Chapter 15Scene 6

The Palace at Bassora. Alzayni, Salar. ALZAYNI So it is written here. Hot interchange And high defiance have already passed Between our Caliph and the daring Roman. Europe and Asia are at grips once more. To inspect the southward armies unawares Haroun himself is coming. SALAR Alfazzal then Returns to us, unless the European, After their barbarous fashion, seize on him. ALZAYNI ’Tis strange, he sends no tidings of the motion I made to Egypt. SALAR ’Tis too dangerous To write of, as indeed ’twas ill-advised To make the approach. ALZAYNI Great dangers justify The smaller. Caliph Alrasheed conceives On trifling counts a dumb displeasure towards me Which any day may speak; ’tis whispered of In Bagdad. Alkhasib, the Egyptian Vizier,

The Viziers of Bassora Is in like plight. It is mere policy, Salar, to build out of a common peril A common safety. SALAR Haroun Alrasheed Could break each one of you between two fingers, Stretching his left arm out to Bassora, His right to Egypt. Sultan, wilt thou strive Against the single giant of the world? ALZAYNI Giants are mortal, friend, be but our swords As bold as sharp. Call Murad here to me. Exit Salar. My state is desperate, if Haroun lives; He’s sudden and deadly, when his anger bursts. But let me be more sudden, yet more deadly. Enter Murad. Murad, the time draws near. The Caliph comes To Bassora; let him not thence return. MURAD My blade is sharp and what I do is sudden. ALZAYNI My gallant Turk! Thou shalt rise high, believe it. For I need men like thee. MURAD (to himself) But Kings like thee Earth needs not. VOICE WITHOUT Justice! justice! justice, King! King of the Age, I am a man much wronged.

Act III, Scene 6 ALZAYNI Who cries beneath my window? Chamberlain! Enter Sunjar. SUNJAR An Arab daubed with mud and dirt, all battered, Unrecognizable, with broken lips cries out For justice. ALZAYNI Bring him here. Exit Sunjar. It is some brawl. Enter Sunjar with Almuene. Thou, Vizier! Who has done this thing to thee? ALMUENE Mohamad, son of Sulyman! Sultan Alzayni! Abbasside! how shalt thou long Have friends, if the King’s enemies may slay In daylight, here, in open Bassora The King’s best friends because they love the King? ALZAYNI Name them at once and choose their punishment. ALMUENE Alfazzal’s son, that brutal profligate, Has done this. MURAD Nureddene! ALZAYNI Upon what quarrel?

The Viziers of Bassora ALMUENE A year ago Alfazzal bought a slavegirl With the King’s money for the King, a gem Of beauty, learning, mind, fit for a Caliph. But seeing the open flower he thought perhaps Your royal nose too base to smell at it, So gave her to his royaller darling son To soil and rumple. No man with a neck Dared tell you of it, such your faith was in him. ALZAYNI Is’t so? our loved and trusted Ibn Sawy! ALMUENE This profligate squandering away his wealth Brought her to market; there I saw her and bid Her fair full price. Whereat he stormed at me With words unholy; yet I answered mild, “My son, not for myself, but the King’s service I need her.” He with bold and furious looks, “Dog, Vizier of a dog, I void on thee And on thy Sultan.” With which blasphemy He seized me, rolled in the mire, battered with blows, Kicks, pullings of the beard, then dragged me back And flung me at his slavegirl’s feet, who, proud Of her bold lover, footed my grey head Repeatedly and laughed, “This for thy King, Thy dingy stingy King who with so little Would buy a slavegirl sole in all the world.” SUNJAR Great Hasheem’s vein cords all the Sultan’s forehead. MURAD The dog has murdered both of them with lies.

Act III, Scene 6 ALZAYNI Now by the Prophet, my forefather! Out, Murad! drag here the fellow and his girl; Trail them with ropes tied to their bleeding heels, Their faces in the mire, with pinioned hands Behind their backs, into my presence here. Sack Sawy’s mansion, raze it to the ground. What, am I grown so bare that by-lane dogs Like these so loudly bay at me? They die! MURAD Sultan, — ALZAYNI He’s doomed who speaks a word for them. Exit. ALMUENE Brother-in-law Murad, fetch your handsome brother. Soon, lest the Sultan hear of it! MURAD Vizier, I know my duty. Know your own and do it. ALMUENE I’ll wash, then forth in holiday attire To see that pretty sport. Exit. SUNJAR What will you do? MURAD Sunjar, a something swift and desperate. I will not let them die.

The Viziers of Bassora SUNJAR Run not on danger. I’ll send a runner hotfoot to their house To warn them. Exit Sunjar. MURAD Do so. What will Doonya say When she hears this? How will her laughing eyes Be clouded and brim over! Till Haroun comes! Exit.