you
come and lunch somewhere with me and talk
it over?

JOHN

Gladly. I'd be glad to help. I've got to
see a man on business first. I've come up to
see him. And then after that, after that
there was something I wanted to do after that.
I can't think what it was. But something I
wanted to do after that. O, heavens, what
was it?

[Pause.]

MIRALDA

Can't you think?

JOHN

No. O, well, it can't have been so very
important. And yet... Well, where shall
we lunch?

MIRALDA

Gratzenheim's.

JOHN

Right. What time?

MIRALDA

One-thirty. Would that suit?

JOHN

Perfectly. I'd like to get a man like
Hussein in prison. I'd like... O, I beg your
pardon.

[He hurries to open the door. Exit
MIRALDA.]

Now what was it I wanted to do
afterwards?

[Throws hand to forehead.]
O, never mind.

Curtain

ACT II

SCENE

JOHN's tent in Al Shaldomir. There
are two heaps of idols, left and right, lying
upon the ground inside the tent. DAOUD
carries another idol in his arms. JOHN
looks at its face.

Six months have elapsed since the scene
in the second-class railway carriage.

JOHN BEAL

This god is holy.

[He points to the left heap. DAOUD
carries it there and lays it on the heap.]

DAOUD

Yes, great master.

JOHN BEAL

You are in no wise to call me great master.
Have not I said so? I am not your master.
I am helping you people. I know better than
you what you ought to do, because I am
English. But that's all. I'm not your master,
See?

DAOUD

Yes, great master.

JOHN BEAL

O, go and get some more idols. Hurry.

DAOUD

Great master, I go.
[Exit.]

JOHN BEAL

I can't make these people out.

DAOUD [returning]

I have three gods.

JOHN BEAL [looking at their faces, pointing to
the two smaller idols first]
These two are holy. This one is unholy.

DAOUD

Yes, great master.

JOHN BEAL

Put them on the heap.

[DAOUD does so, two left, one right.]

Get some more.

[DAOUD salaams. Exit.]

[Looking at right heap.] What a--what a
filthy people

[Enter DAOUD with two idols.]

JOHN BEAL [after scrutiny]

This god is holy, this is unholy.

[Enter ARCHIE BEAL, wearing a "Bowler"
hat.]

Why, ARCHIE, this is splendid of you!
You've come! Why, that's splendid! All
that way!

ARCHIE BEAL

Yes, I've come. Whatever are you doing?

JOHN BEAL

ARCHIE, it's grand of you to come! I never
ought to have asked it of you, only...

ARCHIE BEAL

O, that's