All right, all right! You can go now--[_touching RAPKIN, who seems spellbound with fear of FAKRASH_]--_both_ of you. I've some business to settle with this--gentleman.
[_As he follows, still keeping his eyes on FAKRASH._] 'E's done it, Marire--sold 'isself, _'e_ 'as! Ah! [_As he goes out with MRS. RAPKIN._] I wouldn't be in _his_ shoes for somethink!
[_The moment they have gone HORACE rushes to the door, opens it to make sure that they are not listening outside, then locks it, and comes down to FAKRASH in a white rage._
Now then, you--you unspeakable old swine! What do you _mean_ by bringing me here like this?
[_Crossing to the right._] Verily I was tempted to drop thee in mid-air, forgetting my purpose.
To introduce me to that precious bride of yours, eh? I've told you already I'll have nothing to do with her.
Thou canst not escape _this_ bride--[_he suddenly produces a huge scimitar and brandishes it_]--for her name is--Death!
Death! I say, you don't mean that! [_As FAKRASH advances on him with a sweep of the scimitar, which HORACE ducks to avoid._] Yes, you do! [_Backing below window._] By Gad! you're _dangerous_! Well, just tell me _this_--what on earth have I done to deserve death?
I have brought thee hither--not to parley with thee, but to strike off thy head in the very place of thy perjuries.
[_Trying to keep cool._] I see. You seem to have forgotten that this is the very place where I let you out of that bottle.
[_Wrathfully._] Far better were it hadst thou suffered me to remain therein!
I quite agree with you _there_. [_As FAKRASH makes another cut at him with the scimitar._] Now, before you begin this execution, you'd better listen to me. You've got hold of some quite imaginary grievance, and I can tell you you'll look uncommonly foolish if you find after you've cut off my head that there's nothing _in_ it--[_correcting himself, annoyed_]--in the _grievance_, I mean!
O thou of plausible tongue, know that I have discovered thy treachery and deceit! Didst thou not assure me that I was free to wander where I would, since there was no longer any that had authority over the Jinn!
I don't _know_ of anybody that has. [_Half to himself._] Wish to Heaven I did!
[_With raised scimitar._] Thou hast lied--for there _is_ such a potentate! Since I visited thee this morn I have traversed many lands--and in _all_ have I seen the signs of his dominion and his wrath against us of the Jinn!