Chapter 23Scene 3

A cell in Almuene’s house. Nureddene alone. NUREDDENE We sin our pleasant sins and then refrain And think that God’s deceived. He waits His time And when we walk the clean and polished road He trips us with the mire our shoes yet keep, The pleasant mud we walked before. All ills I will bear patiently. Oh, better here Than in that world! Who comes? Khatoon, my aunt! Enter Khatoon and a Slave. KHATOON My Nureddene! NUREDDENE Good aunt, weep not for me. KHATOON You are my sister’s child, yet more my own. I have no other. Ali, mend his food And treatment. Fear not thou the Vizier’s wrath, For I will shield thee. SLAVE I’ll do it willingly. KHATOON What is this sound of many rushing feet? Enter Almuene and Slaves.

The Viziers of Bassora ALMUENE Seize him and bind. O villain, fatal villain! O my heart’s stringlet! Seize him, beat to powder; Have burning irons. Dame, what do you here? Wilt thou prevent me then? KHATOON Let no man touch The prisoner of the Sultan. What’s this rage? ALMUENE My son, my son! He has burned my heart. Shall I Not burn his body? KHATOON What is it? Tell me quickly. ALMUENE Fareed is murdered. KHATOON God forbid! By whom? ALMUENE This villain’s sister. KHATOON Doonya? You are mad. Speak, slave. A SLAVE Young master went with a great company To Murad’s house to carry Doonya off Who then was seated listening to the lute With Balkis and Mymoona, Ajebe’s slavegirls. We stormed the house, but could not take the lady; Mymoona with a sword kept all at bay For minutes. Meantime the city fills with rumour,

Act V, Scene 3 And Murad riding like a stormy wind Came on us just too soon, the girl defender Found wounded, Doonya at last in Fareed’s grip Who made a shield of that fair burden; but Balkis Ran at and tripped him, and the savage Turk Fire-eyed and furious lunged him through the body. He’s dead. KHATOON My son! ALMUENE Will you now give me leave To torture this vile boy? KHATOON What is his fault? Touch him and I acquaint the King. Vizier, Thou slewst Fareed. My gracious, laughing babe Who clung about me with his little hands And sucked my breasts! Him you have murdered, Vizier, Both soul and body. I will go and pray For vengeance on thee for my slaughtered child. Exit. ALMUENE She has baulked my fury. No, I’ll wait for thee. Thou shalt hear first what I have done with Doonya And thy soft mother’s body. Murad! Murad! Thou hast no son. Would God thou hadst a son! Exit. NUREDDENE Not upon others fall Thy heavy scourge Who are not guilty. O Doonya, O my mother, In fiercest peril from that maddened tyrant! Curtain