woman, for what purpose is this whip?
Now flee and scatter, crippled, halting folly!

[He strikes at the musicians and the lights,
then casts down the whip.]

Out, shameful lights, and thou, to bed with thee,
Puffed, swollen body; and ye bursting veins,
Ye reddened eyes, and thou putrescent mouth,
Off to a solitary bed, and night,
Dark, noiseless night instead of brazen torches
And blaring horns!

[He motions the old man out.]

SHALNASS. (bends with an effort to take the whip).
Mine is the whip, not thine!

SOBEIDE (cries out).
His father! Son and father for one woman!

GUeLISTANE (wrests the whip out of SHALNASSAR'S hand).
Go thou to bed thyself, hot-headed Ganem,
And leave together them that would be joined.
Rebuke thy father not. An older man
Can pass a sounder judgment, is more faithful
Than wanton youth. Hast thou not company?
Old Bachtjar's daughter stands there in the darkness,
And often I've been told that she is fair.
I know right well, thou wast in love with her.
So then good night. [They all turn to go.]

GANEM (wildly).
Go not with him!

GUeLISTANE (speaking backward over her shoulder).
I go
Where'er my heart commands.

GANEM (beseechingly).
Go not with him!

GUeLISTANE.
Oh, let us through: there will be other days.

GANEM (lying before her on the stairs).
Go not with him!

GUeLISTANE (turning around).
Thou daughter of old Bachtjar,
Keep him, I say, I want him not, I trample
Upon his fingers with my feet! Seest thou?

SOBEIDE (as if demented).
Aye, aye, now let us dance a merry round!
Take thou my hand and Ganem's; I Shalnassar's.
Our hair we'll loosen, and that one of us
That has the longer hair shall have the young one
Tonight--tomorrow just the other way!
King Baseness sits enthroned! And from our faces
Lies drip like poison from the salamander!
I claim my share in your high revelry.

(To GANEM, who angr