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Scene
Thirty:
I'm
Not a Clown, Mother
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The Royal Palace. ISIS at one of the stone tables,
blending oils. I'm Looking Forward to You theme distant
as HORUS enters. ISIS notices the difference in his walk.
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| ISIS:
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You've met your uncle Set.
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| HORUS:
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Most impressive.
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| ISIS:
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You don't have a mark on you.
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| HORUS:
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Nothing that shows. He suggested we entertain each other after you've shown
me how to treat cuts.
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| ISIS:
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That's uncommonly helpful of him. Why would
he do that? It's not spring, is it? No.
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| HORUS:
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Mother, I
don't understand. Set is the one who
killed my father. Twice! But -- I like
him. He's the only one who -- I don't
even know the word for it. My body rocks
back and shakes, and I smile.
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| ISIS:
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He makes you laugh. He's funny.
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| HORUS:
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What does that mean?
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ISIS:
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Ho. How to explain it? You know the men in
the market who wear strange clothes and jump around
and juggle fruit and gourds, and everyone smiles
and giggles and goes ha ha ha ho ho ho?
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| HORUS:
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Oh. The clowns. That's funny?
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ISIS:
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To some people.
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| HORUS:
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Then why don't I like it? I think it's silly.
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ISIS:
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For you, yes. I know.
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| HORUS:
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The only
thing I think about
is shooting the arrow that kills Set. I watch it fly, and hit
the center of his throat. There is a burst of blood
and surprise. And he falls. It's all I see.
Everything else is distracting.
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ISIS:
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Even the Map of Light? Will you be
ready to teach it tomorrow?
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| HORUS:
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I believe so.
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ISIS:
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I hope so. And please. (She begins to exit.) Make it
entertaining.
A dull man talking about the sky is unbearable. Anyone who can talk for twenty minutes about the stories in the
stars without making me laugh may not be ready to fight Set.
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| HORUS:
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You mean I have to put some jokes in?
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ISIS:
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Yes. Of course. Do you want me and these good people
to sit through a star lesson that is boring because there is no laughter
in it? (To CELEBRANTS:) Am I right? It has to be fun and light, right?
(CELEBRANTS usually agree.)
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| HORUS:
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I
came here to play the hero. I'm not a clown,
mother.
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| ISIS:
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And why not? Jokes are the hardest thing for you
to do because they require a temporary doubleness of mind that is hard for
one as single-minded as you. With Set, jokes are a weapon. He'll
kill you with jokes -- unless your jokes are better.
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| ISIS exits and HORUS walks through the Space, his eyes
up as MAP OF LIGHT appears above in the dome of the Space. The NETERS enter as HORUS refers to them.
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HORUS:
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Nephthys was
mysterious as always. She wouldn't tell me anything I didn't
already know, so I asked her a different favor instead. If
I were in mortal danger and needed to know a secret, would she speak? She said she would. So that's a critical weapon in the bag.
Anubis was not much help. He said he was all nose and no eyes,
that he could -- what did you say?
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ANUBIS:
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You mean how I cast my nose like a sunbeam level
with the earth?
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HORUS:
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Yes.
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ANUBIS:
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Well. I'm glad you like the words. My body
just isn't built for bending upward, as yours is. Why ask me when your best
source is . . . ?
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| HORUS:
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Thoth.
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ANUBIS:
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You're
a bird, he's a bird. Ask him. Do it.
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| HORUS:
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And Thoth was of course most informative. Thank
you.
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| THOTH:
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You're welcome. Are you ready?
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| HORUS:
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I believe so.
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| ISIS:
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(Entering,
with NEPHTHYS:) We'll see about that.
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| HORUS:
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Honored teachers and guests, thank you for arranging
your endless schedule of doing this play to be here tonight. (To ISIS:) I'm going to raise your temperature
in particular with this story, young lady.
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| ISIS:
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The brass of you. Has brass been invented
yet?
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| HORUS:
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Yes. This morning.
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| ISIS:
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Are we ready? (All nod. To HORUS:) The boldness of you. I am your mother.
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| HORUS:
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That's hard to believe. You're as
supple as a fox, as elegant as a cat. You do catch the eye. If I weren't your son, I'd
be on you like a crocodile after a heifer.
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| ISIS:
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Horus! (To other NETERs. Half laughing.) Let us
proceed. You do stand your ground like a dog in a small yard. Well done, Anubis.
Thoth?
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| THOTH:
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If the clarity in your eye is equal to the nerve
in your mouth, the next few minutes should be worth hearing. Proceed.
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