GANEM. But quite skilful, And very poor--and yet not to be purchased By us at any price: he is of those Who secretly reject our holy books, And eat no food on which our shadow falls. I'll visit her, while thou art eating dinner With him. GUeLISTANE. So each will have his part to play. GANEM. But mine shall end all further repetition Of thine. Soon I return. Make some excuse To leave him. If I found thee with him-- GUeLISTANE (puts her hand over his mouth). Hush! GANEM (overcome). How cool thy fingers are, and yet, how burns Thy blood within them, sorceress! Thou holdest Me captive in the deepest cell, and feedest Me e'er at midnight with thy kennels' leavings; Thou scourgest me, and in the dust I grovel. GUeLISTANE. E'en so, and thou? GANEM (crushed by her look). And I? [Looks down at his feet.] My name is Ganem, Ganem, the slave of love. [He sinks before her, clasping her feet.] GUeLISTANE. Go quickly, go! I hear thy father, go! I bid thee go! I will not have them find us here together. GANEM. I have a silly smile, quite meaningless, 'Twould serve me well to look him in the face. [GUeLISTANE goes up the stairs. The Armenian slave comes from below. GANEM turns to go out on the right.] SLAVE. Was Guelistane with thee? GANEM. [Shrugs his shoulders.] SLAVE. But thou wast speaking. GANEM. Aye, with my hound. SLAVE. Then she is doubtless here. [He goes up the stairs. The stage remains empty awhile, then SHALNASSAR enters from the left with three slaves hearing vessels and ornaments. He has everything set down by the left wall, where there is a table with low seats.] SHALNASS. Put this down here, this here. Now ye may serve. [He goes to the lowest step of the stairway.] Ah, convalescents, so they say, should seek The sun. Well, here I stand, [GUeLISTANE comes down and he leads her to the gifts.] And know no more Of sickness, than that amber is its work, And pearls, when it resides in trees or oysters. My word, they both are here. And here are birds, Quite lifelike, woven into gleaming silk, If it be worth thy while to look at them. GUeLISTANE. This is too much.