-01_The Viziers of Bassora – Act – I.htm

Scene 1

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.

Page – 5

MURAD

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

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 sometimes 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.

IBAN  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 strangely 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.

IBAN  SAWY

And to you also peace. You here, my Captain?

The city’s business?

Page – 6

MURAD

Vizier, and my own!

I would impeach the Vizier Almuene

Before our royal master.

IBAN  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.

IBAN  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

Page – 7

Than you the kingdom.

ALMUENE

Soldier! rude Turcoman!

IBAN  SAWY

Nay, brother Almuene! Why are you angry?

ALMUENE

That he misgoverns.

IBAN  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.

IBAN  SAWY

In all fraternal kindness hear me speak.

What Murad says, is truth. For your Fareed,

However before you he blinks angelically,

Page – 8

Abroad he roars half-devil. Never, Vizier,

Was such a scandal until now allowed

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!

IBAN  SAWY

His are the first wild startings

Of a bold generous nature. Mettled steeds,

When they’ve 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.

IBAN  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.

IBAN  SAWY

I’ll follow you.

Page – 9

ALMUENE

Turk, the peace!

IBAN  SAWY

Peace, brother. See to it, brother.

Exit with Murad.

ALMUENE

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.

Page – 10

Scene 2

A room in Almuene’s house.

Almuene, Khatoon.

KHATOON

You have indulged the boy till he has lost

The likeness even of manhood. God’s great stamp

And heavenly image on his mint’s defaced,

Rubbed out, and only the brute metal left

Which never shall find currency again

Among his angels.

ALMUENE

Oh always clamour, clamour!

I had been happier bedded with a slave

Whom I could beat to sense when she was forward.

KHATOON

Oh, you’ld have done no less by me, I know,

Although my rank’s as far above your birth

As some white star in heaven o’erpeers the muck

Of foulest stables, had I not great kin

And swords in the background to avenge me.

ALMUENE

Termagant,

Some day I’ll have you stripped and soundly caned

By your own women, if you grow not gentler.

KHATOON

I shall be glad some day to find your courage.

Enter Fareed, jumping and gyrating.

Page – 11

FAREED

Oh father, father, father, father, father!

KHATOON

What means this idiot clamour? Senseless child,

Can you not walk like some more human thing

Or talk like one at least?

ALMUENE

Dame, check once more

My gallant boy, try once again to break

His fine and natural spirit with your chidings,

I’ll drive your teeth in, lady or no lady.

FAREED

Do, father, break her teeth! She’s always scolding.

Sometimes she beats me when you’re out. Do break them,

I shall so laugh!

ALMUENE

My gamesome goblin!

KHATOON

You prompt him

To hate his mother; but do not lightly think

The devil you strive to raise up from that hell

Which lurks within us all, sealed commonly

By human shame and Allah’s supreme grace, —

But you! you scrape away the seal, would take

The full flame of the inferno, not the gusts

Of smoke jet out in ordinary men; —

Think not this imp will limit with his mother

Unnatural revolt! You will repent this.

Exit.

FAREED

Girl, father! such a girl! a girl of girls!

Page – 12

Buy me my girl!

ALMUENE

What girl, you leaping madcap?

FAREED

In the slave-market for ten thousand pieces.

Such hands! such eyes! such hips! such legs! I am

Impatient till my elbows meet around her.

ALMUENE

My amorous wagtail! What, my pretty hunchback,

You have your trophies too among the girls

No less than the straight dainty Nureddene,

Our Vizier’s pride? Ay, you have broken seals?

You have picked locks, my burglar?

FAREED

You have given me,

You and my mother, such a wicked hump

To walk about with, the girls jeer at me.

I have only a chance with blind ones. ‘Tis a shame.

ALMUENE

How will you make your slave-girl love you, hunch?

FAREED

She’ll be my slave-girl and she’ll have to love me.

ALMUENE

Whom would you marry, hunchback, for a wager?

Will the King’s daughter tempt you?

FAREED

Pooh! I’ve got

My eye upon my uncle’s pretty niece.

I like her.

Page – 13

ALMUENE

The Vizier, my peculiar hatred!

Wagtail, you must not marry there.

FAREED

I hate him too

And partly for that cause will marry her,

To beat her twice a day and let him know it.

He will be grieved to the heart.

ALMUENE

You’re my own lad.

FAREED

And then she’s such a nice tame pretty thing,

Will sob and tremble, kiss me when she’s told,

Not like my mother, frown, scold, nag all day.

But, dad, my girl! buy me my girl!

ALMUENE

Come, wagtail.

Ten thousand pieces! ’tis exorbitant.

Two thousand, not a dirham more. The seller

Does wisely if he takes it, glad to get

A piastre for her. Call the slaves, Fareed.

FAREED

Hooray! hoop! what a time I’ll have! Cafoor!

Exit, calling.

ALMUENE

‘Tis thus a boy should be trained up, not checked,

Rebuked and punished till the natural man

Is killed in him and a tame virtuous block

Replace the lusty pattern Nature made.

I do not value at a brazen coin

The man who has no vices in his blood,

Page – 14

Never took toll of women’s lips in youth

Nor warmed his nights with wine. Your moralists

Teach one thing, Nature quite another; which of these

Is likely to be right? Yes, cultivate,

But on the plan that she has mapped. Give way,

Give way to the inspired blood of youth

And you shall have a man, no scrupulous fool,

No ethical malingerer in the fray;

A man to lord it over other men,

Soldier or Vizier or adventurous merchant,

The breed of Samson. Man with such youth your armies.

Of such is an imperial people made

Who send their colonists and conquerors

Across the world, till the wide earth contains

One language only and a single rule.

Yes, Nature is your grand imperialist,

No moral sermonizer. Rude, hardy stocks

Transplant themselves, expand, outlast the storms

And heat and cold, not slips too gently nurtured

Or lapped in hothouse warmth. Who conquered earth

For Islam? Arabs trained in robbery,

Heroes, robust in body and desire.

I’ll get this slave-girl for Fareed to help

His education on. Be lusty, son,

And breed me grandsons like you for my stock.

Exit.

Page – 15

Scene 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.

Page – 16

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?

Page – 17

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.

Page – 18

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,

Page – 19

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,”

Page – 20

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!

Page – 21

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.

Page – 22

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 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,

Page – 23

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 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?

Page – 24

ALMUENE

Our states and how to join

Their linked 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?

Page – 25

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?

Page – 26

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, —

Page – 27

But I will seal her fast even from his questings.

The peace, Muazzim.

MUAZZIM

Peace, thou good Vizier, loaded with our blessings.

Exeunt.

Page – 28