appen any more.

MIRALDA

Won't it? Why not?

JOHN BEAL

Well, I...

ARCHIE BEAL

He's stopped them, Miss Clement. They're
all going to be thrown into the river.

MIRALDA

Have you?

JOHN BEAL

Well, yes. I had to. So it's all right now.
They won't do it any more.

MIRALDA

H'm.

JOHN BEAL

What, what is it? I promise you that's all
right. They won't do that any more.

MIRALDA

H'm. I've never known anyone that tried
to govern a country or anything of that sort,
but...

JOHN BEAL

Of course, I'm just doing what I can to put
them right.... I'd be very glad of your
advice... Of course, I'm only here in
your name.

MIRALDA

What I mean is that I'd always thought
that the one thing you shouldn't do, if you
don't mind my saying so...

JOHN BEAL

No, certainly.

MIRALDA

Was to interfere in people's
religious beliefs.

JOHN BEAL

But, but I don't think you quite
understand. The priests knife these people in the
throat, boys and girls, and then acolytes
lift them up and the blood runs down. I've
seen them.

MIRALDA

I think it's best to leave religion to the
priests. They understand that kind of thing.

[JOHN BEAL opens his mouth in horror
and looks at ARCHIE. ARCHIE returns
the glance; there is very nearly a twinkle in
ARCHIE's eyes.]

MIRALDA

Let's see Hussein.

JOHN BEAL

What do you think, Archie?

ARCHIE BEAL

Poor fellow. We'd better send for him.

MIRALDA

Why do you say "poor fellow"?

ARCHIE BEAL

Oh, because he's so much in debt. It's
awful to be in debt. I'd sooner almost
anything happened to me than to owe a lot of
money.

MIRALDA

Your remark didn't sound very
complimentary.

ARCHIE BEAL

O, I only meant that I'd hate to be in debt.
And I should hate owing money to you,
Because...

MIRALDA

Why?

ARCHIE BEAL

Because I should so awfully want to pay it.

MIRALDA

I see.

ARCHIE BEAL

That's all I meant.

MIRALDA

Does Hussein awfully want to pay it?

ARCHIE BEAL

Well, no. But he hasn't seen you yet. He
will then, of course.

[Enter DAOUD. He goes to the unholy
heap.]

JOHN BEAL

Daoud, for the present these gods must
stay. Aho-oomlah's gone, but the rest must
stay for the present.

DAOUD

Even so, great master.

JOHN BEAL

Daoud, go once more to the palace of the
Lord of the Pass and beat the outer door.
Say that the great lady herself would see him.
The great lady, Miss Clement, the white
trave