SEKINÉ-KHANOUN, a young lady of eighteen, sister of the late Hadji-Ghafour. AZIZ-BEY, the lover and _fiancé_ of Sekiné-Khanoun. ZOBEIDE, paternal aunt of Sekiné-Khanoun. ZEINEB-KHANOUN, mistress of the late Hadji-Ghafour. AGA-ABBAS, brother of Zeineb. AGA-SELMAN, son of the sieve-maker, advocate of Sekiné-Khanoun. AGA-MERADAN, son of the confectioner, advocate of Zeineb. AGA-HASSAM, a merchant. AGA-KERIM, chief of the courtiers. GOUL-SEBAH, servant of Sekiné-Khanoun. THE PRESIDENT OF THE TRIBUNAL. AGA-REHIM, } AGA-DJEBBAR, } Assessors of the Tribunal. AGA-BECHIN, } AGA-SETTAR, } THE INSPECTOR OF THE MARKET. HEPOU, } CHEIDA, } witnesses for Zeineb. QOURBAN ALI, } HANIFE, } BEDEL, } QUHREMAN, } soldiers, witnesses for Sekiné-Khanoun. GHAFFER, } NEZER, } THE CHIEF OF THE BAILIFFS. ECED, domestic to the President of the Tribunal. NASSER, a lackey. A seven months’ old infant. THE MAGISTRATES ACT FIRST Scene I--The Scene is laid in the House of the Late Merchant, Hadji-Ghafour _Sekiné-Khanoun, sister of Hadji-Ghafour, is discovered standing before the window; she calls to her servant, Goul-Sebah._ SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Goul-Sebah! Goul-Sebah! GOUL-SEBAH [_entering the room_]. Here I am, madame. What do you wish? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Have you not heard of the trouble which my shameless sister-in-law is bringing upon me, Goul-Sebah? GOUL-SEBAH. No, madame. How could I hear about it? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. She has given notice to the President of the Tribunal that she objects to his paying over to me the money which my brother had placed in his hands for me. She claims that this sum should revert to her. Good heavens! Goul-Sebah, was ever such a case heard of? I do not know what sin I have committed against God, but things always fall out unluckily for me. GOUL-SEBAH. Whatever put such ideas in your head, madame? Why should things fall out unluckily for you? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. As you are aware, Goul-Sebah, I am desperately in love with Aziz-Bey. For two whole years did the unhappy youth in vain beseech my brother to give him my hand; my brother would not consent, because Aziz-Bey is the son of a heretic, and an officer of government. But now that my brother is dead, and I am free to dispose of my hand as I choose, I wish to enter into possession of the money which he has left me, to provide for my wants in peace, and to fulfil the vow of my heart. And lo and behold, this shameless sister-in-law has protested against the payment of the legacy! We must therefore have all the worry of a lawsuit. GOUL-SEBAH. Is it not a fact, madame, that your sister-in-law has no right to the legacy left by your brother? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. She certainly has none. What right could she have? She was not his lawful wife, that she should inherit his fortune. She has not even a child who could be co-heir to it! I do not really know why she has protested.