|
|
|
Scene
Twenty-Three:
Family
Values in Trouble Again
Set
Cries Out The
Wrong Name!
|
|
|
|
|
Scene as before. SET and NEPHTHYS are in their
bedchamber as ISIS continues reading her sister's
letter.
|
|
ISIS:
|
Now, instead of taking me like a lion breaking a gazelle, he takes his
time. He explores his wife's body slowly, and when he finds something
she enjoys, he does it again and amazingly, and our bed has been . . . each night . . .
|
|
ISIS' voice and LIGHTS fade at the Cave as she enters, shows the
letter to OSIRIS, then begins to treat him. LIGHTS up on bedchamber.
|
| NEPHTHYS:
|
Every night! Every, every--
|
|
SET:
|
(At orgasm.) Ahh! Isis!
|
|
LIGHTS bang up full on bedchamber.
|
NEPHTHYS:
|
What!? (She pushes him up, away.)
|
SET:
|
What?
|
NEPHTHYS:
|
What did you call me?
|
SET:
|
It wasn't me. I didn't say it.
|
|
|
NEPHTHYS:
|
You mud
snake. (Throws oils from
table at
SET) You use me for practice. Get out!
|
SET:
|
Ha! Play Bounce the Camel with Osiris and
get righteous with me.
|
|
|
NEPHTHYS:
|
Bear it! (Picks up SET's knife and scabbard.) I wanted
Osiris when there was no love anywhere else--Get out!
|
SET:
|
Oh! This is terrifying!
|
|
|
|
She flings scabbard off the knife toward SET, holds blade toward him. He
laughs.
|
NEPHTHYS:
|
Amuse yourself. Keep laughing.
If you stay here, you have to sleep. And when you do, I will hold a new secret. I will know
where the balls of Set are buried.
|
SET:
|
Mmm. Persuasive enough for me.
I won't keep you.
|
SET gathers a few things, then his knife, which NEPHTHYS hands him.
He exits as she glares at him. LIGHTS out on bedchamber, up
on OSIRIS' cave. Orange LIGHT follows Set as he journeys
through the Red Land, the river visible in the distance. My Fur is Up MUSIC
begins. ANUBIS KHU appears above.
|
|
|
|
My
Fur is Up
|
|
|
|
SET
(Sings:)
|
|
|
My fur is up, my blood gets loud,
I can see her bosom in that river cloud,
I'm in love, I've had less misery
But what a disaster.
I used to be free.
My bow's unstrung, my head's all air
My horse is wondering if I'm still there,
I'm in love, I want her to love my song,
What an obsession!
I used to be strong.
|
|
|
ANUBIS:
|
(To CELEBRANTS:) This song isn't going to get any better. Keep
listening if you want.
|
|
SET: (Sings)
|
I see the lady Isis
In the swirling of her gown
In her laughter and the small gold flakes
That gleam around her eyes,
I'd give anything to be with her this night
In the fragrance of her arms.
|
ANUBIS:
|
Yes, Set is in love. It couldn't have happened to a sweeter-natured, less luckily positioned hero--
|
SET:
|
Watch your words, dognose. Just cover the song. I
hate this.
|
ANUBIS:
|
I'm only setting things up so you can blame bad luck or someone
else.
|
SET:
|
Whether there's blame in what I do has yet to be seen. Stop
patronizing these people. They see us. (TO CELEBRANTS:) You see how it is?
The first great mythic story in your history is being told for the first time--all
right, we've done it thousands of times--and already there's propaganda,
and tricks with words, and even Neters jockeying for more attention and applause.
We do what we have to do, as our roles in the wheel of life and death command
us. I'm a hunter. I don't need to be cheered. (To ANUBIS:)
Move it along.
|
ANUBIS:
|
I tell it as I choose. The morning that Set approached the cave where
Osiris was gathering his strength, the rain had blessed with a sudden shower--
|
SET:
|
Agghhh! Just say It rained! See if you can outrun
this.
|
|
SET begins to string his bow, unlace his quiver.
|
ANUBIS:
|
I don't fear you. You're in love, remember? You
couldn't hit the cliff at Aswan from twenty cubits.
|
SET:
|
I'll get you some way, you stepson of a--
|
My Fur is Up MUSIC resumes, cutting off SET's line. His
singing is nearly sotto voce.
|
SET:
|
My cheek is smooth, my hair smells sweet,
There's a light forgetting when I move my feet.
|
ANUBIS:
|
Louder! Sing it!
|
SET:
SET and ANUBIS:
|
You die! (Sings at full voice,
joined by ANUBIS in harmony:)
My cheek is smooth, my hair smells sweet,
There's a light forgetting when I move my feet.
I'm in love. Lovely Isis, set me free.
What a nightmare!
I used to be me.
|
|
