SCENE II

TIME: the next morning.
PLACE: same as Scene I.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN.

FIRST CITY WAG.

SECOND CITY WAG.

[The WAGS are seen peeping around the corner.]

FIRST WAG (softly). They are sound asleep.

SECOND WAG (softly). Then come.

[They enter and throw the two baskets of gourds over the wall. They then retire around the corner, peeping as before.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (waking; shaking Second Countryman). Wake up! Wake up!

[Each yawns; stretches; throws off his blanket; arises.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (remembering). Ah, the gourds!

[Each looks at his ankle, then at the other's ankle.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. How's this!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Did we not tie gourds around our ankles?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (nodding). Why, surely we did.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (looking about). Did we not have two baskets of gourds with us?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (nodding). Surely; there in the corner.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (holding up foot to which flag is tied). Is this a gourd or is it not a gourd?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Of a surety it is a flag.

(Holding up his foot with flag.)

And if this be not a gourd, keep thy silence.

[The First Countryman stares at the flag, placing his finger on his closed lips.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Then it hath indeed happened!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. What hath happened?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. The dreadful thing foretold by the citizens. I am not I! Thou art not thou!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (trembling with fear). How can that be?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. I know not. I only know that it is.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (weeping). I cannot think I am not myself!

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (weeping). Thou needst must think it, whether thou wouldst or no.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Dost thou indeed think thou art some other person?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. If I were myself, would not the gourd still be around my ankle?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Then who art thou? And who am I?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Alas! I know not.

[Enter the WAGS.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (joyfully). Here come those who will know whether we are ourselves!

[The Wags pretend not to know the Countrymen who are bowing before them. They pass on.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Stop, good sirs!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. A word with thee!

[The Wags stop.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Dost thou not know us?

FIRST WAG. I have not that pleasure.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Thou didst talk with us but yester-eve!

SECOND WAG. Some mistake, I fear, my good man.

[The Wags start off.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (weeping). Wait! I pray thee, wait!

(The Wags stop.)

Canst thou not tell us who we are?

FIRST WAG. Do you not know yourselves?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Alas! we are not ourselves.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Thou wouldst know us were we as we were once.

SECOND WAG. Perhaps those flags will solve the riddle.

FIRST WAG. True enough; let us look at them.

[The Countrymen remove flags and hand them to Wags, who look at them intently.]

SECOND WAG (mysteriously). Can it be?

FIRST WAG. It is! It is!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Eh?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Eh?

SECOND WAG (to Countrymen). Your pardon! I do crave your pardon!

FIRST WAG (taking a ring from his finger; turning to Second Countryman). Please to accept this ring. I shall then know I am forgiven for not recognizing you at first.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (accepting ring; putting it on the first finger of his right hand). Why, yes, I forgive thee.

SECOND WAG (to First Countryman, taking off his gold chain). Please to accept this chain. By that I shall know I too am forgiven.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (accepting chain; putting it on). Thou art forgiven. Now tell me what great person I have become.

SECOND WAG (gravely). Jest with us no more!

FIRST WAG. We go now to announce your arrival to the Lord Mayor.

SECOND WAG. Presently, we will return. Await us here.

[They go, laughing aside.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Dost thou know, I have always felt that I was really a great person. Hast thou not always noticed something unusual about me?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. I cannot say that I have. There is, however, certainly something wonderful about me. I have noticed it for a long time. Hast thou not felt it when in my company?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. I have not.

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (indignantly). Thou hast not?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Never! thou silly goose!

[The Second Countryman snatches First Countryman's chain and throws it over the wall.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Mind how thou callest me names, thou booby!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (tearing off Second Countryman's ring and throwing it over the wall). Silly goose!

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. I will now depart for my home. I do not desire thy company.

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. I likewise will return, and likewise I wish to journey alone.

[They take up their blankets and discover the gourds.]

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Eh?

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Eh?

FIRST COUNTRYMAN. Let us tie them around our ankles. We may then discover whether we are ourselves.

[They tie the gourds around their ankles.]

SECOND COUNTRYMAN (joyfully). I am myself!

FIRST COUNTRYMAN (joyfully). And I am myself!

SECOND COUNTRYMAN. Come, let us journey back together.

[They go out. Pause. Enter the WAGS. They remain at entrance, not knowing Countrymen have gone.]