The Blackbird
[Coming forward.] Yes, your Grace. And the two agate balls over there are the Cat.
The Grand-duke
I can hear him licking his paws.
The Screech-owl
[Resuming.] Brethren of the Night! Inasmuch as everybody here—and we plume ourselves upon it!—is possessed of the evil eye—
All the Birds
[Chuckling and rocking in their peculiarly disgusting and characteristic fashion.] Ha, ha!
The Grand-duke
[Spreading his wings to demand silence.] Hush! [All return to their appalling stillness.]
The Blackbird
My eye is merely roguish. I am here to look on, you know, without taking sides,—in the artist spirit, that’s all.
An Owl
If you are not taking sides, then you are siding with us!
The Blackbird
Oh, I say, what a primitive notion!
The Screech-owl
[Completing his sentence.] Let us express ourselves with simple and direct malevolence: the Cock is a robber!
All
A robber! He robs us!