Chapter 4Scene 3

The slave-market. Muazzim and his man; Balkis and Mymoona; Ajebe; Aziz, Abdullah and other merchants. MUAZZIM Well, gentlemen, the biddings, the biddings! Will you begin, sir, for an example now? BALKIS Who is the handsome youth in that rich dress? MUAZZIM It is Ajebe, the Vizier’s nephew, a good fellow with a bad uncle. BALKIS Praise me to them poetically, broker. MUAZZIM I promise you for the poetry. Biddings, gentlemen. A MERCHANT Three thousand for the pretty one. MUAZZIM Why, sir, I protest! Three thousand pieces! Look at her! Allah be good to me! You shall not find her equal from China to Frangistan. Seven thousand, say I. AZIZ The goods are good goods, broker, but the price heavy.

Act I, Scene 3 MUAZZIM Didst thou say heavy? Allah avert the punishment from thee, merchant Aziz. Heavy! BALKIS (to Ajebe) Will you not bid for me? My mirror tells me That I am pretty, and I can tell, who know it, I have a touch upon the lute will charm The winds to hear me, and my voice is sweeter Than any you have heard in Bassora. Will you not bid? AJEBE And wherefore do you choose me From all these merchants, child? BALKIS I cannot say That I have fallen in love with you. Your mother Is kind and beautiful, I read her in your face, And it is she I’ld serve. AJEBE I bid, Muazzim, Five thousand for this little lady. MUAZZIM Five! And she who chose you, too! Bid seven or nothing. AJEBE Well, well, six thousand, not a dirham more. MUAZZIM Does any bid beyond?

The Viziers of Bassora MERCHANT Let me see, let me see. ABDULLAH Fie, leave them, man! You’ll have no luck with her, Crossing her wishes. MERCHANT Let her go, let her go. MUAZZIM To you, sir, she belongs. BALKIS But if you’ll have me, Then take my sister too; we make one heart Inseparably. AJEBE She’s fair, but not like you. BALKIS If we are parted, I shall sicken and die For want of her, then your six thousand’s wasted. MUAZZIM They make a single lot. AJEBE Two thousand more then. Give her in that, or else the sale is off. MUAZZIM That’s giving her away! Well, take her, take her. AJEBE I’ll send the money. Exit with Balkis and Mymoona.

Act I, Scene 3 ABDULLAH What, a bargain, broker? MUAZZIM Not much, not much; the owner’ll have some profit. AZIZ The Vizier! Enter Ibn Sawy. ABDULLAH Noble Alfazzal! There will be Good sales today in the market, since his feet Have trod here. MERCHANTS Welcome, welcome, noble Vizier. IBN SAWY The peace be on you all. I thank you, sirs. What, good Abdullah, all goes well at home? ABDULLAH My brother’s failed, sir. IBN SAWY Make me your treasurer. I am ashamed to think good men should want While I indulge in superfluities. Well, broker, how’s the market? Have you slaves That I can profit by? MUAZZIM Admired Vizier, There’s nothing worth the kindness of your gaze. Yet do but tell me what you need, I’ll fit you With stuff quite sound and at an honest price. The other brokers are mere pillagers,

The Viziers of Bassora But me you know. IBN SAWY If there’s an honest broker, You are that marvel, I can swear so much. Now pick me out your sweetest thing in girls, Perfect in beauty, wise as Sheban Balkis, Yet more in charm than Helen of the Greeks, Then name your price. MUAZZIM I have the very marvel. You shall not see her equal in a century. She has the Koran and the law by heart; Song, motion, music and calligraphy Are natural to her, and she contains All science in one corner of her mind; Yet learning less than wit; and either lost In the mere sweetness of her speech and beauty. You’ll hardly have her within fifteen thousand; She is a nonpareil. IBN SAWY It is a sum. MUAZZIM Nay, see her only. Khalid, bring the girl. Exit Khalid. I should not ask you, sir, but has your son Authority from you to buy? He has The promise of a necklet from me. IBN SAWY A necklet! MUAZZIM A costly trifle. “Send it to such an house,”

Act I, Scene 3 He tells me like a prince, “and dun my father For the amount. I know you’ll clap it on As high as Elburz, you old swindler. Fleece him!” He is a merry lad. IBN SAWY Fleece me! The rogue! The handsome naughty rogue! I’ll pull his curls for this. The house? To whom is it given? MUAZZIM Well, sir, it is A girl, a dainty Christian. I fear she has given Something more precious far than what he pays her with. IBN SAWY No doubt, no doubt. The rogue! quite conscienceless. I’m glad you told me of this. Dun me! Well, The rascal’s frank enough, that is one comfort; He adds no meaner vices, fear or lying, To his impetuous faults. The blood is good And in the end will bear him through. There’s hope. I’ll come, Muazzim. Exit. MUAZZIM The son repeats the father, But with a dash of quicker, wilder blood. Here’s Khalid with the Persian. Enter Khalid with Anice-aljalice. Khalid, run And call the Vizier; he was here just now. Exit Khalid. Enter Almuene, Fareed and Slaves. FAREED There she is, father; there, there, there!

The Viziers of Bassora ALMUENE You deal, sir? I know you well. Today be more honest than is your wont. Is she bid for? MUAZZIM (aside) Iblis straight out of Hell with his hobgoblin! (aloud) Sir, we are waiting for the good Vizier, who is to bid for her. ALMUENE Here is the Vizier and he bids for her. Two thousand for the lass. Who bids against me? MUAZZIM Vizier Almuene, you are too great to find any opposers, and you know it; but as you are great, I pray you bid greatly. Her least price is ten thousand. ALMUENE Ten thousand, swindler! Do you dare to cheat In open market? two thousand’s her outside. This spindly common wench! Accept it, broker, Or call for bids; refuse at your worst risk. MUAZZIM It is not the rule of these sales. I appeal to you, gentlemen. What, do you all steal off from my neighbourhood? Vizier, she is already bespoken by your elder, Ibn Sawy. ALMUENE I know your broking tricks, you shallow rascal. Call for more bids, you cheater, call for bids. MUAZZIM Abuse me not, Almuene bin Khakan! There is justice in Bassora and the good Ibn Sawy will decide between us.

Act I, Scene 3 ALMUENE Us! between us! Thou dirty broking cheat, Am I thy equal? Throw him the money, Nubian. But if he boggle, seize him, have him flat And powerfully persuade him with your sticks. You, beauty, come. What, hussy, you draw back? FAREED Father, let me get behind her with my horse-tickler. I will trot her home in a twinkling. MUAZZIM This is flat tyranny. I will appeal To the good Vizier and our gracious King. ALMUENE Impudent thief! have first thy punishment And howl appeal between the blows. Seize him. Enter Khalid with Ibn Sawy. MUAZZIM Protect me, Vizier, from this unjust man, This tyrant. IBN SAWY What is this? MUAZZIM He takes by force The perfect slavegirl I had kept for you, And at a beggarly, low, niggard’s price I’ld not accept for a black kitchen-girl; Then, when I named you, fell to tyrant rage, Ordering his slaves to beat me. IBN SAWY Is this true,

The Viziers of Bassora Vizier? ALMUENE Someone beat out my foggy brains! I took it for a trick, a broker’s trick. What, you bespoke the girl? You know I’ld lose My hand and tongue rather than they should hurt you. Well, well, begin the bidding. IBN SAWY First, a word. Vizier, this purchase is not for myself; ’Tis for the King. I deem you far too loyal To bid against your master, needlessly Taxing his treasuries. But if you will, You have the right. By justice and the law The meanest may compete here. Do you bid? ALMUENE (to himself) He baulks me everywhere. (aloud) The perfect slavegirl? No, I’ll not bid. Yet it is most unlucky, My son has set his heart upon this very girl. Will you not let him have her, Ibn Sawy? IBN SAWY I grieve that he must be so disappointed, But there’s no help. Were it my own dear son And he should pine to death for her, I would not Indulge him here. The King comes first. ALMUENE Quite first. Well, shall I see you at your house today? IBN SAWY State business, brother?

Act I, Scene 3 ALMUENE Our states and how to join Their link`ed loves yet closer. I have a thought Touching Fareed here and your orphaned niece. IBN SAWY I understand you. We will talk of it. Brother, you know my mind about your boy. He is too wild and rude; I would not trust My dear soft girl into such dangerous hands, Unless he showed a quick and strange amendment. ALMUENE It is the wildness of his youth. Provide him A wife and he will soon domesticate. Pen these wild torrents into quiet dams And they will fertilize the kingdom, brother. IBN SAWY I hope so. Well, we’ll talk. ALMUENE Fareed, come with me. FAREED I’ll have my girl! I’ll beat them all and have her! ALMUENE Wagtail, your uncle takes her. FAREED Break his head then, Whip the proud broker up and down the square And take her without payment. Why are you The Vizier, if you cannot do your will?

The Viziers of Bassora ALMUENE Madcap, she’s for the King, be quiet. FAREED Oh! ALMUENE Come, I will buy you prettier girls than this By hundredweights and tons. FAREED She has such hair! such legs! God damn the Vizier and the King and you! I’ll take her yet. Exit in a rage, followed by Almuene and Slaves. MUAZZIM This is a budding Vizier! Sir, look at her; were mine mere broker’s praises? IBN SAWY You, mistress? Does the earth contain such beauty? MUAZZIM Did I not tell you so? IBN SAWY ’Tis marvellous, And if her mind be equal to her body, She is an emperor’s portion. What’s your name, Sweet wonder? ANICE Anice-aljalice they call me. IBN SAWY What is your history?

Act I, Scene 3 ANICE My parents sold me In the great famine. IBN SAWY What, is your mould indeed a thing of earth? Peri, have you not come disguised from heaven To snare us with your lovely smiles, you marvel? ANICE I am a slave and mortal. IBN SAWY Prove me that. ANICE A Peri, sir, has wings, but I have none. IBN SAWY I see that difference only. Well now, her price? MUAZZIM She is a gift to thee, O Vizier. IBN SAWY Ceremony? I rate her value at ten thousand clear. MUAZZIM It is the price expected at your hands, Though from a private purse we’ld have full value. Keep her ten days with you; her beauty’s worn With journeying and its harsh fatigues. Give rest, Give baths, give food, then shade your eyes to gaze at her. IBN SAWY You counsel wisely. There’s my poaching rascal, —

The Viziers of Bassora But I will seal her fast even from his questings. The peace, Muazzim. MUAZZIM Peace, thou good Vizier, loaded with our blessings. Exeunt.