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SCENE IV
A room in Ajebe's house.
Balkis, do come, my heart. Enter Balkis.
Your will?
My will!
Was it for abuse
Bring your lute and sing to me.
I am not in the mood.
Sing, I entreat you.
I am no kabob, nor my voice a curry. Exit.
Oh, Balkis, Balkis! hear me. Page – 623 Enter Mymoona.
It's useless calling; she is in her moods. And there's your Vizier getting down from horse In the doorway.
I will go and bring him up. Exit.
It is as good to meet a mangy dog She conceals herself behind a curtain. Re-enter Ajebe with Almuene.
He goes tomorrow? Well. And Nureddene The scapegrace holds his wealth in hand ? Much better. I always said he was a fool. (To himself) Easily I might confound him with this flagrant lapse About the slave-girl. But wait! wait! He gone, His memory waned, his riches squandered quite, I'll ruin his son, ruin the insolent Turk He has preferred to my Fareed. His Doonya And Anice slave-girls to my lusty boy, His wife — but she escapes. It is enough They come back to a desolate house. Oh! let Their forlorn wrinkles hug an empty nest In life's cold leafless winter! Meanwhile I set My seal on every room in the King's heart; He finds no chamber open when he comes.
Uncle, you ponder things of weight? Page – 624
No, Ajebe;
Trifles, mere trifles. You're a friend, I think,
We drink together.
Right, right! Would you have place, power, honours, gold,
Why, uncle!
Do you dread death? furious disgrace?
All men desire those blessings, fear these ills.
They shall be yours in overflowing measure,
What service ?
Ruin wanton Nureddene. Page – 625
Nor mere light gallantries, but gutter filth,
But this undone, you are yourself undone. Exit.
Mymoona! girl, where are you ?
Here, here, behind you.
A Satan out of hell has come to me.
A Satan, truly, and he'ld make you one,
What shall I do?
Not what he tells you to.
Yet if I do not, I am gone. No man
Leave the other side. 'Tis true, Our Balkis loves his Anice so completely. Page – 626
Girl, girl, my life and goods are on the die.
Do one thing.
I will do what you shall bid me.
He has some vile companions, has he not?
Cafoor and Ayoob and the rest; a gang
Whisper the thing to them; yourself do nothing. Check him at times. Whatever else you do, Take not his gifts; they are the price of shame. If he is ruined, as without their urging Is likely, Satan's satisfied, if not, We'll flee from Bassora when there's no help.
You have a brain. Yet if I must be vile,
And Balkis?
True.
Be safe, be safe. The rest Page – 627 That dead men cannot love.
I'll think of it. Exit Mymoona.
The thing's too vile! and yet — honours and place, Enter Balkis.
What's your command?
Bring me your lute and sing.
Oh, threats?
Remember still
Do, do! yes, beat me! Or why beat me only?
Forgive me, Page – 628
Because in play I sometimes speak a little —
'Twas a jest, a jest!
I am a slave and only fit for scourging, Not pearls and rubies. Mymoona! Oh, Mymoona! Bring him a scourge and me a cup of poison. Exit.
She plays upon me as upon her lute, I'm as inert, as helpless, as completely Ruled by her moods, as dumbly pleasureless By her light hands untouched. How to appease her? Mymoona! oh, Mymoona! Exit. Curtain Page – 629 |
