Rose of Persia
Dialogue Following Song No. 19 — Act II
- Sultan (to Vizier):
- Where have they gone?
- Vizier:
- Honey-of-Life is taking them to the western door of the
Harem.
- Sultan:
- But before they go in there, my joke must be explained
to Rose-in-Bloom. She won't understand another lady
marching in, calling herself Sultana. Run after Honey-
of-Life!
- Vizier:
- I had been running after her for weeks, when you just
now took up the running.
- Sultan:
- Tut, tut, man! That was part of the joke — one of the
best parts. Go and tell Honey-of-Life to tell Rose-in-
Bloom about Hassan.
- Vizier:
- I hear and obey. (At exit.) Rose-in-Bloom shall be
told the whole of your joke — especially the best part.
(Exit L.U.E.)
- Sulton:
- (calling after him). No — not that
part!
- Enter Heart's Desire, R.U.E.
- Desire:
- O King, the favoured Rose-in-Bloom approaches,
praying for an audience.
- Sultan:
- Is she coming from the western
door?
- Desire:
- No, O King — from the eastern.
- Sultan:
- It is well. (Going quickly to L.U.E., then
turning.) Tell her, if you see her first, that another
lady is calling herself Sultana — in a moment I will
return and tell her why.
Exit Sultan.
Enter Scent-of-Lilies.
- Desire:
- A new Sultana!
- Scent:
- What's the matter?
Enter Rose-in-Bloom.
- Desire:
- The Sultan has disgraced Rose-in-Bloom. Another
Sultana is already installed in her place.
- Rose:
- What?
- Scent:
- Ah!
- Desire:
- He has ordered me to tell you.
- Scent:
- What did I tell you?
- Desire:
- In a moment he will return and tell you
why.
- Rose:
- There's no need for that. He has found out
everything.
Enter Sultan.
- Sultan:
- Ah! Here you are! You heard my
message?
- Rose:
- Yes. Pardon!
- Desire:
- Pardon!
- Scent:
- I know it's very little use, but — pardon!
- Sultan:
- I beg your pardon — what do you
mean?
Enter Honey-of-Life.
- Rose, Scent, and Desire:
- We didn't mean any
harm — we didn't
mean anything wrong.
Pardon!
- Honey:
- Pardon!
- Sultan: (to Honey).
- What do you want?
- Honey:
- The Vizier sent me to help you explain your joke to the
Sultana. He says he is sure you will forget the best part.
- Sultan:
- Ah! I prefer to talk to the Sultana
privately.
- Rose, Scent, and Desire:
- To the Sultana?
(Looking at one
another.) Is
she/Am I still the
Sultana?
- Sultan:
- Now I think I understand. Dear me! You misunderstood
my message. I am obliged to allow a certain lady to call
herself Sultana as part of a joke I am playing on a man
named Hassan.
- Rose:
- A joke?
- Sultan:
- Yes.
- Honey:
- The Vizier told me to remind you that you said
the best part of the joke —
- Sultan:
- Yes, I remember. (To Rose-in-Bloom.) Would you
mind dismissing these girls?
- Rose:
- Oh, I don't mind anything now!
- Sultan:
- You really thought you were disgraced! And it was only
part of a joke. Ha! Ha! Ha!
- Girls:
- (forcing a laugh). Ha! Ha! Ha!
- Sultan:
- But what did you imagine you had been
disgraced for?
- Rose:
- Oh, well — (to Girls.) Why, I didn't really
think I had been. Did I?
- Sultan:
- But you were praying for pardon — what
for?
- Desire:
- Oh, that was part of our joke! Ha! Ha! Ha! (forced
laugh)
- Girls:
- Yes, that was our joke! Ha! Ha!
Exeunt Heart's Desire and Scent-of-Lilies,
with forced laugh.
- Honey:
- The Vizier says he won't speak to me again if I forget to
remind you that you said the best part of your
joke was —
- Sultan:
- Yes — I remember — run away!
Exit Honey-of-Life.
- Rose:
- Haven't you told me all of the joke?
- Sultan:
- My dear, the whole matter is that I went last night in
disguise to the house of a man named Hassan —
- Rose:
- Yes, I know.
- Sultan:
- Do you? How?
- Rose:
- Well, I declare — I must have dreamed that you
did! I often dream of you going about in disguise — and
— and meeting other girls — and — and kissing them.
- Sultan:
- Dreams generally have nothing to do with what has
really occurred.
- Rose:
- No — that's what comforts me. Now the other night
I had an absurd dream that I actually
went out of the Palace in disguise.
- Sultan:
- How ridiculous!
- Rose:
- Wasn't it? Suppose I ever did such a thing —
what would the punishment be?
- Sultan:
- Oh, death, I suppose.
- Rose:
- Are you sure?
- Sultan:
- I might try to think of something worse. It would
depend, of course, on my mood. Why do you want to
know?
- Rose:
- Because, in my dream, you did find me out, and said,
"Oh, well, you've done no real harm — I sha'n't punish
you at all."
- Sultan:
- How absurdly people talk in their dreams,
don't they?
Page created 4 April 1999