THE VIZIERS OF BASSORA

A Dramatic Romance  

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA  

HAROUN AL RASHEED, Caliph.

JAAFAR, his Vizier.

SHAIKH IBRAHIM, Superintendent of the Caliph's gardens.

MESROUR, Haroun's friend and companion'.

MAHOMED BIN SULEYMAN OF ZAYNI, Haroun's cousin,

King of Bassora.

ALFAZZAL IBN SAWY, his chief Vizier. NUREDDENE, son of Alfazzal. ALMUENE BIN KHAKAN, second Vizier of Bassora. FAREED, his son. SALAR, confident of Alzayni. MURAD, a Turk Captain of Police in Bassora. AJEBE, nephew of Almuene. SUNJAR, a Chamberlain of the Palace of Bassora.

MUAZZIM, a broker.

AZEEM, steward of Alfazzal.

HARKOOS, an Ethiopian eunuch in Ibn Sawy's household.

KAREEM, a fisherman of Bagdad.

SLAVES, SOLDIERS, GUARDS, EXECUTIONERS,

MERCHANTS, BROKERS.

AMEENA, wife of Alfazzal Ibn Sawy.

DOONYA, his niece.

ANICE-ALJALICE, a Persian slave-girl.

KHATOON, wife of Almuene, sister of Ameena.

SLAVE-GIRLS.  

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Act One  

Bassora.  

  SCENE I

An antechamber in the palace. Murad, Sunjar.

MURAD

Chamberlain, I tell thee I will not bear it an hour longer than it takes my feet to carry me to the King's audience-room and my voice to number my wrongs. Let him choose between me, a man and one made in God's image, and this brutish amalgam of gorilla and Barbary ape whom he calls his Vizier.

SUNJAR

You are not alone in your wrongs; all Bassora and half the Court complain of his tyrannies.

MURAD

And as if all were too little for his heavy-handed malice, he must saddle us with his son's misdoings too, who is as like him as the young baboon is to the adult ape.

SUNJAR

It is a cub, a monkey of mischief, a rod on the soles would go far to tame. But who shall dare apply that? Murad, be wary. The King, — who is the King and therefore blameless, — will not have his black angel dispraised. Complain rather to Alfazzal Ibn Sawy, the good Vizier.

MURAD

The kind Alfazzal! Bassora is bright only because of his presence.  

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SUNJAR

I believe you. He has the serenity and brightness of a nature that never willingly did hurt to man or living thing. I think some- times every good kindly man is like the moon and carries a halo, while a chill cloud moves with dark and malignant natures. When we are near^them, we feel it. ,

Enter Ibn Sawy.

IBN SAWY (to himself)

The fairest of all slave-girls! here's a task!

Why, my wild handsome roisterer, Nureddene,

My hunter of girls, my snare for hearts of virgins,

Could do this better. And he would strongly like

The mission; but I think his pretty purchase

Would hardly come undamaged through to the owner.

A perilous transit that would be! the rogue!

Ten thousand golden pieces hardly buy

Such wonders, — so much wealth to go so idly!

But princes must have sweet and pleasant things

To ease their labours more than common men.

Their labour is not common who are here

The Almighty's burdened high vicegerents charged

With difficult justice and calm-visaged rule.

SUNJAR

The peace of the Prophet with thee, thou best of Viziers.

MURAD

The peace, Alfazzal Ibn Sawy.

IBN SAWY

And to you also peace. You here, my Captain? The city's business ?

MURAD

Vizier, and my own!

I would impeach the Vizier Almuene  

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Before our royal master.

IBN SAWY

You'll do unwisely.

A dark and dangerous mind is Almuene's,

Yet are there parts in him that well deserve

The favour he enjoys, although too proudly

He uses it and with much personal malice.

Complain not to the King against him, Murad.

He'll weigh his merits with your grievances,

Find these small jealous trifles, those superlative,

And in the end conceive a mute displeasure

Against you.

MURAD

I will be guided by you, sir.

IBN SAWY

My honest Turk, you will do well.

SUNJAR

He's here.

Enter Almuene.

MURAD

The peace upon you, son of Khakan.

ALMUENE

Captain,

You govern harshly. Change your methods, Captain,

Your manners too. You are a Turk; I know you.

MURAD

I govern Bassora more honestly Than you the kingdom.  

Page – 565

ALMUENE

Soldier! rude Turcoman!

IBN SAWY

Nay, brother Almuene! Why are you angry?

ALMUENE

That he misgoverns.

IBN SAWY

In what peculiar instance?

ALMUENE

I'll tell you. A city gang the other day

Battered my little mild Fareed most beastly

With staves and cudgels. This fellow's bribed police,

By him instructed, held a ruffian candle

To the outrage. When the rogues were caught, they lied

And got them off before a fool, a Kazi.

MURAD

The Vizier's son, as all our city knows,

A misformed urchin full of budding evil,

Ranges the city like a ruffian, shielded

Under his father's formidable name;

And those who lay their hands on him, commit

Not outrage, but a rescue.

ALMUENE

Turk, I know you.

IBN SAWY

In all fraternal kindness hear me speak.

What Murad says, is truth. For your Fareed,

However before you he blinks angelically,

Abroad he roars half-devil. Never, Vizier,

Was such a scandal until now allowed

Page – 566

In any Moslem town. Why, it is just

Such barbarous outrage as in Christian cities

May walk unquestioned, not in Bassora

Or any seat of culture. It should be mended.

ALMUENE

Brother, your Nureddene is not all blameless.

He has a name!

IBN SAWY

His are the first wild startings

Of a bold generous nature. Mettled steeds,

When they have been managed, are the best to mount.

So will my son. If your Fareed's brute courses

As easily turn to gold, I shall be glad.

ALMUENE

Let him be anything, he is a Vizier's son.

The Turk forgot that.

IBN SAWY

These are maxims, brother,

Unsuited to our Moslem polity.

They savour of barbarous Europe. But in Islam

All men are equal underneath the King.

ALMUENE

Well, brother Turk, you are excused.

MURAD

Excused!

Viziers, the peace.

IBN SAWY

I'll follow you.

Page – 567

ALMUENE

Turk, the peace!

IBN SAWY

Peace, brother. See to it, brother.

ALMUENE

Exit with Murad.

Brother, peace.

Would I not gladly tweak your ears and nose

And catch your brotherly beard to pluck it out

With sweet fraternal pulls ? Faugh, you babbler

Of virtuous nothings! some day I'll have you preach

Under the bastinado; you'll howl, you'll howl

Rare sermons there.

(seeing Sunjar)

You! You! You spy ? You eavesdrop ?

And I must be rebuked with this to hear it!

Well, I'll remember you.

SUNJAR

Sir, I beseech you,

I had no smallest purpose to offend.

ALMUENE .

I know you, dog! When my back's turned, you bark,

But whine before me. You shall be remembered.

Exit.

SUNJAR

There goest thou, Almuene, the son of Khakan,

Dog's son, dog's father, and thyself a dog.

Thy birth was where thy end shall be, a dunghill.

Exit.

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