and singing in the streets. Everybody here is sick with
fear. Everyone except me. And I ...
Yes? And you?
I'm sick with hatred. Please tell me something else; I want
to know it because of someone I'm expecting. Suppose one
of the young fellows you've been telling about, who walk
and laugh with girls in the evening - suppose one of these
young men came home after a long journey and found his
father murded, and his mother living with the murderer, and
his sister treated like a slave - what would he do, that
young man from Corinthe? Would he just he just take it for
granted and leave his fathers house? Or would he draw his
sword and hurl himself at the assassin, and slash his
brains out?
Électre!
Hush!
What is it?
That was my mother, Queen Clytemnestre
Électre, hear the kings order. You are to make ready for
the ceremony. You must wear your black dress and your
jewels. You are a princess, Électre, and the townsfolk
expect to see you, as in former years.
Do you know what they do Philèèe? Above the town there's a
great cavern. People say that it leads down to hell. Each
year when this anniversary comes round, the townspeople
gather outside the cavern, soldiers roll away the stone
which blocks the entrance, and our dead, so they say, come
up from hell amd roam the city. The dead are everywhere. I
refuse to take part in this mummery. Those dead folk are
their dead, not mine.
If you will not obey his summons willingly, the King will
have you brought to him by force.
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