Yousef. Hail to thee, mother of the son of Yousef, for thou shalt bear Yousef’s son, the Avenger, even thou. [The wind increases, the curtain in front of the door flaps, a red light illumines the room, sand subsequently passes into gold.]
Biskra. The Frank comes—and Simoon is here! Go!
Yousef. See me again in a half-hour. Here is your sand water. [Points to a sandheap.] Heaven itself will measure out the time of the infidel’s hell.
SCENE II
BISKRA; GUIMARD, pale and staggering, confused, speaks in a faint voice.
Guimard. Simoon is here. What way do you think my men have gone?
Biskra. I guided your men to the left, toward the east. Guimard. To the left toward—the east. Let me see. Now I’ve got the east right, and the west. Put me in a chair and give me some water.
Biskra.[Leads GUIMARD to the sand hillock, and puts him on the ground, with his head on the sand hillack.] Art thou easy thus?
Guimard.[Looks at her.] I’m sitting a little crooked. Put something under my head.
Biskra.[Piles up the sand hillock under his head.] And now hast thou a cushion under thy head.