SEVERAL DAYS HAVE ELAPSED

SCENE: _The forecourt of the castle, beyond which is the
garden and in the distance the mountains, under the
deep tropical blue of morning. On the right the wall
enclosing the castle grounds runs back and is lost in
the foliage of cypress, palm, orange; it is pierced by
an arched gate with lifted portcullis. On the left
rises the dark front of the castle, its arabesqued
doorway open. Across the rear a low arcaded screen of
masonry, with an entrance to the right, separates the
court from the garden. Before it a fountain, guarded by
a statue of a Knight of St. John, falls into a porphyry
basin. By the castle door, to the front, and elsewhere,
are stone seats._ HASSAN _is standing moodily by the
screen, left, looking out the portcullis. He starts,
hearing steps, and as the old leach_ TREMITUS _enters,
motions him silently into the castle; then muttering
"the old blood-letter," stands as before, while_ CIVA,
MAGA, _and_ MAURIA _are heard in the garden, and enter
gaily bearing water-jars to the fountain._ CIVA _sees
his look and breaks into a twitting laughter. The other
two join her._

_Civa._ Look at him! Maga! Mauria! behold!
Was ever sight so sweet upon the world?
Is he not very Joy?

_Mauria_ (_critically_). Now, is he not?
With the price of vinegar upon his face.

[_All laugh._

The price of vinegar! who'll buy!--Not I!
Not I! Not I! Not I!

_Hassan._ Wench.

_Civa._ Verily!
And not a man! he has discovered it!
You're not a man, Mauria! we were duped.

[MAURIA _slaps her playfully._

But see him now--a mummy of the Nile!
Who died of choler!

_Mauria._ Then, a care, he'll bite.
He's been in the grave a long while and he's hungry.
A barley-loaf, quick, Maga!

_Civa._ To appease him!
But s-sh! beware! there's something of import.

[_They stop in mock awe before him._

What does he think of?

_Mauria._ Sphinxes and the spheres.

_Civa._ Or little ants and gnats that buzz about him.

_Mauria._ And how to make them smart for sauciness.

_Civa._ Or of Alessa!

_Maga._ No, n