kings, and even to
kings but rarely, that were an affront to the Emperor's ancient wine
that could not be permitted.
KING: It is surely permitted that I send for my priests, who tell by
divination, having burnt strange herbs to the gods that guard the Golden
Isles.
AMBASSADOR: It is permitted.
KING: Send for the priests.
KING (_mainly to himself_): They shall discern. The priests shall make
for me this dreadful choice. They shall burn herbs and discern it. (_To_
AMBASSADOR.) My priests are very subtle. They worship the gods that
guard the Golden Isles.
AMBASSADOR: The Emperor has other gods.
[_Enter L. two priests of the Order of the Sun.
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