“Why art thou ever with Oltis if thou trustest him not?”
“I like to draw him on, to make him believe I think with him, to make him take my way in the end. I like to see him, the proud one, bend—bend—because I am the king. He is a toad.”
“But thou goest to this toad from me.”
“Yea, but wert thou more as he I would stay with thee.”
“Think. Thou didst call him a toad.”
“I mean, wert thou not so bent of mind. Oltis never sayeth nay to me. It would be better, Atlana, couldst thou ever think with me.”
“It is but this time, Atlano. Come, sit with me again. I will be more calm.”
“Nay, I go.”
“Go not to Oltis.”
“I like the mirth of it.”