| Hajji. | Hajji curses young Beggar.
Explains young Beggar must be stranger.
Who is he that he does not know of Hajji?
He has sat on this seat for thirty years.
His father has sat there before him.
His grandfather before him.
Great pride in his ancestry of beggardom. |
| Young Beggar. (Kasim.) | The young Beggar tries to retaliate.
Hajji tells him to go and sit on a seat round the corner—“where other swine have sat before you.”
He kicks the young Beggar. |
The Guide (Nasir) of the Old Man comes down to interfere.
The Young Beggar (Kasim) sulks into a corner nursing his kick. |
| Hajji. | Hajji and Guide get into conversation. |
| The Guide. (Kasim.) | Guide explains Rich Man here on a pilgrimage.
Is really a famous old Robber Chief, a Cûrd,
One of the Sheikhs of the desert: all of whom were notorious and banished by late Sultan (Caliph).
Sheikh old and dying.
Come to pray to Allah to restore his son to him before he dies (if son still alive). |
| [Sultan is used throughoutthis scenario—forwhich, in play, Caliph issubstituted. Caliph iscorrect, as being Arabian.The title Sultan is of laterorigin and of Turkish influence.] | Sheikh was attacked by Sultan’s troops twenty-five years ago, and his son, then four years old, carried off.
Hajji says he knows what that means.
Had his wife carried off many years ago.
The only woman he ever loved—really loved.
The Guide: “I know, Hajji, and I pity you.
I have a proposition to make:
I know the Sheikh will give money to charity to save his soul just before dying.
Now if you could predict something to him,—
Say that he will find his son again,—
The Sheikh will give you money.”
And for this advice Guide and Hajji are to divide money.
Hajji agrees to this.
Prayers are over. |
The crowd disperses coming from the Mosque.
Sheikh is carried out of the Mosque in his litter. |
| Hajji. | Hajji throws himself in front of litter.
Crying out: “Listen to me.
I can see why you have come.
You are looking for some one,—your son.
You shall find him. Give me money.”
Sheikh amazed at Hajji’s knowledge.
Hajji says his wits have been sharpened through grief and suffering.
“I had a wife and a son.
They were stolen by my enemy.
My son was murdered,
My wife carried off
.The swine of a beggar who sat round the corner did it.
He is my enemy. The curse of my life.”
Sheikh holds out purse, chinking it.
Hajji blesses Sheikh.
Sheikh bursts out laughing.
Reveals himself to Hajji.
He (Sheikh) is his enemy.
He ran away with Hajji’s wife. |
| [Some of this is incorporatedin the scene withNasir.] | And became a robber under her inspiring influence. One of a band of robbers that attacked the caravans.
It is their son (by Hajji’s wife) that the Sultan captured when he attacked the robbers.
Laughs at Hajji for blessing him.
Thanks him ironically.
Throws the purse and is carried off by his men.
Hajji shouts curses after him.
And kicks away the money. |
| Hajji. (Alone.) | He is torn in two by the hatred for his enemy. |
| Young Beggar, in corner. | And the love of the money.
What he could do with the money. |
| [This was cut at rehearsals, as halting the action,] | He could do so much for Zira (the daughter),
The pride of his heart, the consolation of his old age,
The one balm to his fatherly heart.
But his enemy’s money?
Never.
But Zira? Trinkets for her. Her laughter.
Her smile.
But the Sheikh’s money—The beast who robbed him of his wife.
Who was Zira’s mother? No one. A dancing girl, a passing whim. The fancy of a late spring.
But his wife—the one that the Sheikh took—she was everything. His joy, his pride, the first finding of his manhood.
To the purse: “I’ll not touch thee.” (He spits at it.) |
| | He sees some one coming.
He quickly pockets the purse. |
| The Guide reënters |
Hajji.
Guide.
Young Beggar. | Guide comes to claim half of his money.
Hajji does not know anything of the bargain;
“I saw no purse.”
Guide furious.
Hajji laughs at him.
He appeals to young Beggar.
Was there a purse there?
The young Beggar sides with Hajji.
Guide off, furious, vowing vengeance.
Hajji says, “Go thy way in peace.” |
Hajji.
Young Beggar. | Young Beggar: “What do I get for siding with you?”
“What?”
“I saw you pick up the purse.
I heard the agreement: you promised him half.”
Hajji says the money was given him, not by the Sheikh, but by fate.
We all have a day in life.
This is Hajji’s day.
There is a future before him.
The Sheikh rose from the mud to power and riches.
Why not Hajji?
Fortune is smiling on him at last.
He will forsake the seat he has sat on these thirty years.
Go forth into the world.
What shall he give the Young Beggar?
His throne and his beggar’s cloak.
(He instates him in his seat and goes off.) |
| [Here the Priest is introducedin the play toheighten the effect at theend. Also to make him afriend of Hajji’s, as Hajjisends his daughter to himat the end of the Hareemscene. Act III, Scene 1.] | Curtain |