Act II

_The same room lighted more brilliantly an hour later in the
evening. On one side a table covered with packs of cards, pyramids,
etc., at which the_ CONJURER _in evening dress is standing quietly
setting out his tricks. A little more in the foreground the_ DUKE;
_and_ HASTINGS _with a number of papers._

HASTINGS. There are only a few small matters. Here are the programmes of
the entertainment your Grace wanted. Mr. Carleon wishes to see them very
much.

DUKE. Thanks, thanks. [_Takes the programmes._]

HASTINGS. Shall I carry them for your Grace?

DUKE. No, no; I shan't forget, I shan't forget. Why, you've no idea how
businesslike I am. We have to be, you know. [_Vaguely._] I know you're a
bit of a Socialist; but I assure you there's a good deal to do--stake
in the country, and all that. Look at remembering faces now! The King
never forgets faces. [_Waves the programmes about._] I never forget
faces. [_Catches sight of the_ CONJURER _and genially draws him into the
discussion._] Why, the Professor here who performs before the King
[_puts down the programmes_]--you see it on the caravans, you
know--performs before the King almost every night, I suppose....

CONJURER. [_Smiling._] I sometimes let his Majesty have an evening off.
And turn my attention, of course, to the very highest nobility. But
naturally I have performed before every sovereign potentate, white and
black. There never was a conjurer who hadn't.

DUKE. That's right, that's right! And you'll say with me that the great
business for a King is remembering people?

CONJURER. I should say it was remembering which people to remember.

DUKE. Well, well, now.... [_Looks round rather wildly for something._]
Being really businesslike....

HASTINGS. Shall I take the programmes for your Grace?

DUKE. [_Picking them up._] No, no, I shan't forget. Is there anything
else?

HASTINGS. I have to go down the village about the wire to Stratford. The
only other thing at all urgent is the Militant Vegetarians.

DUKE. Ah! The Militant Vegetarians! You've heard of them, I'm sure.
Won't obey the law [_to the_ CONJURER] so long as the Government serves
out meat.

CONJURER. Let them be comforted. There are a good many people who don't
get much meat.

DUKE. Well, well, I'm bound to say they're very enthusiastic. Advanced,
too--oh, certainly advanced. Like Joan of Arc.

[_Short silence, in which the_ CONJURER _stares at him._]

CONJURER. _Was_ Joan of Arc a Vegetarian?

DUKE. Oh, well, it's a very high ideal, after all. The Sacredness of
Life, you know--the Sacredness of Life. [_Shakes his head._] But they
carry it too far. They killed a policeman down in Kent.

CONJURER.