een silks; swords at carry.
They advance in single file, in a slightly
serpentine way, deviating to their left a
little out of the straight and returning to it,
stepping neatly on the tips of their toes.
Their march is fantastic and odd without
being exactly funny.

The OFFICER-AT-ARMS falls in on their
left flank and marches about level with the
third or fourth man.
When he reaches the centre he gives
another word of command.]

OFFICER-AT-ARMS

With reverence: Salute.

[The actor who takes this part should
have been an officer or N. C. O.

JOHN stands up and acknowledges their
salute by touching his forehead with the
fingers of the right hand, palm turned
inwards.

Exeunt soldiers L. JOHN sits down.]

A NOTABLE

He does not smile this evening.

A WOMAN

The Shereef?

NOTABLE

He has not smiled.

[Enter R. ZABNOOL, a CONJURER, with
brass bowl. He bows. He walks to centre
opposite JOHN. He exhibits his bowl.]

ZABNOOL

Behold. The bowl is empty.

[ZABNOOL produces a snake.]

ZABNOOL

Ah, little servant of Death.

[He produces flowers.]

Flowers, master, flowers. All the way from
Nowhere.

[He produces birds.]

Birds, master. Birds from Nowhere.
Sing, sing to the Shereef. Sing the little
empty songs of the land of Nowhere.

[He seats himself on the ground facing
JOHN. He puts the bowl on the ground.
He places a piece of silk, with queer
designs on it over the bowl. He partly
draws the silk away with his left hand and
puts in his right. He brings out a young
crocodile and holds it by the neck.]

CONJURER

Behold, O Shereef; O people, behold; a
crocodile.

[He arises and bows to JOHN and wraps
up the crocodile in some drapery and walks
away. As he goes he addresses his
crocodile.]

O eater of lambs, O troubler of the rivers,
you sought to evade me in an empty bowl.
O thief, O appetite, you sought to evade the
Shereef. The Shereef has seen you, O vexer
of swimmers, O pig in armour, O...

[Exit.

SHABEESH, another CONJURER, rushes
on.]

SHABEESH

Bad man, master; he very, very bad man.

[He pushes ZABNOOL away roughly,
impetus of which carries ZABNOOL to the
wings.]

Very, very bad man, master.

MIRALDA [reprovingly]

Zabnool has amused us.

SHABEESH

He very, very bad man, lily lady. He get
crocodile from devil. From devil Poolyana,
lily lady. Very, very bad.

MIRALDA

He may call on devils if he amuse us,
Shabeesh.

SHABEESH

But Poolya