A C T   T H R E E

Scene 1.

Enter HEKTOR, AENEAS, and servants. They are carrying torches and a cradle with SKAMANDRIUS.

HEKTOR. Is this the cave? 'T 's a cavern huge and old,
Aeneas, the priests say. Long and terrible
Its passages. Be careful. --Is this the place we are to wait?

LAOCOON. The very place prescribed.

HEKTOR. Enormous . . . Strange . . . I'd no idea this
Crouched underneath the temple.

LAOCOON. You're to stay
Until it happens.

LAOCOON exits.

HEKTOR. What?
Aeneas,
What will happen?

AENEAS. What is to.

SERVANT. Here's your son Skamandrius.

HEKTOR. Still sleeping.
Image of your mother, sleep till the ending of the world, and I will love you after.

AENEAS. You and he must stay alone.

SERVANT. My lord, we go.

HEKTOR. Farewell.

Exit AENEAS and the servants.

HEKTOR. If I must end my life with anyone,
Let it be now, with you. I thank the gods.
They gave me much. So beautiful a son. --
Dank place. Yet glowing flames flow from the rocks:
Bat's chitterings are heard. No other sound. --
Still, air smells foul. Hush, hush. Rest.
I'll cover you, Skamandrius.
The flames go out. Grown cold as well as black.
I cannot see my hand.

Enter the FIRST GHOST, who removes Hektor's sword. Enter the SECOND GHOST.

SECOND GHOST. Hektor.

HEKTOR. Uh! I'll draw my sword. No sword.

FIRST GHOST. No sword may here defile this sacred place.
Pri'mson, the time is almost come.

HEKTOR. What? Who --
What are you? Are you -- Whoe'r you be, damn spirit or thing accursed, stand back.
This is my son.

FIRST GHOST. We are to see but you and he.

HEKTOR. Are you -- ?

FIRST GHOST. What we must be.

HEKTOR. Spirits of the cave?

FIRST GHOST. Spirits. Of past and future. Yours, Defender.

HEKTOR. Why then, it must be good news. No? I see it's not.

Enter the THIRD GHOST.

THIRD GHOST. What we are doesn't matter.

FIRST GHOST. Who.

SECOND GHOST. Who.

THIRD GHOST. Who we are --

FIRST GHOST. Matters.

THIRD GHOST. We are you.

SECOND GHOST. What you have been, and shall be.

HEKTOR. I know. Spirit, what are you . . . here to say.

FIRST GHOST. We've come --

SECOND GHOST. Come --

THIRD GHOST. Come for you.

FIRST GHOST. We will again.

SECOND GHOST. You'll go.

THIRD GHOST. Go with us.

FIRST GHOST. Willingly.

SECOND GHOST. You know. You know it must be.

FIRST GHOST. Very soon.

HEKTOR. I know.

THIRD GHOST. Soon.

SECOND GHOST. Soon. Very soon, Hektor, it will be.

HEKTOR. Spirits, who will slay me, take me from my son?

FIRST GHOST. Akilleus. Akilleus will slay.

HEKTOR. Akilleus?

FIRST GHOST. If you're abandoned. By wife and brothers. To die the second time.

HEKTOR. I know my wife and brothers. They'll not abandon me.

SECOND GHOST. Two times you die. Unless help intervenes.
No man can live alone. No woman either.

HEKTOR. A second time? A second time to die?

FIRST GHOST. All men die twice. If you die only once --

SECOND GHOST. It will be many years from now. In th' arms of Andromake.

GHOST. If twice --

HEKTOR. Turn back! Speak truth. I'm not afraid.

FIRST GHOST. Our time is now. We go.

HEKTOR. Halt!

THIRD GHOST. Mortal, you have no power over us.

The ghosts vanish.

HEKTOR. Gone. The evil stench returns.

The Trojans return.

AENEAS. Has 't happened? Did you see it?

HEKTOR. Yes.

LAOCOON. Can you tell us? You shake your head.

HEKTOR. What I have heard I've heard.
Come. 'T 's almost dawn.

AENEAS. We are in a cavern. How could you know?

HEKTOR. It would be. Aeneas, come!

The Trojans exit.

[To Be Continued]