________________________________________________
_ ACT IV - SCENE I
In the vaults of the palace, outside the cell of the KING OF THE BEGGARS.
Drop Scene.
(Enter HASSAN)
HASSAN.
Which way? Which way? I am lost in this dark passage. My voice
rings around the arches. What's that noise? Is there an army coming?
Or are all the prisoners stamping with wrath?...No....It is only
someone walking....I wonder who! And if this stranger asks me
my business what shall I say to him? Do I know what brought me
to this dismal region?
ISHAK.
(From the darkness)
Who goes there? Who goes there? What dost thou here?
What is thy business?
HASSAN.
Who calls? I am Hassan, inspecting the security of the
imperial prisons. Who art thou?
ISHAK.
Who am I? Ten books were written by Aflatun and twenty by Aristu
to answer that mighty question, O Hassan of my heart.
HASSAN.
Ishak! Come out of hiding, Ishak. What are you doing here?
ISHAK.
I gather mushrooms, O inspector of the vaults of vice!
HASSAN.
Have you come too? I do not know why I came. I hoped...I do not know
why I came, but I think our hearts do beat together like the hearts
of friends. Did you come here because of them?
ISHAK.
I came here to hear a play more tragic than the mysteries of Hossein,
to listen to a debate more weighty than the council talk of kings....
HASSAN.
You do not mean?...
ISHAK.
I mean the debate of love and life.
HASSAN.
Could you spy on that? How cruel!
ISHAK.
The poet must learn what man's agony can teach him.
HASSAN.
Is it then not better not to be a poet?
ISHAK.
(Bitterly)
Allah did not ask me that question when he made me a poet
and a dissector of souls. It is my trade: I do but follow
my master, the exalted Designer of human carpets, the Ruler
of the world. If he prepared the situation, shall I not
observe the characters? Thus I corrupt my soul to create
--Allah knoweth what--ten little words like rubies in a
row. As for you, I think you begin to understand
the Caliph of the Faithful.
HASSAN.
Why speak of him? All men are brutes, you and he and I.
I thought that I was kinder than other men--but I was only
more afraid. This day is the first day of my exaltation,
I have begun it the all but murderer of a woman, and I
end it a spy on souls in trouble.
ISHAK.
Do not worry any longer, dear Hassan, on the moral problem.
The moths of curiosity will always flutter round the lamp of
circumstances. Here comes the Guard, they shall direct us.
(Enter 2 GUARDS)
ISHAK.
(To the GUARD) Ho, soldier, whither?
1st GUARD.
(Saluting)
To the cell of the King of the Beggars, my masters,
to relieve the Guard.
ISHAK.
What, will you stand inside the cell?
1st GUARD.
Inside, O my masters.
ISHAK.
A shame, I say, a shame to spy on a pair of lovers.
Will they fly off through the keyhole?
1st GUARD.
We know the ways of prisoners, O my masters. Masrur is
disappointed when we bring him corpses to be whipped.
(To 2nd GUARD)
Is he not disappointed, Mohamed?
2nd GUARD.
(In deep, lugubrious and respectful tones) Oh, sir,
he is bitterly disappointed.
ISHAK.
Well, it is your fault, my fine fellows, if you leave daggers
and ropes lying about in your prisoners' cells.
1st GUARD.
Ah, you do not know the artfulness of prisoners, my masters.
They will bang their heads against the wall, or they will
eat their straw.
(To 2nd GUARD)
Do they not eat their straw, Mohamed?
2nd GUARD.
(To ISHAK)
Oh sir, they frequently eat their straw.
ISHAK.
Chain them, chain them.
1st GUARD.
We do, my masters, but even then they strangle
themselves in their fetters.
ISHAK.
Strangle themselves in their fetters?
1st GUARD.
Do they not strangle themselves in their fetters, Mohamed.
2nd GUARD.
(To ISHAK)
I have known them, sir, to strangle themselves in their fetters.
ISHAK.
But, as you know, these two have a choice between a life with
separation and a death with torment. Now surely they will
choose life, and will hardly need a sentry to spear
them away from the doorstep of eternity.
1st GUARD.
I should think so indeed, sir. But you never can tell
with prisoners. Prisoners are very obstinate, especially
women, are they not Mohamed?
2nd GUARD.
(To ISHAK)
Female prisoners are very obstinate, sir.
ISHAK.
(With assumed heartiness)
Well, none of us would require till sunset
to make our choice, would we?
1st GUARD.
No, sir, not those of us who have ever seen Masrur at work.
ISHAK.
But if they do choose their day of love, will they
still not be free according to the Caliph's promise?
Will you still guard them in their cell, O sons of
impropriety, lest they eat their straw?
1st GUARD.
(With a leer)
Nay, we shall stand outside the door and listen at the grill.
ISHAK.
And that is precisely what we intend to
do now if you will show us the door.
1st GUARD.
I don't know whether I could quite do that, sir.
ISHAK.
(Giving him money)
You are valiant fellows and, I am convinced,
considerably underpaid.
1st GUARD.
Ours is a most disagreeable profession. your Excellency.
2nd GUARD.
(Accepting money)
And the emoluments are infinitesimal.
1st GUARD.
This way, gentlemen.
(Shews them to the door.) _
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