Lady, O dawn’s delight, let there be a banquet.  Let the great ones of Shaldomir be bidden there.

MIRALDA

There shall be a banquet, Hafiz.

HAFIZ

Soon, O lady.  Let it be soon, sole lily of the garden.

MIRALDA

It shall be soon, Hafiz.
[More embraces.]

HAFIZ

And above all, O lady, bid Daoud, the son of the baker.

MIRALDA

He shall be bidden, Hafiz.

HAFIZ

O lady, it is well.

MIRALDA

Go now, Hafiz.

HAFIZ

Lady, I go [giving a bag of gold to Bazzalol].  Silence.  Silence.  Silence.

Bazzalol [kneeling]

O, master!

HAFIZ

Let the tomb speak; let the stars cry out; but do you be silent.

BAZZALOL

Aye, master.

Hafiz [to Thoothoobaba]

And you.  Though this one speak, yet be silent, or dread the shadow of Hafiz el Alcolahn.

[He drops a bag of gold.  Thoothoobaba goes down and grabs at the gold; his eyes gloat over it.]

THOOTHOOBABA

Master, I speak not.  Oh-h-h.

[Exit Hafiz.

Miralda arranges herself on the cushions.  She looks idly at each Nubian.  The Nubians put each a finger over his lips and go on fanning with one hand.]

MIRALDA

A queen.  I shall look sweet as a queen.

[Enter John.  She rises to greet him caressingly.

Enter Daoud.]

Oh, you have brought Daoud with you.

JOHN

Why not?

MIRALDA

You know that I don’t like Daoud.

JOHN

I wish to speak with him.

[Miralda looks straight at John and moves away in silence.  Exit L.]

JOHN

Daoud.

DAOUD

Great master.

JOHN

Daoud, one day in spring, in the cemetery of those called Blessed, beyond the city’s gates, you swore to me by the graves of both your parents . . . .