Then turning to to Pervaneh, he said, "Go back to thy place."
And I cried, "She is my purchase." But the eunuch said,
"Hold thy peace; I take her for the Caliph."
And suddenly two guards seized Pervaneh, and I drawing my sword was about to hew the eunuch into a thousand pieces, Pervaneh made a sign to me, and looking up I saw I was surrounded by men at arms. And Pervaneh cried in the speech of my country, as they carried her way: "I will die, but I will not be defiled: rescue me alive or dead, soon or late, and avenge me on this Caliph, may the ravens eat his entrails!"
That is my story, and for this reason I will nail the Caliph down in his coffin, bound and living and with open eyes.
CALIPH
(In horror) Bound and living, with open eyes! Thou devil!
MASRUR
Is that all the story?
JAFAR
Will you tear up the Empire for the honour of a girl?
CALIPH (In fury) And set your worthless passion in scale against the splendour of Islam!
RAFI Is this Haroun the splendour of Islam? Is the prosperity of these people, a rosy slave in his serai, or their happiness, a fish in his silver fountain?
JAFAR
God will frustrate thee.
RAFI If he will. Farewell, my guests. I go to avenge Pervaneh, and to wash Bagdad in blood.