ZARB But we have nothing who have no good memories in the past. It is
not easy for us to hope for the future here.

KING ARGIMENES Have you any god?

ZARB We may not have a god because he might make us brave and we might
kill our guards. He might make a miracle and give us swords.

KING ARGIMENES Ah, you have no hope then.

ZARB I have a little hope. Hush, and I will tell you a secret--The
King's great dog is ill and like to die. They will throw him to us. We
shall have beautiful bones then.

KING ARGIMENES Ah! Bones.

ZARB Yes. That is what _I_ hope for. And have _you_ no other hope? Do
you not hope that your nation will arise some day and rescue you
and cast off the king and hang him up by his thumbs from the palace
gateway?

KING ARGIMENES No. I have no other hope, for my god was cast down in
the temple and broken into three pieces on the day that they surprised
us and took me sleeping. But will they throw him to us? Will so
honourable a brute as the King's dog be thrown to us?

ZARB When he is dead his honours are taken away. Even the King when he
is dead is given to the worms. Then why should not his dog be thrown
to us?