SCENE III

 

 

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.

MUAZZIM

Didst thou say heavy? Allah avert the punishment from thee,
merchant Aziz. Heavy!

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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?

MERCHANT

Let me see, let me see.

ABDULLAH

Fie, leave them, man! You'll have no luck with her,

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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.

ABDULLAH

What, a bargain, broker?

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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,
But me you know.  

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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 a house,"
He tells me like a prince, "and dun my father
For the amount. I know you'll clap it on

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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!

ALMUENE

You deal, sir? I know you well. Today be more honest than is

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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.

ALMUENE

Us! Between us! Thou dirty broking cheat,
Am I thy equal? Throw him the money, Nubian.

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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 slave-girl 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,

Vizier?

ALMUENE

Someone beat out my foggy brains ?

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I took it for a trick, a broker's trick.

What, you bespoke the girl ? You know Fid 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 slave-girl?
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?

ALMUENE

Our states and how to join
Their linked loves yet closer. I have a thought
Touching Fareed here and your orphaned niece.

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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 ?

ALMUENE

Madcap, she's for the King, be quiet.

FAREED

Oh!

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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-AUALICE

Anice-Aljalice they call me.

IBN SAWY

What is your history?

ANICE-ALJALICE

My parents sold me
In the great famine.

IBN SAWY

What, is your mould indeed a thing of earth ?

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Peri, have you not come disguised from heaven
To snare us with your lovely smiles, you marvel ?

ANICE-ALJALICE

I am a slave and mortal.

IBN SAWY

Prove me that.

ANICE-ALJALICE

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, 0 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,—
But I will seal her fast even from his questings,
The peace, Muazzim.

MUAZZIM

Peace, thou good Vizier, loaded with our blessings.

Exeunt.

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