KODAMA--Allah!
(_Halima enters C. She rushes to Kodama._)
HALIMA--Thou hast killed him!
KODAMA--The babbling fool, to think he could steal thee from me.
HALIMA--(_Whispering._) Thou hast killed him.
KODAMA--Go to thy women.
HALIMA--Bring him back.
KODAMA--Peace.
HALIMA--Bring him back.
KODAMA--Peace, peace, I say.
HALIMA--Oh, Sindibad, my love.
KODAMA--Love!
HALIMA--Thou snarling camel, hast thou lost thine ears? Age has dried thy bones, and turned thy blood to dust. I"ll none of thee.
KODAMA--(_Claps hands. Slave appears L._) Bring him here. Go!
(_Slave carries in the body of Sindibad, and puts it on the dais. Halima sinks beside it with a little cry of distress._)
HALIMA--He was Allah"s shadow upon the earth. Thou canst buy a woman, but not hold her. Let me go with him.
KODAMA--Oh, amber pools where men may find oblivion, close ... close (_chokes her._)
(_The body falls beside Sindibad"s._)
KODAMA--Allah has left no calamity more hurtful to man than woman. It was written in the stars. (_To Slave._) Bring the women. Let music be played, and let there be dancing.
(_Slaves and attendants enter, and there is music._)
KODAMA--(_To the body of Sindibad._) Dost hear the music for thy wedding feast? Thou art dead, honey babbler, and gone to the desert of forgotten desires. Thou art dead!
(_Slave dances. As dance ends, Kodama"s slave kneels before him._)
SLAVE--Master, thou hast killed a true believer.
KODAMA--I have killed--
SLAVE--In mistake, oh master.
KODAMA--And art thou a true believer?
SLAVE--Even as thou sayest.
KODAMA--Then I make thee free that the blood-wit be paid! Go forth, thou art free! (_Suddenly and hoa.r.s.ely to the musicians._) Break your lutes!
(_Music stops._) Let there be lamentations! This is a house of sorrow!
(_CURTAIN_)
CHILDREN OF GRANADA
A SPANISH PLAY
SPANIARDS
GENERAL DON FERNANDO DE LERMA.
LIEUT. DON RODRIGUEZ--_His Son_.
PEDRO--_An Officer_.
LAGRIMAS--_The Daughter of a Bull-Fighter_.
FELICIANA--_A Dancer_.
MOORS
HAFIZ BEN ALI.
Ha.s.sAN AKBAR.
CAFOUR--_A Wife of Hafiz ben Ali_.
TARIK, _Son of Hafiz and Cafour_.
SPANISH SOLDIERS AND MOORISH PRISONERS.
_Time--Spain during the reign of Philip III, about 1609._
_Place--Courtyard of Alhambra in Granada._
Children of Granada
_Scene--The back-drop shows mountains in the distance. Along the entire back of stage is a stone bench against a low wall which overlooks the Valley of the Darro River. The tops of one or two trees show above it.
At right back is a little turret, with entrance toward the audience.
Entrance at front right, through Moorish gateway. Entrance at left front from garden._
_Don Rodriguez and Lagrimas are discovered sitting together on the bench. The soft tinkle of guitars is heard. Don Rodriguez is looking straight out towards the audience with his hands clasped. Lagrimas is gazing over the wall._