TANE.
How thank thee?

[SHALNASSAR does not understand.]

GUeLISTANE.
How, I say, am I to thank thee?

SHALNASS.
By squandering all this:
This desk of sandal-wood and inlaid pearl
Use stead of withered twigs on chilly nights
To warm thy bath: watch how the flames will sparkle,
With sweet perfume!

[A dog is heard to give tongue, then several.]

GUeLISTANE.
What sheer and fragile lace! [Lifts it up.]

SHALNASS.
Dead, lifeless stuff. I'll bring to thee a dwarf,
Hath twenty tongues of beasts and men within him.
Instead of apes and parrots I will give thee
Most curious men, abortions of the trees
That marry with the air. They sing by night.

GUeLISTANE.
Thou shalt have kisses.

[The baying of the dogs grows stronger, seems nearer.]

SHALNASS.
Say, do young lovers
Give better gifts?

GUeLISTANE.
What wretched blunderers
In this great art, but what a master thou!

[The Armenian slave comes, plucks SHALNASSAR
by the sleeve, and whispers.]

SHALNASS.
A maiden sayst thou? Doubtless 'tis a woman,
But young? I do not understand.

GUeLISTANE.
What maiden meanest thou. Beloved?

SHALNASS.
None, none. I merely bade this slave "remain,"
And thou misheardest. (To the slave.) Hither
come, speak softly.

SLAVE.
She is half dead with fear, for some highwayman
Pursued her here, and then the dogs attacked her
And pulled her down. All out of breath she asked me,
"Is this Shalnassar's house, the carpet-dealer?"

SHALNASS.
It is the wife of that sweet fool. He sent her.
Be still. (He goes to GUeLISTANE, who is just
putting a string of pearls about her throat.)
O lovely! they're not worth their place.
[He goes back to the slave.]

SLAVE.
She also speaks of Ganem.

SHALNASS.
Of my son?
All one. Say, is she fair?

SLAVE.
I thought so.

SHALNASS.
What!