University of Virginia Library

Scene II:

—A street behind the Royal Palace. At the back is the entrance to the torture-chamber, on the closed door of which a notice hangs.
A Sentinel enters by the right and goes out by the left. A Tourist follows with a guide-book in his hand and reads the notice.
2nd Tourist
[enters].
That card was not there yesterday.

1st Tourist.
My luck—
A day behind the fair.

2nd Tourist.
And my luck, too.
I left this to the last.

1st Tourist
[consulting his guide-book].
They've gadges here,
And trip-hooks.

2nd Tourist.
Just the implements I wished
To see.

1st Tourist.
The most complete assortment stocked,
It seems.

2nd Tourist.
They should have given poor tourists notice.

1st Tourist.
His new satanic majesty, King Mammon,
Delights to do the unaccountable.

2nd Tourist.
Speak lower! Do you value liberty?
Good heavens! I'll leave you, sir!

1st Tourist.
Stay! I forgot;
I'm newer here than you.—Observe the porch;—
[Consulting his guide-book.
The bevelled voussoirs, very rare in Thule;
And archivolts so quaintly—

2nd Tourist.
What's that sound?

1st Tourist.
A cat, in pangs of hunger, or of love.

2nd Tourist.
Forgotten when they locked the place up.

1st Tourist.
Listen!
It's being hurt! Did you hear that?—I heard
A woman once in labour wailing high
With such a shrill persistence.—It's underground.

2nd Tourist.
A spaniel, vivisected:—in the Isles
It was, and at a famous college; I went,
Ashamed a little—my friend would have me go:—
A spaniel, vivisected, lifted up
A dreary sound like that. It's bitted jaws
Were fast; from either opened groin a wire
Explained in some electrical machine
The dog's ideas doubtless, till—

Sentinel
[re-enters].
Pass on.

The Tourists go out. The Sentinel halts at the door.