THE BARON. Proceed!
THE TARTAR. Do not do harm unto others—such is the law!
SATINE. Oh—you mean the Penal Code, criminal and correctional, eh?
THE BARON. And also the Code of Penalties inflicted by Justices of the Peace!
THE TARTAR. No. I mean the Koran. It is the supreme law—and your own soul ought to be the Koran—yes!
KLESHTCH [testing his concertina] It wheezes like all hell! But the Prince speaks the truth—one must live abiding by the law—by the teachings of the Gospels . . .
SATINE. Well—go ahead and do it!
THE BARON. Just try it!
THE TARTAR. The Prophet Mohammed gave to us the law. He said: “Here is the law! Do as it is written therein!” Later on a time will arrive when the Koran will have outlived its purpose—and time will bring forth its own laws—every generation will create its own . . .
SATINE. To be sure! Time passed on—and gave us—the Criminal Code . . . It’s a strong law, brother—it won’t wear off so very soon!