Chapter 7Scene 2

Ibn Sawy’s house. A room in the women’s apartments. Ameena, Doonya. AMEENA Has he come in? DOONYA He has. AMEENA For three long days! I will reprove him. Call him to me, Doonya. I will be stern. DOONYA That’s right. Lips closer there! And just try hard to frown. That’s mildly grim And ought to shake him. Now you spoil all by laughing. AMEENA Away, you madcap! Call him here. DOONYA The culprit Presents himself unsummoned. Enter Nureddene. NUREDDENE (at the door) Ayoob, Ayoob! A bowl of sherbet in my chamber. (entering)

Act II, Scene 2 Well, mother, Here I am back, your errant gadabout, Your vagabond scapegrace, tired of truancy And very hungry for my mother’s arms. It’s good to see you smile! AMEENA My dearest son! NUREDDENE Why, Doonya, cousin, what wild face is this? DOONYA This is a frown, a frown, upon my forehead. Do you not tremble when you see it? No? To tell you the plain truth, my wandering brother, We both were practising a careful grimness And meant to wither you with darting flames From basilisk eyes and words more sharp than swords, Burn you and frizzle into simmering cinders. Oh, you’ld have been a dolorous spectacle Before we had finished with you! Ask her else. AMEENA Heed her not, Nureddene. But tell me, child, Is this well done to wander vagrant-like Leaving your mother to anxieties And such alarms? Oh, we will have to take Some measure with you! DOONYA Oh, now, now, we are stern! NUREDDENE Mother, I only range abroad and learn Of manners and of men to fit myself For the after-time.

The Viziers of Bassora DOONYA True, true, and of the taste Of different wines and qualities of girls; What eyes Damascus sends, the Cairene sort, Bagdad’s red lips and Yemen’s willowy figures, Who has the smallest waist in Bassora, Or who the shapeliest little foot moonbright Beneath her anklets. These are sciences And should be learned by sober masculine graduates. Should they not, cousin? NUREDDENE These too are not amiss, Doonya, for world-wise men. And do you think, Dear mother, I could learn the busy world Here, in your lap, within the shadowy calm Of women’s chambers? AMEENA No, child, no. You see, Doonya, it is not all so bad, this wandering. And I am sure they much o’erstate his faults Who tell of them. DOONYA Oh, this is very grim! AMEENA But, Nureddene, you must not be so wild; Or when we are gone, what will you do, if now You learn no prudence? All your patrimony You’ll waste, — and then? NUREDDENE Then, mother, life begins. I shall go forth, a daring errant-knight, To my true country out in faeryland;

Act II, Scene 2 Wander among the Moors, see Granada, The delicate city made of faery stone, Cairo, Tangier, Aleppo, Trebizond; Or in the East, where old enchantment dwells, Find Pekin of the wooden piles, Delhi Of the idolaters, its brazen pillar And huge seven-storied temples sculpture-fretted, And o’er romantic regions quite unknown Preach Islam, sword in hand; sell bales of spice From Bassora to Java and Japan; Then on through undiscovered islands, seas And Oceans yet unnamed; yes, everywhere Catch Danger by the throat where I can find him, — DOONYA Butcher blood-belching dragons with my blade, Cut ogres, chop giants, tickle cormorants, — NUREDDENE Then in some land, I have not settled which, — DOONYA Call it Cumcatchia or Nonsensicum. NUREDDENE Marry a Soldan’s daughter, sweet of eye And crowned with gracious hair, deserving her By deeds impossible; conduct her armies Against her foemen, enter iron-walled Cities besieged with the loud clang of war, Rescue imperilled kingdoms, mid the smoke Of desperate cities slay victorious kings, And so extend my lady’s empire wide — DOONYA From Bassora to the quite distant moon.

The Viziers of Bassora NUREDDENE There I shall reign with beauty and splendour round In a great palace built of porphyry, Marble and jasper, with strange columns made Of coral and fair walls bright-arabesqued On which the Koran shall be written out In sapphires and in rubies. I will sit Drinking from cups of gold delightful wine, Watching slow dances, while the immortal strain Of music wanders to its silent home. And I shall have bright concubines and slaves Around me crowding all my glorious house With beautiful faces, thick as stars in heaven. My wealth shall be so great that I can spend Millions each day nor feel the want. I’ll give Till there shall be no poor in all my realms, Nor any grieved; for I shall every night, Like Haroun Alrasheed, the mighty Caliph, Wander disguised with Jaafar and Mesrour Redressing wrongs, repressing Almuenes, And set up noble men like my dear father In lofty places, giving priceless boons, An unseen Providence to all mankind. DOONYA And you will marry me, dear Nureddene, To Jaafar, your great Vizier, so that we Shall never part, but every blessed night Drink and be merry in your halls, and live Felicitously for ever and for aye, So long as full moons shine and brains go wrong And wine is drunk. I make my suit to you from now, Caliph of Faeryland. NUREDDENE Your suit is granted. And meanwhile, Doonya, I amuse myself

Act II, Scene 2 With nearer kingdoms, Miriam’s wavy locks And Shazarath-al-Durr’s sweet voice of song. DOONYA And meanwhile, brother, till you get your kingdom, We shall be grim, quite grim. AMEENA Your father’s angry. I have not known him yet so moved. My child, Do not force us to punish you. NUREDDENE With kisses? Look, Doonya, at these two dear hypocrites, She with her gentle honey-worded threats, He with his stormings. Pooh! I care not for you. AMEENA Not care! NUREDDENE No, not a jot for him or you, My little mother, or only just so much As a small kiss is worth. AMEENA I told you, Doonya, He was the dearest boy in all the world, The best, the kindest. DOONYA Oh yes, you told me that. And was the dearest boy in all the world Rummaging the regions for the dearest girl, While the admiring sun danced round the welkin A triple circuit?

The Viziers of Bassora NUREDDENE I have found her, Doonya. DOONYA The backward glance? AMEENA Your father! Enter Ibn Sawy. IBN SAWY Ameena, I’m called to the palace; something is afoot. Ah, rascal! ah, you villain! you have come? NUREDDENE Sir, a long hour. IBN SAWY Rogue! scamp! what do you mean? Knave, is my house a caravanserai For you to lodge in when it is your pleasure? NUREDDENE It is the happiest home in Bassora, Where the two kindest parents in the world Excuse their vagabond son. IBN SAWY Hum! well! What, fellow, You will buy trinkets? you will have me dunned? And fleeced? NUREDDENE Did he dun you? I hope he asked A fitting price; I told him to.

Act II, Scene 2 IBN SAWY Sir, sir, What game is this to buy your hussies trinkets And send your father in the bill? Who taught you This rule of conduct? NUREDDENE You, sir. IBN SAWY I, rascal? NUREDDENE You told me That debt must be avoided like a sin. What other way could I avoid it, sir, Yet give the trinket? IBN SAWY Logic of impudence! Tell me, you curled wine-bibbing Aristotle, Did I tell you also to have mistresses And buy them trinkets? NUREDDENE Not in so many words. IBN SAWY So many devils! NUREDDENE But since you did not marry me Nor buy a beautiful slave for home delight, I thought you’ld have me range outside for pleasures To get experience of the busy world. If ’twas an oversight, it may be mended.

The Viziers of Bassora IBN SAWY I’m dumb! NUREDDENE There is a Persian Muazzim sells, Whom buy for me, — her rate’s ten thousand pieces — IBN SAWY A Persian! Muazzim sells! ten thousand pieces! (to himself) Where grows this tangle? I become afraid. NUREDDENE Whom buy for me, I swear I’ll be at home Quite four days out of seven. IBN SAWY Hear me, young villain! I’m called to the palace, but when I return, Look to be bastinadoed, look to be curried In boiling water. (aside) I must blind him well. Ten days I shall be busy with affairs; Then for your slavegirl. Bid the broker keep her. Oh, I forgot! I swore to pull your curls For your offences. NUREDDENE I must not let you, sir; They are no longer my own property. There’s not a lock that has not been bespoken For a memento. IBN SAWY What! what! Impudent rascal! (aside) You handsome laughing rogue! Hear, Ameena, Let Doonya sleep with Anice every night.

Act II, Scene 2 No, come; hear farther. Exit with Ameena. NUREDDENE O Doonya, Doonya, tall, sweet, laughing Doonya! I am in love, — drowned, strangled, dead with longing. DOONYA For the world’s Persian? But she’s sold by now. NUREDDENE I asked Muazzim. DOONYA A quite absolute liar. NUREDDENE O if she is, I’ll leave all other cares And only seek her through an empty world. DOONYA What, could one backward glance sweep you so forward? NUREDDENE Why, Doonya! DOONYA Brother, I know a thing I know You do not know. A sweet bird sang it to me In an upper chamber. NUREDDENE Doonya, you’re full of something, And I must hear it. DOONYA What will you give me for it?

The Viziers of Bassora None of your nighthawk kisses, cousin mine! But a mild loving kind fraternal pledge I’ll not refuse. NUREDDENE You are the wickedest, dearest girl In all the world, the maddest sweetest sister A sighing lover ever had. Now tell me. DOONYA More, more! I must be flattered. NUREDDENE No more. Come, mischief, You’ll keep me in suspense? (pulls her ears) DOONYA Enough, enough! The Persian — listen and perpend, O lover! Lend ear while I unfold my wondrous tale, A tale long, curled and with a tip, — Oh Lord! I’ll clip my tale. The Persian’s bought for you And in the upper chambers. NUREDDENE Doonya, Doonya! But those two loving hypocrites, — DOONYA All’s meant To be surprise. NUREDDENE Surprise me no surprises. I am on fire, Doonya, I am on fire. The upper chambers?

Act II, Scene 2 DOONYA Stop, stop! You do not know; There is an ogre at her door, a black White-tusked huge-muscled hideous grinning giant, Of mood uproarious, horrible of limb, An Ethiopian fell ycleped Harkoos. NUREDDENE The eunuch! DOONYA Stop, stop, stop. He has a sword, A fearful, forceful, formidable blade. NUREDDENE Your eunuch and his sword! I mount to heaven And who shall stop me? Exit. DOONYA Stop, stop! yet stop! He’s off Like bolt from bowstring. Now the game’s afoot And Bassora’s Soldan, Mohamad Alzayni, May whistle for his slavegirl. I am Fate, For I upset the plans of Viziers and of Kings. Exit.