Hassan: The Story of Hassan of Baghdad and How He Came to Make the Golden Journey to Samarkand Part 16

Ha.s.sAN Left Selim to come to me?

YASMIN I found Selim a coward and a fool. I have discovered in you a man of taste and valour. How could I have known before?

But what matter? Am I not white enough to follow the caravans of Wealth and Power?

(Flinging out her arms) Is this for Selim or that for Selim?

Ha.s.sAN Back to him, and no more words! You darken the world before my eyes.

If he is a fool and a coward, you're nothing but a wh.o.r.e.

Go, or my slaves shall fling you head foremost down my steps.

YASMIN I have left Selim because he proved a coward, a fool, a poor man and a n.o.body. I have come to you because you are rich, famous, and a man of taste. The day you fall into disfavour (may it be far, O my Master!) I shall undoubtedly leave you. Till that day you will find me faithful. I am that which you call me--but I bring you a fair merchandise.

Ha.s.sAN I thank you, O seller of yourself. I buy no tainted meat.

I beg you seek another market, and that extremely soon.

YASMIN (Rubbing her face and rising lightly) I did not know I had a taint, O Master. The mirror must deceive me. But merchandise must be well inspected before its inferiority is a.s.sured.

It must be seen and touched. Will you see and will you touch?

Ha.s.sAN (Stepping back) Oh, away, away! Why did you seek me out?

Is it to rain back my words upon my face?

Or do you hope once more to show me yourself limb after limb in the embrace of a new Selim? I pray you, however, spare the water from the jug. My fire needs no quenching.

YASMIN (Suppliant) Be generous. It beseems the Caliph's friend to be generous.

If I have made you jealous, do I not not offer you a sumptuous revenge?

Ha.s.sAN Rise, take your pardon, and depart. Shall I tell you again?

If you need money, the slaves will give it you at the door.

YASMIN You are as cold as ice.

Ha.s.sAN You are brazen.

YASMIN I am brave. Farewell, I see you are not a man of love.

Ha.s.sAN Farewell. And defile no more the word love with your painted lips.

YASMIN (Lingering at the door) Yet there is a little of love's language that I do not know. When the bird of night sings on the bough of the tree that rustles outside your window, and the shadows creep away from the moon across the floor, I could have sung you a song sweeter than the nightingales and shown you a whiteness whiter than the moon.

Ha.s.sAN Ah--go!

YASMIN Because I was cruel could I not be kind? Because you can buy my body, can you buy my soul? Because I am of the people have I no songs to sing?

Because I have sinned have I no secret to impart? Go to market, O Ha.s.san, and buy your Circa.s.sian girl. And one day you shall say: Had Yasmin but lied to me of love, it were better than this fool's sincerity.

Ha.s.sAN Ah, leave me!

YASMIN There are lilies by the thousand in the meadows: there are roses by the thousand in the gardens, and all as like as like-- but there is only one shape in the world like mine.

There is only one face in the world where the eyebrows arch and the eyes flash--where the nostrils are set just so, and the lips are parted thus. There is no other arm beneath the skies that has has here this curve and here this dimple, and here the light soft golden hairs. There are rows and rows of young fair girls in the Caliph's harem and many as fair as I, but none whose veins are these veins, whose flesh is this flesh, fiery and cool, whose body swings like mine upon the heel.

(Flinging off her cloak) Will you see and will you touch?

(Approaching.) Will you see and will you touch?

(Putting her arm round his neck) Will you touch?

Ha.s.sAN (With a shout as he pushes her back) Slaves, tear off this woman!

YASMIN (As the SLAVES force her back) Eh, your slaves are violent!

Ha.s.sAN (To SLAVES) Hold her!

YASMIN But you must let me go.

Ha.s.sAN I will not let you go.

YASMIN Come, I see you are but a sour fellow, for whom pleasure is but vain.

I will take away the hateful. Let me pa.s.s.

(She attempts to escape.)

Ha.s.sAN (To his SLAVES) Hold her!

(ALDER and WILLOW each grip an arm. JUNIPER grips her ankles.

She is held standing. Her cloak falls. She is clothed in short jacket and trousers of white silk with a pattern of blue flowers: her waist is naked, in the Persian style.)

YASMIN Ah--what will you do to me? You forgave me.

Ha.s.sAN (To YASMIN) Ah, I forgave you the insults and all that hour of shame.

And Allah shall forgive you your trade if Allah wills.

But you have pressed your foul body on mine--you have breathed your poison on my cheek, and twined your snakes (G.o.d break them!) round my breast. Preparethen to die, for it is not right for the sake of mankind would you should walk any more upon the road of earth..

YASMIN (Quietly, but in terror) To die! What do you mean! No, no!

Ah, murder, ah!

Ha.s.sAN Do you hear the fountain dripping--drop by drop--drop by drop?

So shall your blood fall on my carpet and colour me more red flowers.

YASMIN (Recovering) I am not afraid.

Ha.s.sAN Do you expect mercy? I left mercy with my sweets.

For all these years I have been a humble man, of soft and kindly disposition-- such a man as the world and a woman hate. But now I shall never again be the fool of my fellows. Now all Bagdad shall know and say: "We thought Ha.s.san a mild man and a kind man; our children stole his sweets and he did but stroke his beard, while to a beggar he had known three days he would instantly lend three dinars. And behold, he has become powerful and hath cut down the body of Yasmin the infamous who had done him wrong, as a woodman cuts a tree. Yallah, our knees shall bend when Ha.s.san goes driving by!" Yasmin, stiffen your sinews and close your eyes.

YASMIN Not with the sword, not with the sword!

Ha.s.sAN Let me taste the ecstasy of power. Let me drink of the fulness of life.

Let me be one of those who conquer because they do not care.

(He draws the sword: Yasmin cries out loud.) You are Yasmin, the poor, the beautiful, the proud: I am Ha.s.san, rich and pa.s.sionate and strong. You have hurt me, I will hurt you; it is the rule of the game, and the way of the world.

Do I hate you? I do not know or care. Do I love you?-- then love shall drive the blade in deep. You are the world's own stupendous harlot, and I will cut you clean in two.

(He swings sword over his head to strike.)

YASMIN (With a shout at once of terror and triumph) I will not close my eyes!

I will look at you. You dare not do it, looking at my eyes!