Scene Seven
The same persons and Doña Joana
Joana enters, timid, frightened and supported in Fatoum’s arms.
Zoraya. (Kindly) Do you not fear, señorita, to come into a pagan’s home?
Joana. Fatoum has told me that you are charitable. That is the law of the Gospel!
Zoraya. And also that of the Koran—In that our religions are the same!—Seat yourself, my daughter (she sits upon the cushions at her side)—and tell me your trouble.
Joana. (Timidly) Permit Fatoum to tell it instead of me.
Fatoum. (Seated on a stool which Aisha has placed in the left of the scene) It is very strange—She rises in her sleep at night. Without seeing any one, she goes, comes, attends to her ordinary duties and returns to her bed—and during all that time she is in a dream.
Zoraya. (Taking Joana’s hand, which relaxes) And she remembers nothing of it?
Joana. Oh, nothing!
Fatoum. This also happened in the convent.
Zoraya. No, no! I prefer to have her tell me about it, herself.
Joana. While in the convent I was frequently seized at night by a desire which led me to walk barefoot through the corridors to the chapel where I lighted the altar candles, prayed and sang a canticle!—and the next day the candles were still burning and I would not believe that I had lighted them. I prayed in vain to God to deliver me from this infirmity. I decided to come to you this morning with Fatoum, who says you are so wise!—For I am to be married today. If my husband sees me get up in the night and promenade like a phantom, he will believe it is a punishment from Heaven!—He will abhor me and I will die of shame!
Zoraya. (Leaning towards her) And during the day when you pray you fall into a dream of ecstasy, do you not—and you make believe that you are no more on this earth?
Joana. (Feeling gradually the suggestions to sleep) Oh, yes—yes!—It is so beautiful! Ah, it is delicious! I see Heaven!—blue—all blue, encircled with a golden light!—I hear the songs of seraphim and archangels!——
Zoraya. And is all beautiful in this delicious slumber into which you are falling?
Joana. (Sleepily) Yes!—Yes, beautiful!
Zoraya. As this? (She closes Joana’s eyes.)
Joana. Yes!—I see—I—I——
Zoraya. Sleep! I want you to!
Joana falls asleep with her head resting on Zoraya’s shoulder.
Fatoum. (In a low voice) Is she asleep?
Zoraya. It is a sleep like that in which she walks at night.
Fatoum. Joana!—Señorita!—My child!
Joana does not move.
Zoraya. She does not hear your voice!—Does she also speak of taking the veil?
Fatoum. Ah, God!—It is her only dream. But she is her father’s only child. He will not consent to it and is obliging her to marry, which makes her disconsolate.
Zoraya. Does she object to the marriage, or to the man who is to be her husband? (Calling) Joana! (Joana moves. Zoraya continues.) Answer!—Do you feel tenderly for him whom you are to marry?
Joana. (Feebly) I do not love him.
Zoraya. Then, it is a feeling of aversion?
Joana. No! (Sadly) I do not want to marry!—I want to be a nun.
Fatoum. Do you hear that!—To me, to her father, to the abbess and to the sisters at Mercy—she has nothing to say but: “I want to be a nun.” Do you think that they have encouraged her with that idea in the convent and pictured marriage as something frightful? She is afraid that she will fall into one of those sleep-walking dreams tonight, which would cause a scandal!
Zoraya. Perhaps marriage would cure this malady.
Fatoum. Oh! I implore you, Zoraya, to heal her yourself, at once——
Zoraya. In a day, it is impossible!—Can you not come later? I shall surely succeed in curing her by frequently placing her in the present state in which she thinks of nothing, feels nothing and moves only at my command.
Fatoum. Is it possible?—It is magic!
Zoraya. No!—It is one of the mysterious laws of Nature that one will can fasten upon another, as mine has upon this child’s, and cause it to submit. It is so, Fatoum, for good or bad. If my power over this weaker creature were better established, and not so recent, I could say to her at this moment: “On such a day, at such an hour, you shall sleep this same sleep.” And unless she guarded herself while asleep, the least remembrance of that order on the stated day and hour would cause her to sleep unexpectedly in spite of her will, completely enslaved by mine. It is time to awaken her.
Fatoum. Not yet, I pray you!—Your will is so powerful. Can you not give her some protection against this disease tonight?
Zoraya. I can attempt it with great hope of success.
Fatoum. Oh! do it, Zoraya!—Do it! I shall forever bless you!
Zoraya. Joana! I tell you not to have the least fear that your trouble will return tonight. I have protected you. Do you understand?
Joana. (Feebly) Yes!—Yes!
Fatoum. May Allah reward you!
Zoraya. I tell you to awaken.
She draws Joana to her, leans over her shoulder, places her hand on the top of her head, breathes on her eyes and opens her eyelids. Joana sighs, rouses herself, awakens and looks astonished.
Joana. (Sadly) Ah! you see!—I have slept again.
Zoraya. No, señorita, no!—It is I who made you sleep.
Joana. You can do that!
Zoraya. And can also cure you.
Joana. (Quickly) God has guided you!
Zoraya. Be assured, your malady will not trouble you tonight. (Signs of joy from Joana. Zoraya continues.) All service, of course, is worthy of reward. Therefore, I put a price on your healing.
Joana. Ah! I promise to pay in advance.
Zoraya. You are going to the convent of Mercy?
Joana. Yes, to ask for the blessing of the Holy Abbess.
Zoraya. There is in that convent a Christian maid, who, for having loved Kalem, is confined in a dungeon where she never sees daylight, where she awaits death to deliver her, if she has not yet answered its call.
Joana. Yes, poor girl, I know—but her crime——
Zoraya. You should quickly judge her as being the least guilty.—Implore for that unfortunate girl the mercy of the abbess, who will refuse you nothing on this, your nuptial day—Ask that this miserable creature be brought out of her living tomb, that she be given a cell where she may see a ray of sunlight, and that she be fed with other nourishment than bread and water, which increase the sufferings to which she is condemned. As for this today—Too late, we fear.
Joana. I shall request this as a favor.
Zoraya. You swear that you will?
Joana. Before God!
The distant bells again ring.
Zoraya. (Without rising) Those are your marriage bells, dear child. (Aisha assists Joana to rise) I hope that you will have good health, a happy and contented love and that your youth will be decked with flowers.
Joana leaves with Aisha, while Fatoum stops to kiss Zoraya’s hand.
Fatoum. Allah’s benediction upon you!
Fatoum goes out with Joana.