AZIZ-BEY. I can stand this no longer. You must send at once and call for your aunt, and let me with my own ears hear her declare that you shall never be the wife of Aga-Hassam, or else I must decide to kill Aga-Hassam this very day, and may I succeed in doing so! What is this Hassam? A shopkeeper! He wishes to step into my shoes, to pay court to my _fiancée_, and to cross my path, does he! By God, I will cut his heart out with this dagger. SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Very good. I will send to my aunt, and beg of her to come at once. Then I will tell her that I am not, and never will be the wife of Aga-Hassam. When my aunt arrives, you must go into this room, and you will hear what she says with your own ears.--Goul-Sebah! =Scene III= GOUL-SEBAH. What is it, madame? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Goul-Sebah, go and ask my aunt to come here. [_Goul-Sebah goes out_.] =Scene IV= SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Well, but come now, whom shall we take for our advocate? AZIZ-BEY. Advocate? For what purpose? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Alas, he asks me for what purpose! Have they not told you, then, that my sister-in-law disputes the legacy, and wishes to involve me in a lawsuit? AZIZ-BEY. Yes, I have heard it said, but at present my head is whirling round. First let your aunt come, and when she goes away, I will find an advocate. [_At this moment a footstep is heard, Aziz-Bey returns to the other room, and Zobeide, aunt of Sekiné-Khanoun enters the apartment._] =Scene V= SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Good-day, my dear aunt. ZOBEIDE. Good-day, Sekiné. How are you? Are you quite well? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Ah! how can I be well, when I have allowed you, aunt, to promise me in marriage to Aga-Hassam? I have neither father nor brother, and am altogether dependent on myself for the management of my life. ZOBEIDE. Are you not ashamed to speak thus? What! not a blush! Has not all been done in your interest? You need a husband; you must take him who is given to you. It is not proper that young girls should speak in this style before their elder relations. It is shameful! Fie upon you, Sekiné! SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. Not at all. I have spoken just as I choose; I will no longer surrender my liberty, and no one shall force a husband upon me. ZOBEIDE. Very good. You do not, then, wish to marry? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. No; I certainly do not wish to marry. ZOBEIDE [_smiling_]. There are many girls who say no, like you; but later on they come to reason. SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. In the name of God, aunt, do not make fun of me; it is absurd to wish me to marry Aga-Hassam; you may as well give up that idea altogether. ZOBEIDE. It is not possible for you to recede, my dear niece. You would make enemies for me of all the leading people of the country. SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. They may go to the devil for all I care. Aga-Hassam is loathsome to me; the very sight of him makes me sick. ZOBEIDE. Why is that? SEKINÉ-KHANOUN. He is a low fellow.