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[The slaves pay no attention to him.
Mrs. Rapkin
'Ere! my good men, what are you comin' in 'ere for, bringing all your dust into my apartments?
Horace
[Standing paralysed; to himself.] We can't both be dreaming!
Mrs. Rapkin
[Trying to remonstrate with slaves.] This rubbish don't belong 'ere! I can't 'ave the 'ole place littered up with it! You needn't act so ridic'lous if you are niggers! [To Horace.] It ain't no use my talking to 'em, sir. They're not like Christians– they're deaf and dumb, seemingly! You try!
Horace
[Going to the Head Slave, who salaams as he approaches.] Can you understand if I ask a question? [The Head Slave salaams again.] Well, I – I know it seems a silly thing to ask – but – but you don't happen to be sent here by – by anybody with a name something like Fakrash? [The Head Slave implies by a gesture that this is so.] You have!.. Well, look here. I don't want 'em. I decline to take 'em in. You have all these things put on the camels again, and clear out! Do you see what I mean? [By this time the other slaves have gone; the Head Slave signifies in pantomime that the things are Horace's, salaams, and goes out, the door closing behind him mysteriously.] I don't believe that idiot understands now! They've gone off to fetch more!
Mrs. Rapkin
[Who has returned to window.] They've gone off altogether, sir. I can't see nothink now but a cloud of dust.
Horace
[Sinks into chair on right of table with his head buried in his hands.] The fools! The confounded fools!
Mrs. Rapkin
[Comes to table and looks for Horace in vain.] Sir! Sir! [Sees him over the bales, &c.] Sir! Where are you going to 'ave your dinner-party now?
Horace
[Forlornly.] Oh, I don't know – I don't know! Don't worry me now, Mrs. Rapkin! Go away! Can't you see I want to think – I want to think!
Mrs. Rapkin
[As she goes towards door at back.] Well, I must say and I do say that if this 'ad to 'appen, it couldn't have come more ill-convenient! [She goes out.
[As soon as she has gone Horace rises and comes to an antique-looking trunk on left; he opens it, and brings out an enormous emerald and ruby, each the size of a cocoa-nut; he looks at them for a moment in dismay, and drops them back with a groan. Then he crosses to a sack on the right, opens it, and brings out an immense diamond. While he is doing all this, Fakrash has risen from among the bales behind the table, and watches him with benign complacency.
Horace
[As he returns the diamond to the sack.] Oh! damn it all!
Fakrash
My son!
Horace
[Recoiling on sacks.] I'm not dreaming now! I'm awake! And yet – all that story of yours about your being shut up in a brass bottle? I did dream that– eh?
Fakrash
Nay, it is even as I told thee.
Horace
And it was you who sent me all these things?
Fakrash
A few trifling gifts by no means suited to thy dignity! Thou owest me no thanks.
Horace
I – I'd rather not owe you anything. I mean – I can't possibly accept any presents from you.
Fakrash
Nay, they are freely thine.
Horace
I don't want to be ungracious, but I must decline to be under any obligation whatever to a – well, to a perfect stranger like yourself.
Fakrash
Hast thou not placed me under the heaviest of obligations by delivering me from a bottle of brass? To escape out of a bottle is pleasant!
Horace
So I should imagine. But, you see, I'd no notion what I was doing or – well, it's done now, and if you really wish to show your gratitude for a very trifling service, I'll tell you how you can do it. [In a tone of earnest entreaty.] Take back all these gifts of yours, and let me alone!
Fakrash
[Beaming.] Truly I am amazed by thy modesty and magnanimity!
Horace
I'm not magnanimous – I'm devilish annoyed! [Exasperated.] Hang it all! Can't you understand that all these things are no earthly use to me? You might just as well have sent me so many white elephants!
Fakrash
As thou pleasest! To send thee elephants – yea, even in abundance – will be no difficult undertaking.
[He makes a movement as though about to summon them.
Horace
[Aghast.] Good Lord! Don't you go wasting white elephants on me! You take everything so literally! All I meant was that if these things were white elephants, instead of what they are, I couldn't be more embarrassed! Now do you see?
Fakrash
[Coming down to right.] Thou seemest to me to be despising riches beyond all price.
Horace
Exactly! Because they are beyond all price! Look at those sacks – bulging, simply bulging with diamonds and rubies and emeralds as big as ostrich eggs! Well, I can't wear 'em. They'd be too dressy! I can't sell 'em – no one could afford to buy a single one of 'em! And how am I to account for having them at all?
Fakrash
Thou canst surely say that they are presents to thee from Fakrash-el-Aamash, a Jinnee of the Green Jinn, in return for thy kindness in releasing him from a bottle of brass.
Horace
Oh, can I? I fancy I see myself giving that explanation! [More mildly.] No, Fakrash, – you meant well – but the kindest thing you can do is to remove all this at once —
Fakrash
This is a thing that cannot be. For to bestow gifts and receive them back disgraceth the giver.
Horace
Not when the gifts are only in the way. [He nearly trips over a sack.] Just look at this room!
Fakrash
Verily it is but a miserable apartment for a person of thy distinction!
Horace
It's quite good enough for me when it isn't lumbered up like this. I'm expecting friends to dinner this evening, and how the deuce am I to entertain them comfortably unless you make it possible for me?
Fakrash
[Benevolently.] Have no uneasiness. I will see that thou art enabled to entertain thy guests as is fitting.
Horace
Good! [At window.] Then you'll send for that caravan of yours?
Fakrash
I hear and obey.
[He goes towards door at back and waves his hand. The door flies open. The chant is heard as before. A pause, after which the Head Slave enters and salaams. Then the train of black slaves pour in noiselessly, and proceed to carry out the chests, &c., and throw the bales out over the balcony.
Horace
[Encouraging them.] That's right! All those are to go. Put your back into it! [To some slaves who are throwing down bales from the balcony.] Do be careful! You nearly bowled a camel over that time! [The last slave has gone out with a sack from which an immense blue jewel has rolled; Horace picks it up and calls after him.] Hi! You've dropped a little sapphire thing! [The Head Slave takes the sapphire from him and salaams.] Sure you've got the lot? All right! Good day! [The Head Slave makes a final salaam and goes out, the door closing after him mysteriously; Horace approaches Fakrash.] It's awfully nice of you not to be offended, old fellow, and I'm just as much obliged as if I'd kept the things, you know.
Fakrash
It is no matter. Thou shalt receive other rewards more to thy liking.
Horace
[Alarmed.] No, no! I assure you I don't want anything. I can get along quite well by myself. Because – of course, you wouldn't know it, but – [with pride] – I've got a client now!
Fakrash
[Calmly.] I know it. Was he not my first gift unto thee?
Horace
[Staggered.] Your first – ? No, no – don't you go taking credit for that! He assured me himself that he came of his own accord!
Fakrash
He knew no better. Nevertheless it was I that procured him for thee.
Horace
How?
Fakrash
[Airily.] In the easiest manner possible. Having remarked him upon a bridge, I transported him instantly to thy dwelling, impressing him without his knowledge with thy names and thy marvellous abilities.
Horace
[Horrified – to himself.] Good Lord! He said he came in by the window! [To Fakrash.] So you did that, did you? Then you took a confounded liberty! You'd no business to introduce clients to me in that irregular way! Don't you ever do this sort of thing again! Just attend to your own affairs in future. I understood you were going off in search of Suleymán. It's high time you started. You won't find him in this country, you know.
Fakrash
He is on some journey – for in Jerusalem itself could I find no sign of him.
Horace
Oh, come! You can't have flown as far as Jerusalem and back already!
Fakrash
Know'st thou not that, to a Jinnee of the Jinn, distance is but a trifling matter?
Horace
So much the better! You'll be back in the East all the sooner. And when you are there, you stay there. Don't get disheartened if you don't find Suleymán directly. Keep on pegging away till you do! Why, the mere travelling will be a pleasant change for you!
