y the surfeit of his wealth will go to unjust men and to men whose
beards are unclean and who fear not God.

Zabra:

We shall indeed be poor.

Chamberlain:

A little gold perhaps from evil-doers for justice. Or a little money
to decide the dispute of some righteous wealthy man; but no more till
the King returns, whom God prosper.

Zabra:

God increase him. Will you yet try to detain him?

Chamberlain:

No. When he comes by with his retinue and escort I will walk beside
his horse and tell him that a progress through the desert will well
impress the Arabs with his splendour and turn their hearts towards
him. And I will speak privily to some captain at the rear of the
escort and he shall afterwards speak to the chief commander that he
may lose the camel-track in a few days' time and take the King and his
followers to wander in the desert and so return by chance to Thalanna
again. And it may yet be well with us. We will wait here till they
come by.

Zabra:

Will the chief commander do this thing certainly?

Chamberlain:

Yes, he will be one Thakbar, a poor man and a righteous.

Zabra:

But if he be not Thakbar but some greedy man who demands more gold
than we would give to Thakbar?

Chamberlain:

Why, then we must give him even what he demands, and God will punish
his greed.

Zabra:

He must come past us here.

Chamberlain:

Yes, he must come this way. He will summon the cavalry from the Saloia
Samang.

Zabra:

It will be nearly dark before they can come.

Chamberlain:

No, he is in great haste. He will pass before sunset. He will make
them mount at once.

Zabra: [looking off R.]

I do not see stir at the Saloia.

Chamberlain: [looking, too] No--no. I do not see. He will _make_ a
stir.

[As they look a man comes through the doorway wearing a coarse
brown cloak which falls over his forehead. Exit furtively L.]

What man is that? He has gone down to the camels.

Zabra:

He has given a piece of money to one of the camel-drivers.

Chamberlain:

See, he has mounted.

Zabra:

Can it have been the King!

[Voice off L. "Ho-Yo! Ho-Yay!"]

Chamberlain:

It is only some camel-driver going into the desert. How glad his voice
sounds.

Zabra:

The Siroc will swallow him.

Chamberlain:

What--if it _were_ the King!

Zabra:

Why, if it were the King we should starve for a year.

[One year elapses between the first and second acts.]

Act II

[The