SCENE XI.

_The same._ TWO SPIES, _their hands tied, each one held by two guards. They are thrown on to their knees at the foot of the throne._

WINGED PRINCE

Who are you?

FIRST SPY

Faithful servants of the dynasty of the Tsing.

WINGED PRINCE

Where do you come from?

SECOND SPY

From the only capital of our great and pure Empire.

WINGED PRINCE

Your crime is flagrant and needs no further proof, what have you to say?

FIRST SPY

Nothing.

SECOND SPY

Yes! We wished to kidnap the child, to hold him as a hostage and thus to have you at our mercy. We have nothing further to say. Our lips are sealed.

WINGED PRINCE

Name your accomplices.

SECOND SPY

We shall say nothing.

WINGED PRINCE

Ha! ha! We have made others speak. [_To the_ EMPRESS] The torture at once, is it not?

EMPRESS

Torture, no! Death, instant death.

FAITHFUL PRINCE [_To the_ EMPRESS]

I venture to suggest to your Majesty that it might be better perhaps to imprison these men in a dungeon. We do not know who they are, nor of how great importance in the eyes of the enemy. What secrets might we not indeed extract from these two!----

EMPRESS

What! After what they have done, you would have them see the light of another day?----remember that they have dared to lay a hand on the sacred person of him in whom lives all our hope; they have bruised his neck, frail as a stem of a flower. To kidnap him as hostage, they said! How do I know that they did not rather mean to kill my child.

ALL

Death! Death!

EMPRESS

Yes, death! And have them thrown to the beasts that eat dead bodies. Their graves will be the maws of crows and dogs. At once!

[_The_ FAITHFUL PRINCE _gives a signal, and the condemned prisoners are lifted to their feet._]

FIRST SPY

We have risked our lives. We have lost and we accept death.

SECOND SPY

We shall be soon avenged by the great army which is marching against you. To-morrow it will be before your walls.

ALL

Death! Death!

[_The condemned men are led away._]