Suppose thou loved me not:
Why didst thou lie? If I was aught to thee,
Why hast thou lied to me? O speak to me--
Am I not worth an answer?

[Weird music and voices are heard outside.]

GANEM.
Yes, by heaven.
It is the old man's voice and Guelistane's!

[Down the stairs come a fluting dwarf and an
effeminate-looking slave playing a lute,
preceded by others with lights; then SHALNASSAR,
leaning on GUeLISTANE; finally a eunuch with
a whip stuck in his belt. GUeLISTANE frees herself
and comes forward, seeming to search the floor for
something; the others come forward also. The music
ceases.]

GUeLISTANE (over her shoulder, to SHALNASSAR).
I miss a tiny jar, of swarthy onyx
And filled with ointment. Art thou ling'ring still,
Thou Bachtjar's daughter? Bend thy lazy back
And try to find it.

[SOBEIDE is silent, looking at GANEM.]

SHALNASS.
Let it be and come!
I'll give thee hundreds more.

GUeLISTANE.
It was a secret,
The ointment in it.

GANEM (close to GUeLISTANE).
What means this procession?

SHALNASS.
Come on, why not? The aged cannot wait.
And ye, advance! Bear lights and make an uproar!
Be drunken: what has night to do with sleep!
Advance up to the door, then stay behind!

[The slaves form in order again.]

GANEM (furious).
Door, door? What door?

SHALNASS. (to GUeLISTANE, who leans against him).
Say, shall I give an answer?
If so, I'll do 't to flatter thee. If not,
'Twill be to show thee that my happiness
Requireth not old envy's flattery.

GANEM (to GUeLISTANE).
Say no, say he is lying!

GUeLISTANE.
Go, good Ganem,
And let us pass. Thy father is recovered,
And we are glad of it. Why stand so gloomy?
One must be merry with the living, eh,
While yet they live? [She looks into his eyes.]

GANEM (snatches the whip from the eunuch).
Old