Dramatic Technique Part 84

_An inner chamber in Executioner's House. Door leading to Hareem._

[This is the same hall as at the end of Act I, only that curtains are drawn to hide the courtyard.]

_Hajji. Executioner and Scribe seated on a platform Executioner. drinking coffee and smoking.

Scribe._ Hajji seated below them entertaining them [Coffee and smoking with amorous stories.

suppressed, as both They are all laughing.

were found to be Hajji finishes a story.

anachronisms.] Executioner says it reminds him of his princ.i.p.al wife.

[This altered. Eastern A slight pause.

men do not speak of The Executioner gives Scribe a look as if to their wives to say "To business."

strangers.] He says to Hajji-- How would Hajji like to become a great power in the state?

He broaches plan of a.s.sa.s.sinating the Sultan.

Hajji hesitates.

Executioner unfolds scheme.

There is an audience in half an hour.

Hajji can come as a Fakir.

[See play. All of this Has told Executioner he could juggle--power in scene was split in half, play tricks at his corner when begging.

and Mansur does not now suggest the Hajji could get close to Sultan and kill him.

a.s.sa.s.sination till at No danger to Hajji.

the end of the second As the Guards are under command of half. The reason is Executioner.

clear: Hajj could not Executioner will be there.

have a love scene (as But, of course, Hajji must under no condition he does now) if he recognize the Executioner.

were brooding about Hajji feels doubts.

the a.s.sa.s.sination. Executioner fills him full of promises.

This was altered in Executioner will be made Sultan.

rehearsal at Hajji shall become Executioner.

thesuggestion of Mr. Executioner off to put on his armour for Grimwood, who played audience.

Mansur in England.] Scribe goes with him.

Executioner: "Think it over. If you don't like it--there is always room for a strangled body in the river."

[_Hajji (Alone)._] "So this is why I was pardoned this morning?

Oh, Hajji! What a fool you are!

And you thought your personal charm did it all."

_Hajji. Door of Hareem opens. Old Woman Old Woman No II._ No. II appears with a note, gives it to Hajji.

[Changed to young Hajji reads it, smiles and nods.

slave Miskah. The Old Woman disappears.

note becomes a message, with dialogue between Hajj and Miskah]

_Hajji (Alone)._ "After all I cannot be so utterly without charm, if _this_ can happen to me."

He twirls his moustaches up and looks at himself in the blade of his sword.

_Old Woman No. II reenters with veiled woman (Executioner's Wife).

Old Woman stands guard._

_Hajji. The Wife has seen him from her window.

Wife._ As he crossed the courtyard at noon, she lost her heart to him.

Her husband neglects her.

She comes to Hajji for sympathy.

Hajji makes love to her.

She refuses to unveil,--at least, at once.

She makes appointment with him.

To meet him in the Executioner's Bath at moonrise.

All the women bathe then.

She will leave a little screen unlatched that leads to the furnaces under the baths.

These furnaces reached also from men's quarters through the door in the Court.

(She points it out to him.) He can come and see her there in Bath, when the other women are back in the Hareem.

The Executioner never returns from the Sultan till after supper.

They hear a noise.

She withdraws.

_Hajji struts about in great glee._ He hears Executioner coming He throws himself on his knees and prays.

_Executioner. Executioner returns armed.

Hajji. What has Hajji decided?

Scribe._ Hajji says he has been wrestling in prayer.

He cannot make up his mind to kill Sultan, a descendant of the Prophet.

Executioner says he also is a descendant of Prophet.

Hajji is accused of cowardice.

He denies it.

He says he has ties that bind him.

The risk is too great because of his daughter, his daughter, Zira.

He tells about her.

Finally he consents to kill Sultan on one condition.

No matter what happens to him the Executioner must marry the daughter.

The Executioner consents.

Hajji is overjoyed.

He quite forgets his own danger when he thinks his daughter will be the Sultana.

He will hurry off to his daughter's house, And have her conveyed to Executioner's house after sun-down.

Too beautiful to pa.s.s through the streets at day time.

Begs for a guard to convey her.

Once he has arranged with her he will come on to young Sultan's palace,-- "The Sultan who will be dead. Who _is_ dead!"

He hurries off in great exultation.

[When the play was written, the mid-afternoon call to prayer was introduced here as a Curtain.] _Curtain_

SCENE 2

_Zira's home. Same scene as Scene 3, Act I. Small courtyard.

Zira sits with her guitar singing a love song._

_Zira. / Zira tries to get the Old Woman to go out Old Woman._ that night.

[Cut when play was < old="" woman="" suspicious="" written.]="" zira="" calms="" her="" fears="" coaxes="" her,="" pets="" her="">

_Hajji arrives_.

_Hajji. Hajji has come to break news to Zira.

Zira. Great news!