CALIPH We were coming to your door to seek you, Hassan, but you anticipated the knock of doubt by the shock of appearance. Why have you left your house before the nightingale? Will you too sing to the dawning moon? If so—we have come to hear.
HASSAN Oh, Master of the World—the hour of the nightingale has not yet come. I have sought thee all day, O Master, and could not find thee. Thou didst hold the Divan—thou wast hunting—thou wast asleep— thou wast at dinner—and now the hour is near, O Master of the World— but not yet come.
CALIPH
What hour?
HASSAN The hour of the nightingale: the hour when sun and moon are weighed in the silver scales of heaven: and thy scale of justice moves downward with the sun.
CALIPH Surely thy head is full of fancies and thy mood perverse. I cannot grasp the shadow of thy meaning.
HASSAN (Throwing himself at the CALIPH's feet) O Master of the World, have mercy on Pervaneh and Rafi!
CALIPH What—those two? Let them have mercy on themselves. They have chosen death as I am told. The woman has paid me the compliment of preferring torture with her Rafi to a marriage with myself. They have had a pleasant day together. Exquisite food was placed before them and the surveillance was discreet. They will now pass a less pleasant evening.
HASSAN
Let not the woman be tortured: have mercy on the woman.
CALIPH Rise you fantastic supplicant. Do you dare ask mercy for these insolent and dangerous folk whose life was in their own hands— who have themselves pulled down the cord of the rat-trap of destruction?
HASSAN Had you but heard them—had you but watched as I did while they made that awful choice, you would have forgotten expediency, justice, revenge, and listened only to the appeal of the anguish of their souls!