Chapter 14Scene 5

The slave-market. Muazzim with Anice exposed for sale; Ajebe, Aziz, Abdullah and Merchants.

MUAZZIM Who bids?

AZIZ Four thousand.

MUAZZIM She went for ten when she was here first. Will you not raise your bid nearer her value?

AZIZ She was new then and untouched. ’Tis the way with goods, broker; they lose value by time and purchase, use and soiling.

MUAZZIM Oh, sir, the kissed mouth has always honey. But this is a Peri and immortal lips have an immortal sweetness.

AJEBE Five hundred to that bid.

Enter Almuene with Slaves.

ALMUENE (to himself) Ah, it is true! All things come round at last With the full wheel of Fate; it is my hour. Fareed shall have her. She shall be well handled To plague her lover’s heart before he dies.

(aloud) Broker, who sells the girl and what’s her rate?

AJEBE All’s lost.

MUAZZIM Nureddene bin Alfazzal bin Sawy sells her and your nephew has bid for her four thousand and five hundred.

ALMUENE My nephew bids for me. Who bids against?

AJEBE Uncle —

ALMUENE

Go, find out other slavegirls, Ajebe. Do well until the end.

Exit Ajebe.

Who bids against me? She’s mine then. Come.

ANICE

I’ll not be sold to you.

ALMUENE What, dar’st thou speak, young harlot? Fear the whip.

ANICE Vizier, I fear you not; there’s law in Islam. My master will deny the sale.

ALMUENE

Thy master Shall be a kitchen negro, who shall use thee.

ANICE Had I a whip, you should not say it twice.

MUAZZIM Vizier, Vizier, by law the owner’s acceptance only is final for the sale.

ALMUENE It is a form, but get it. I am impatient Until I have this strumpet in my grip.

MUAZZIM Well, here he comes.

Enter Nureddene and Ajebe.

A MERCHANT

Shall we go, shall we go?

ABDULLAH Stand by! ’Tis noble Ibn Sawy’s son. We must protect him even at our own peril.

MUAZZIM She goes for a trifle, sir; and even that little you will not get. You will weary your feet with journeyings, only to be put off by his villains, and when you grow clamorous they will demand your order and tear it before your eyes. That’s your payment.

NUREDDENE That’s nothing. The wolf’s cub, hunchback Fareed! The sale is off.

MUAZZIM Be advised by me. Catch the girl by the hair and cuff her soundly, abusing her with the harshest terms your heart can consent to, then off with her quickly as if you had brought her to market only to execute an oath made in anger. So he loses his hold on her.

NUREDDENE I’ll tell the lie. One fine, pure-seeming falsehood, Admitted, opens door to all his naked And leprous family; in, in, they throng And breed the house quite full.

MUAZZIM

The Vizier wants her. He bids four thousand pieces and five hundred.

NUREDDENE ’Tis nothing. Girl, I keep my oath. Suffice it You’re bidden for and priced in open market here. Come home! Be now less dainty, meeker of tongue, Or you shall have more feeling punishments. Do I need to sell thee? Home! my oath is kept.

ALMUENE This is a trick to cheat the law. Thou ruffian! Cheap profligate! What hast thou left to sell But thy own sensual filth and drunken body, — If any out of charity would spend Some dirhams to reform thee with a scourge? Vile son of a bland hypocrite!

He draws his scimitar.

ABDULLAH

Pause, Vizier.

AZIZ Be patient, Nureddene.

ALMUENE

I yet shall kill him. Hence, harlot, foot before me to my kitchen.

ANICE He has abused me filthily, my lord, Before these merchants.

ALMUENE

Abuse thee, rag? Hast thou An use? To be abused is thy utility. Thou shalt be used and common.

NUREDDENE Stand by, you merchants; let none interfere On peril of his life. Thou foul-mouthed tyrant, Into the mire and dirt, where thou wert gendered!

ALMUENE Help, help! Hew him in pieces.

The slaves are rushing forward.

ABDULLAH

What do you, fellows? This is a Vizier and a Vizier’s son. Shall common men step in? You’ll get the blows For only thanks.

ALMUENE

Oh! oh! Will you then kill me?

NUREDDENE If thou wouldst live, crave pardon of the star Thou hast spat on. I would make thee lick her feet But that thy lips would foul their purity.

ALMUENE Pardon, oh, pardon!

NUREDDENE (throwing him away)

Live then, in thy gutter.

ABDULLAH Go, slaves, lift up your master, lead him off.

Exeunt Slaves with Almuene. He is well punished.

AZIZ

What will come of this?

ABDULLAH No good to Nureddene. Let’s go and warn him; He’s bold and proud, may think to face it out, Which were mere waiting death.

AZIZ

I pray on us This falls not.

Exeunt Merchants.

MUAZZIM

Here was ill-luck!

AJEBE

Nor ends with this. I’ll have a ship wide-sailed and well-provisioned For their escape. Bassora will not hold them.

Exeunt.