Chapter 26Scene 6

The public square of Bassora. Alzayni on a dais; in front a scaffold on which stand Nureddene, an Executioner, Murad and others. Almuene moves between the dais and scaffold. The square is crowded with people.

EXECUTIONER Ho! listen, listen, Moslems. Nureddene, Son of Alfazzal, son of Sawy, stands Upon the rug of blood, the man who smote Great Viziers and came armed with forgeries To uncrown mighty Kings. Look on his doom, You enemies of great Alzayni, look and shake.

(low, to Nureddene) My lord, forgive me who am thus compelled, Oh much against my will, to ill-requite Your father’s kindly favours.

NUREDDENE

Give me water; I thirst.

MURAD

Give water. Executioner, When the King waves the signal, wait; strike not Too hastily.

EXECUTIONER

Captain, I will await thy nod. Here’s water.

ALMUENE (coming up)

Rebellious sworder! giv’st thou drink To the King’s enemies?

A VOICE IN THE CROWD

God waits for thee, Thou wicked Vizier.

ALMUENE

Who was that?

MURAD

A voice. Behead it.

ALMUENE

Mighty Sultan, give the word.

ALZAYNI There is a movement in the crowd and cries. Wait for one moment.

ALMUENE

It is Ibn Sawy. Oh, this is sweet!

CRIES Make way for the Vizier, the good Vizier. He’s saved! he’s saved.

Enter Alfazzal; he looks with emotion at

Nureddene, then turns to the King.

IBN SAWY Greeting, my King; my work in Roum is over.

ALZAYNI Virtuous Alfazzal! we will talk with thee As ever was our dearest pleasure; first, There is a spotted soul to be dislodged From the fair body it disgraced; a trifle Soon ended. There behold the criminal.

IBN SAWY The criminal! Pardon me, mighty King; The voice of Nature will not be kept down. Why wilt thou slay my son?

ALZAYNI

Nay, ’tis himself Insisted obstinately on his doom; Abused his King, battered and beat my Vizier, Forged mighty Haroun’s signature to wear My crown in Bassora. These are the chief Of his offences.

IBN SAWY

If this thing is true, As doubtless near inquiry in Bagdad —

ALZAYNI Nay, take not up thy duties all too soon. Rest from thy travel, bury thy dear son And afterwards resume thy faithful works, My Vizier.

IBN SAWY

I would not see my dear child slain. Permit me to depart and in my desolate house Comfort the stricken mother and his kin.

ALZAYNI Perhaps a stone of all thy house may stand. The mother and thy niece? It hurts my heart. They too are criminals and punished.

IBN SAWY

God!

ALZAYNI Slaves, help my faithful Vizier; he will faint.

IBN SAWY Let me alone; God made me strong to bear. They are dead?

ALZAYNI

Nay, a more lenient penalty. What did I order? To be led through Bassora Bare in their shifts with halters round their necks And, stripped before all eyes, whipped into swooning, Then sold as slaves but preferably for little To some low Nazarene or Jew. Was that The order, Almuene?

IBN SAWY

Merciful Allah! And it is done?

ALZAYNI

I doubt not, it is done.

IBN SAWY Their crime?

ALZAYNI

Conspiring murder. They have killed The son of Almuene. Good Ibn Sawy, God’s kind to thee who has relieved thy age Of human burdens. Thus He turns thy thought To His ineffable and simple peace.

IBN SAWY God, Thou art mighty and Thy will is just. King Mohamad Alzayni, I have come To a changed world in which I am not needed. I bid farewell.

ALZAYNI

Nay, Vizier, clasp thy son, And afterwards await within my hearing Release.

IBN SAWY

My Nureddene, my child!

NUREDDENE

Justice Of God, thou spar’st me nothing. Father! father!

IBN SAWY Bow to the will of God, my son; if thou Must perish on a false and hateful charge, A crime in thee impossible, believe It is His justice still.

NUREDDENE

I well believe it.

IBN SAWY I doubt not I shall join you, son. We’ll hold Each other’s hands upon the narrow way.

ALZAYNI Hast done, Alfazzal?

IBN SAWY

Do thy will, O King.

ALZAYNI (waving his hand) Strike.

Trumpets outside.

What are these proud notes? this cloud of dust That rushes towards us from the north? The earth Trembles with horsehooves.

ALMUENE

Let this wretch be slain; We shall have leisure then for greater things.

ALZAYNI Pause, pause! A horseman gallops through the crowd Which scatters like wild dust. Look, he dismounts.

Enter a Soldier.

SOLDIER Hail to thee, Mohamad Alzayni! Greeting From mightier than thyself.

ALZAYNI

Who art thou, Arab?

SOLDIER Jaafar bin Barmak, Vizier world-renowned Of Haroun, master of the globe, comes hither. He’s in your streets, Alzayni. Thus he bids thee: If Nureddene, thy Vizier’s son, yet lives, Preserve him, Sultan, as thy own dear life; For if he dies, thou shalt not live.

ALZAYNI

My guards! My soldiers! here to me!

SOLDIER

Beware, Alzayni.

The force he brings could dislocate each stone In Bassora within the hour and leave Thy house a ruin. In his mighty wake A mightier comes, the Caliph’s self.

ALZAYNI

’Tis well. I have but erred. My Murad, here to me! Murad, thou shalt have gold, a house, estates, Noble and wealthy women for thy wives. Murad!

MURAD

Erred, King, indeed who took a soldier For an assassin. King, my household gem I have saved and want no others. Were she gone, Thou wouldst not now be living.

ALZAYNI

Am I betrayed?

MURAD Call it so, King.

ALZAYNI

My throne is tumbling down. The crowd quite parts; the horsemen drive towards us.

ALMUENE Sultan Alzayni, kill thy enemies, Then die. Wilt thou be footed to Bagdad, Stumbling in fetters?

ALZAYNI

They are here.

Enter Jaafar and Soldiers.

JAAFAR

This sight Is thy own sentence. Mohamad Alzayni, Allah deprived thee of reason to destroy thee, When thou didst madly disobey thy lord.

ALMUENE ’Twas a mistake, great Vizier. We had thought The script a forgery.

JAAFAR

Issue of Khakan, I have seen many Viziers like thyself, But none that died in peace. Hail, Nureddene! I greet thee, Sultan, lord in Bassora.

NUREDDENE It is the second toss that tells; the first Was a pure foul. I thank Thee, who hast only Shown me the edge of Thy chastising sword, Then pardoned. Father, embrace me.

IBN SAWY

Ah, child, Thy mother and thy sister!

MURAD

They are safe And in my care.

IBN SAWY

Nay, God is kind; this world Most leniently ruled.

JAAFAR Sultan Alzayni, Vizier Almuene, By delegated power I seize upon you, The prisoners of the Caliph. Take them, guards. I’ve brought a slavegirl for you, Nureddene, The Caliph’s gift.

NUREDDENE

I’ll take her, if I like her. Life is my own again and all I love. Great are Thy mercies, O Omnipotent!

Curtain