SCENE III

 

 

A cell in Almuene's house.
Nureddene alone.

NUREDDENE

We sin our pleasant sins and then refrain

And think that God's deceived. He waits His time

And when we walk the clean and polished road

He trips us with the mire our shoes yet keep,

The pleasant mud we walked before. All ills

I will bear patiently. Oh, better here

Than in that world! Who comes? Khatoon, my aunt!

Enter Khatoon and a slave.

KHATOON

My Nureddene!

NUREDDENE

Good aunt, weep not for me.

KHATOON

You are my sister's child, yet more my own.
I have no other. Alt, mend his food
And treatment. Fear not thou the Vizier's wrath,
For I will shield thee.

SLAVE

I'll do it willingly.

KHATOON

What is this sound of many rushing feet ?

Enter Almuene and slaves.

ALMUENE

Seize him and bind. O villain, fatal villain!
O my heart's stringlet! Seize him, beat to powder,

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Have burning irons. Dame, what do you here?
Wilt thou prevent me then?

KHATOON

Let no man touch
The prisoner of the Sultan. What's this rage?

ALMUENE

My son, my son! He has burned my heart. Shall I
Not burn his body?

KHATOON

What is it? Tell me quickly.

ALMUENE

Fareed is murdered.

KHATOON

God forbid! By whom ?

ALMUENE

This villain's sister.

KHATOON

Doonya? You are mad. Speak, slave.

A SLAVE

Young master went with a great company
To Murad's house to carry Doonya off,
Who then was seated listening to the lute,
With Balkis and Mymoona, Ajebe's slave-girls.
We stormed the house, but could not take the lady;

Mymoona with a sword kept all at bay

For minutes. Meantime the city fills with rumour,

And Murad riding like a stormy wind

Came on us just too soon, the girl defender

Found wounded, Doonya at last in Fareed's grip

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Who made a shield of that fair burden; but Balkis
Ran at and tripped him and the savage Turk
Fire-eyed and furious lunged him through the body.
He's dead.

KHATOON

My son!

ALMUENE

Will you now give me leave
To torture this vile boy?

KHATOON

What is his fault?
Touch him and I acquaint the King. Vizier,
Thou slew'st Fareed. My gracious, laughing babe,
Who clung about me with his little hands
And sucked my breasts! Him you have murdered. Vizier,
Both soul and body. I will go and pray
For vengeance on thee for my slaughtered child.

Exit.

ALMUENE

She has baulked my fury. No, I'll wait for thee.
Thou shalt hear first what I have done with Doonya
And thy soft mother's body. Murad! Murad!
Thou hast no son. Would God thou hadst a son!

Exit.

NUREDDENE

Not upon others fall Thy heavy scourge
Who are not guilty. O Doonya, O my mother,
In fiercest peril from that maddened tyrant!

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