MIRALDA

O, a week or so.

JOHN BEAL

I don’t know what you’ll think of Al
Shaldomir.  I’m afraid you’ll find it . . .

MIRALDA

Oh, I like it.  Just that hollow in the mountains, and the one pass, and no record of it anywhere.  I like that.  I think it’s lovely.

JOHN BEAL

You see, I’m afraid—­what I mean is I’m afraid the place isn’t even on the map!

MIRALDA

O, that’s lovely of it.

JOHN BEAL

All decent places are.

MIRALDA

You mean if a place is on the map we’ve got to behave accordingly.  But if not, why . . .

JOHN BEAL

Hussein won’t pay.

MIRALDA

Let’s see Hussein.

JOHN BEAL

I’m afraid he’s rather, he’s rather a savage-looking brigand.

MIRALDA

Never mind.

[Archie is quietly listening and smiling sometimes.

Enter Daoud.  He goes up to the unholy heap and takes away two large idols, one under each arm.  Exit.]

What’s that, Mr. Beal?

JOHN BEAL

O, that.  I’m afraid it’s rather horrible.  I told you it was an awful country.  They pray to these idols here, and some are all right, though of course it’s terribly blasphemous, but that heap, well, I’m afraid, well that heap is very bad indeed.

MIRALDA

What do they do?

JOHN BEAL

They kill people.

MIRALDA

Do they?  How?

JOHN BEAL

I’m afraid they pour their blood down those horrible throats.

MIRALDA

Do they?  How do you know?

JOHN BEAL

I’ve seen them do it, and those mouths are all rusty.  But it’s all right now.  It won’t happen any more.

MIRALDA

Won’t it?  Why not?

JOHN BEAL

Well, I . . .

ARCHIE BEAL