King Arthurs Socks and Other Village Plays | Page 7

her--to go, as her presence would interfere with
my plans.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I call the gods to witness. A truly virtuous
young man!
JOSEPH. (_jumping down from the table, angrily_) Virtue! Virtue! Oh,
you stupid Egyptians! As though I cared about Virtue!
MADAM POTIPHAR. Well, what in the name of all the gods is it that
you care about?
JOSEPH. (_vehemently_) In the name of all the gods, madam, I care
about time.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Time! But what can you do with time?
JOSEPH. What can I do without it?

MADAM POTIPHAR. But I do not understand!
JOSEPH. (_in a cold rage_) Of course you do not understand. You are
a great lady--and a fool. I am a wise man--and but an hour ago a slave.
I have more intellect than all the population of Egypt put together. Do
you expect me to be content to remain as I am? I want power and
riches--and I intend to achieve them. And I cannot achieve them if I
allow women to waste my time.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_deeply angered at last_) Very well, I
go--taking your secret with me! (She goes.)
JOSEPH. (_furiously, to the empty room_) Virtue! My God!
He sits down at his desk and writes vexedly.
* * * * *
_Night. The room is filled with moonlight. Joseph is asleep at his
desk.... He suddenly springs up in agitation_.
JOSEPH. Ah! . . . It was only a dream! But what a dream! I thought I
saw at the door--(_he points_) a strange and terrible animal! (_There is
a sound at the door, and he starts back in terror_.) There it is now!
_The curtains part, and Asenath enters, candle in hand_.
ASENATH. Ssh! It is I--Asenath! Don't be afraid!
_Joseph recovers his self-possession, and confronts her sternly_.
JOSEPH. You, too!
ASENATH. My dear?
JOSEPH. So you have come to afflict me with more romantic folly!
ASENATH. (_with concern_) What is the matter with you, Joseph?

JOSEPH. What is the matter with me? Nothing is the matter with me.
Why do you ask?
ASENATH. I think you are not well. You are behaving queerly. You
must have been working too hard. How are your nerves?
She approaches him solicitously.
JOSEPH. (_retreating around the table_) Leave me alone, I tell you!
Even in my own room can I have no peace? Must I be dogged even in
my dreams by shameless and unscrupulous females? Oh, unfortunate
youth that I am!
ASENATH. (_setting her candle down on the table_) Now I know what
is the matter with you, Joseph! You have an obsession.
JOSEPH. What is an obsession?
ASENATH. Don't you know what an obsession is? (_She sits down on
the stool at the end of the table_). Haven't you heard of the great wizard
in the land of the barbarians who explains everything by a new magic?
JOSEPH. Is he the author of that popular new dream-book?
ASENATH. Yes. All Egypt is mad on the subject of dreams.
Everybody, from Pharaoh to the fiddler's wife, is telling about his latest
dream, or listening to some one else tell his.
JOSEPH. (_sitting down on the other stool_) Speaking of dreams, I had
a curious one just before you came in.
ASENATH. Did you, Joseph? Tell it to me.
She leans across the table.
JOSEPH. I dreamed--that I saw a dragon with many heads. And each
head had the face of a beautiful woman. I was frightened. But I took up
a sword and struck. And all the heads except one were severed. All
except one. And this one had upon it a crown of iron and a crown of

gold. And then the dragon took the crowns from its head, and offered
them to me! I did not know what to do. . . . And then I awoke.
ASENATH. Shall I interpret your dream for you, Joseph? The dragon
with the many heads signifies the women of Egypt, who are all in love
with you. The one that remains when you have struck off the rest, is the
one who will succeed where all the others have failed. The crown of
iron signifies power. The crown of gold, riches. She offers them to
you. . .
JOSEPH. (_leaning forward_) Asenath--do you really think it means--
ASENATH. (_coldly_) I really think it means that you have a
persecution--mania. You imagine that every woman you meet has
designs on you. . . . I suppose you think that I came here to make love
to you?
JOSEPH. No, my dear Asenath. I know better than that. When young
women come to my room at midnight, it is only to borrow a book to
read--or to ask my advice about their personal affairs. I know, because
they tell me so. Which did you come for--a