Hassan : the story of Hassan of Bagdad, and how he came to make the golden journey to Samarkand : a play in five acts

by James Elroy Flecker

SCENE II

The private apartment within the pavilion. A bed. Fine furniture.
A window with a view on the garden.

(Enter HASSAN followed by his SLAVES.)

HASSAN
In that apartment, therefore, I shall receive guests.
But in this apartment, whom?

ALDER
Such ladies, Master, as you desire to honour.

HASSAN
Yes, yes. I must visit the market and see.
(Staring at the floor, with a start) Wulluhi, what is that?

TAMARISK
The carpet, Master.

HASSAN
One of the wonderful new carpets of Ispahan. A hunting scene.
The Prince. His followers. Leopards and stags and three tigers,
and an elephant—his head only. O amazing carpet.
And everywhere great scarlet flowers, very stiff and fine.
O exquisite carpet. I have never seen so bright as scarlet.
(With a sudden earnestness)
Tell me. You were his slaves…?

ALDER
Master?

HASSAN Well, well, we will not talk of it. How clearly that fountain sounds outside with its little splash!

ALDER I pray you, Master, the Caliph said you should particularly observe this mirror with the carven frame.

HASSAN
(Looking at himself) By the Prophet, what a Phoenix I have become!
Provided I do not stumble on my sword.

WILLOW The Caliph hoped you should not fail to remark this exquisitely upholstered couch.

JUNIPER
The Caliph hopes you would admire these toilet requisites in alabaster.

TAMARISK The Caliph hopes you will make good use of this very slender whip for our correction.

HASSAN A whip? For your correction, O slaves of charm? Am I the man to spoil good almond paste with streaks of cochineal?

ALDER
Thou art pleased, O my Master?

HASSAN Pleased? Look at the acacia tapping at my window; one night it will come in softly and fling its moonlit blossom at my feet. But this is no place for a man to live alone. Without a doubt I must visit the market. They have Circassians; I have always wanted a Circassian. She must be very young…. I have not finished the excellencies of the room. These three chests, what do they contain?

ALDER This chest, O Master, contains your new robes. One of them is embroidered with red carnations and silver bells.

HASSAN
Was there ever generosity like this!

WILLOW This chest, O master, contains curtains, hangings, and cushions for the sofa. One of the cushions is embellished with fifteen peacocks.

HASSAN
Fifteen peacocks! And all those peacocks dumb!

JUNIPER
This chest O master, contains fresh linen for your bed.
All marked with your name.

HASSAN
Marked with my name! And what have you to say, Tamarisk?

TAMARISK
That bed…

HASSAN That bed is not a chest. But doubtless it also contains fresh linen marked with my name.

TAMARISK
(Tremulous) That bed contains a most beautiful lady.

HASSAN
(Jumping) What?

TAMARISK
A most beautiful lady. She said she must see you, and gave me ten dinars.

YASMIN
(As HASSAN tears aside the curtains of the bed) Hassan!
(She is dressed in a cloak and veiled.)

HASSAN
What voice?

YASMIN
Hassan. (She unveils.)

HASSAN
Thou!

YASMIN
I came: I hid: I waited.

HASSAN
Why?

YASMIN
Why does a woman hide in the bed of a man?

HASSAN
(Furiously) You dared! Stay here, slaves.
Will you leave me at this moment, you fools who let this women in?
(To YASMIN) You dared?

YASMIN
What is there a beautiful woman dare not dare?

HASSAN
But your impudence is vile. Out of it! Get you back to Selim.

YASMIN
I have left Selim.

HASSAN
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?

HASSAN
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 whore.
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 nobody. 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.

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

HASSAN (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?

HASSAN
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.

HASSAN
You are brazen.

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

HASSAN
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.

HASSAN
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 Hassan, and buy your Circassian girl. And one day you shall say:
Had Yasmin but lied to me of love, it were better than this fool's sincerity.

HASSAN
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?

HASSAN
(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!

HASSAN
(To SLAVES) Hold her!

YASMIN
But you must let me go.

HASSAN
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 pass.
(She attempts to escape.)

HASSAN
(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.

HASSAN (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 (God 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!

HASSAN
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.

HASSAN 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 Hassan 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 Hassan goes driving by!" Yasmin, stiffen your sinews and close your eyes.

YASMIN
Not with the sword, not with the sword!

HASSAN 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 Hassan, rich and passionate 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!

(HASSAN whirls sword round.)

You dare not do it, looking at my eyes!

(HASSAN flings the sword across the room and falls across the divan, his face in his hands.)

HASSAN
O Hassan the Confectioner, thou art nothing but an old man and a fool!

(YASMIN comes up to HASSAN. The BOYS silently disappear.
He draws her toward him.)

(With infinite tenderness) Yasmin!