GUeLISTANE (wrests the whip out of SHALNASSAR'S hand). Go thou to bed thyself, hot-headed Ganem, And leave together them that would be joined. Rebuke thy father not. An older man Can pass a sounder judgment, is more faithful Than wanton youth. Hast thou not company? Old Bachtjar's daughter stands there in the darkness, And often I've been told that she is fair. I know right well, thou wast in love with her. So then good night. [They all turn to go.] GANEM (wildly). Go not with him! GUeLISTANE (speaking backward over her shoulder). I go Where'er my heart commands. GANEM (beseechingly). Go not with him! GUeLISTANE. Oh, let us through: there will be other days. GANEM (lying before her on the stairs). Go not with him! GUeLISTANE (turning around). Thou daughter of old Bachtjar, Keep him, I say, I want him not, I trample Upon his fingers with my feet! Seest thou? SOBEIDE (as if demented). Aye, aye, now let us dance a merry round! Take thou my hand and Ganem's; I Shalnassar's. Our hair we'll loosen, and that one of us That has the longer hair shall have the young one Tonight--tomorrow just the other way! King Baseness sits enthroned! And from our faces Lies drip like poison from the salamander! I claim my share in your high revelry. (To GANEM, who angrily watches them mount the stairs.) Go up and steal her from thy father's bed And choke him sleeping: drunken men are helpless! I see how fain thou art to lie with her. When thou are sated or wouldst have a change, Then come to me, but softly we will tread, For heavy sleep comes not to my old husband, Such as they have, who can give ear to this, And then sleep through it! [She casts herself on the floor.] But with grievous howling I will arouse this house to shame and wrath And lamentation ... (She lies groaning.) ... I have loved thee so, And so thou tramplest on me! [An old slave appears in the background, putting out the lights; he picks up a fallen fruit and eats it.]