Hassan: The Story of Hassan of Baghdad and How He Came to Make the Golden Journey to Samarkand Part 12

CAPTAIN OF MILITARY Permit me to observe, O fire-spitting Battle Cleaver, that I was the first up this ladder, and though I tremble to obscure the Sun's Brilliance with my dirty little hand, yet it is I who have the prior claim.

(MASRUR pushes them aside, and a.s.sists the CALIPH down the ladder.

JAFAR and Ha.s.sAN follow. Shouts of "Long live the Caliph" from all the people gathered in the street. The SOLDIERS salute.

The CALIPH raises his hand. Silence.)

CALIPH Is my Palace safe?

MASRUR O Lord and Master, we pray so.

CALIPH And my people?

JAFAR Around thee, O Lord and Master.

YASMIN (From her balcony) By the Prophet, here is Ha.s.san with the Caliph!

CALIPH Are we all saved?

MASRUR All, by the providence of Allah.

JAFAR And the wisdom of Ha.s.san.

CALIPH And the Guard warned?

CAPTAIN OF MILITARY All warned and at their posts, my Lord.

CALIPH Allah, deliver our enemies into their hands. Let Ha.s.san come to me.

Ha.s.sAN (Prostrating himself) Master!

CALIPH (Raising him) Rise, Ha.s.san. This Ha.s.san, yesterday a stranger, has to-night by his skill and invention, saved my life and rescued this city from a greater peril than my death.

CROWD May it be far!

CALIPH Therefore here and now, in the presence of all, I nominate Ha.s.san to my court, to hold rank among my subjects second to none save to Jafar, my Grand Vizier.

YASMIN (Who has been at her balcony with SELIM) O Allah!

CROWD Honour to Ha.s.san. Honour to Ha.s.san.

Ha.s.sAN Master, I sold confectionary in the market.

JAFAR Thou shalt now confection the sweets of prosperity.

ISHAK (To Ha.s.sAN) Why, Ha.s.san. You are the man with the broken lute.

CALIPH Is that the voice of Ishak?

ISHAK It is the voice of Ishak that has often sung to you.

CALIPH Why did you abandon me, Ishak, and flee into the night? I do not know I shall forgive you.

ISHAK I was weary of you, Haroun-ar-Raschid.

CALIPH And if I weary of you?

ISHAK You will one day or another, and you will have me slain.

CALIPH And what of this day that dawns?

ISHAK Dawn is the hour when most men die.

CALIPH Your death is granted you, Ishak; you have but to kneel.

(A red glow on the horizon.)

ISHAK (As he kneels calmly) Why have they pinned the carpet of execution on the sky?

MASRUR It is the Caliph's dawn.

JAFAR Thy dawn, O Master!

ISHAK Thy dawn, O Master of the world, thy dawn; The hour the lilies open on the lawn, The hour the grey wings pa.s.s beyond the mountains, The hour of silence, when we hear the fountains, The hour that dreams are brighter and winds colder, The hour that young love wakes on a white shoulder, O Master of the world, the Persian Dawn.

That hour, O Master, shall be bright for thee: Thy merchants chase the morning down the sea, The braves who fight thy war unsheathe the sabre, The slaves who work thy mines are lashed to labour, For thee the waggons of the world are drawn-- The ebony of night, the red of dawn!

CALIPH Sheathe thy sword, Masrur! Would you kill my friend?

MASRUR I hear and obey.

CALIPH I must go swiftly to my palace. But to you, Ishak, I leave the care of this man you sent up to me in the basket, who proved the salvation of Bagdad. Teach him the ceremonies and regulations.

Is my chair ready?

MASRUR Ready, Lord and Master.

(Exit CALIPH in chair, and JAFAR and CROWD. ISHAK signs to those who would kiss Ha.s.sAN's feet to leave him.)

YASMIN (On balcony opposite. Giving SELIM a great clout on the ear) Go, leave my sight, you fool. I shall burst with fury.

You made me insult Ha.s.san, and now he is going to court.

SELIM (Astonished) Eh, Yasmin, Yasmin how could I know?

ISHAK Ah, bismillah, I had not forgotten you, O man with the broken lute.

Ha.s.sAN The broken lute? The broken lute?

ISHAK Here you were lying, at this fountain, like one dead.

Ha.s.sAN Was it here? Is that the balcony? Who are you? What do you know?

ISHAK Quietly, friend, quietly, your head is weak with joy.