Chapter 19Scene 3

The Gardens, outside the Pavilion. Haroun, Mesrour. HAROUN See, Mesrour, the Pavilion’s all alight. ’Tis as I said. Where is the Barmeky? MESROUR The Vizier comes, my lord. Enter Jaafar. JAAFAR Peace be with thee, Commander of the Faithful. HAROUN Where is peace, Thou faithless and usurping Vizier? Hast thou Filched my Bagdad out of my hands, thou rebel, And told me nothing? JAAFAR What words are these, O Caliph? HAROUN What mean these lights then? Does another Caliph Hold revel in my Palace of all Pleasure, While Haroun lives and holds the sword? JAAFAR (to himself) What Djinn

Act IV, Scene 3 Plays me this antic? HAROUN I am waiting, Vizier. JAAFAR Shaikh Ibrahim, my lord, petitioned me, On circumcision of his child, for use Of the pavilion. Lord, it had escaped My memory; I now remember it. HAROUN Doubly thou erredst, Jaafar; for thou gavest him No money, which was the significance Of his request, neither wouldst suffer me To help my servant. We will enter, Vizier, And hear the grave Faqeers discoursing there Of venerable things. The Shaikh’s devout And much affects their reverend company. We too shall profit by that holy talk Which arms us against sin and helps to heaven. JAAFAR (to himself) Helps to the plague! (aloud) Commander of the Faithful, Your mighty presence will disturb their peace With awe or quell their free unhampered spirits. HAROUN At least I’ld see them. MESROUR From this tower, my lord, We can look straight into the whole pavilion. HAROUN Mesrour, well thought of!

The Viziers of Bassora JAAFAR (aside, to Mesrour) A blister spoil thy tongue! MESROUR (aside, to Jaafar) I’ll head you, Jaafar. HAROUN (listening) Is not that a lute? A lute at such a grave and reverend meeting! Shaikh Ibrahim sings within. Chink-a-chunk-a-chink! We will kiss and drink, And be merry, O very very merry. For your eyes are bright Even by candle light And your lips as red as the red round cherry. HAROUN Now by the Prophet! by my great forefathers! He rushes into the tower followed by Mesrour. JAAFAR May the devil fly away with Shaikh Ibrahim and drop him upon a hill of burning brimstone! He follows the Caliph, who now appears with Mesrour on the platform of the tower. HAROUN Ho, Jaafar, see this godly ceremony Thou gav’st permission for, and these fair Faqeers. JAAFAR Shaikh Ibrahim has utterly deceived me. HAROUN The aged hypocrite! Who are this pair

Act IV, Scene 3 Of heavenly faces? Was there then such beauty In my Bagdad, yet Haroun’s eyes defrauded Of seeing it? JAAFAR The girl takes up the lute. HAROUN Now if she play and sing divinely, Jaafar, You shall be hanged alone for your offence, If badly, all you four shall swing together. JAAFAR I hope she will play vilely. HAROUN Wherefore, Jaafar? JAAFAR I ever loved good company, my lord, And would not tread my final road alone. HAROUN No, when thou goest that road, my faithful servant, Well do I hope that we shall walk together. ANICE (within) Song King of my heart, wilt thou adore me, Call me goddess, call me thine? I too will bow myself before thee As in a shrine. Till we with mutual adoration And holy earth-defeating passion Do really grow divine.

The Viziers of Bassora HAROUN The mighty Artist shows his delicate cunning Utterly in this fair creature. I will talk With the rare couple. JAAFAR Not in your own dread person, Or fear will make them dumb. HAROUN I’ll go disguised. Are there not voices by the river, Jaafar? Fishermen, I would wager. My commands Are well obeyed in my Bagdad, O Vizier! But I have seen too much beauty and cannot now Remember to be angry. Come, descend. As they descend, enter Kareem. KAREEM Here’s a fine fat haul! O my jumpers! my little beauties! O your fine white bellies! What a joke, to catch the Caliph’s own fish and sell them to him at thrice their value! HAROUN Who art thou? KAREEM O Lord, ’tis the Caliph himself! I am a dead fisherman. (falling flat) O Commander of the Faithful! Alas, I am an honest fisher- man. HAROUN Dost thou lament thy honesty? What fish hast thou? KAREEM Only a few whitebait and one or two minnows. Poor thin rogues, all of them! They are not fit for the Caliph’s honourable stomach.

Act IV, Scene 3 HAROUN Show me thy basket, man. Are these thy whitebait and thy two thin minnows? KAREEM Alas, sir, ’tis because I am honest. HAROUN Give me thy fish. KAREEM Here they are, here they are, my lord! HAROUN Out! the whole basket, fellow. Do I eat live fish, you thrust them in my face? And now exchange thy outer dress with me. KAREEM My dress? Well, you may have it; I am liberal as well as honest. But ’tis a good gaberdine; I pray you, be careful of it. HAROUN Woe to thee, fellow! What’s this filthiness Thou callst a garment? KAREEM O sir, when you have worn it ten days, the filth will come easy to you and, as one may say, natural. And ’tis honest filth; it will keep you warm in winter. HAROUN What, shall I wear thy gaberdine so long? KAREEM Commander of the Faithful! since you are about to leave kingcraft and follow an honest living for the good of your soul,

The Viziers of Bassora you may wear worse than an honest fisherman’s gaberdine. ’Tis a good craft and an honourable. HAROUN Off with thee. In my dress thou’lt find a purse Crammed full of golden pieces. It is thine. KAREEM Glory to Allah! This comes of being honest. Exit. JAAFAR (coming up) Who’s this? Ho, Kareem! wherefore here tonight? The Caliph’s in the garden. You’ll be thrashed And very soundly, fisher. HAROUN Jaafar, ’tis I. JAAFAR The Caliph! HAROUN Now to fry these fish and enter. JAAFAR Give them to me. I am a wondrous cook. HAROUN No, by the Prophet! My two lovely friends Shall eat a Caliph’s cookery tonight. Exeunt.