JOSEPH. Not merely that. If you lose, you will give me my freedom.
POTIPHAR. But I cannot get along without you, Joseph!
JOSEPH. I will continue to work for you on a salary basis.
POTIPHAR. Done! Where is your coin?
_Joseph takes a small coin from his wallet, flips it in the air, and
covers it with his hand when it falls on the table. He looks up at
Potiphar_.
POTIPHAR. Much depends on this. What shall I say?
JOSEPH. I know what you will say, sir.
POTIPHAR. Impossible! Tails.
_Joseph uncovers the coin. Potiphar bends over it_.
JOSEPH. (_without looking_) It is heads.
POTIPHAR. So it is! I lose--Joseph, you are a lucky man!
JOSEPH. Not at all, sir--a clever one. You see, I knew just how the
coin would fall. I tossed it so that it would fall that way.
POTIPHAR. But--how did you know what I was going to say?
JOSEPH. I will explain to you. On one side of the coin is a
representation of the present Pharaoh, who has denied you advancement
because of his daughter's interest in you. In consequence, you
dislike any reminder of him--even on a coin. But on the other side is a
representation of the goddess Isis; she is your favourite goddess--and
moreover, you yourself have been heard to remark that her face and
figure resemble remarkably that of a certain great lady, whose name--is
never mentioned when the story is told. Naturally I knew how you would
call the coin.
POTIPHAR. (_trembling with rage_) How dare you say such things! Do you
forget that I can have you beaten with rods?
JOSEPH. (_calmly_) Do you forget, sir, that I am no longer a slave?
Free men are not beaten in Egypt.
POTIPHAR. Free?
JOSEPH. Unless Potiphar takes back his word. It is true that I have no
witnesses to it.
POTIPHAR. (_with great dignity_) Witnesses are unnecessary. I had
forgotten for the moment. Let this remind me. (_He gives Joseph a
ring_.) You are a free man. And so--what I thought was an insolence is
merely a pleasantry. But--you take a quick advantage of your freedom.
JOSEPH. I accept the rebuke.
POTIPHAR. And--free man or slave--Joseph, you know too much!
_Potiphar walks out of the room. . . . Joseph seats himself at the
table, and takes up a scroll of papyrus. He reads a moment, then claps
his hands. A slave enters, stands before the table, and bows_.
JOSEPH. (_consulting the papyrus_) Bear word to the overseer of
the winepress that the grapes in the southeast section will be brought
in for pressing tomorrow morning. . . . Bear word to the chief
carpenter that a table and two couches, of the standard pattern, are
wanted--at once. . . . Bear word to the chief pastry-cook that his
request for another helper is denied.
_Joseph makes a gesture of dismissal, and the slave, with a bow, goes
out. Joseph rises, and walking around the table, holds up 'his hand to
look at his ring_.
JOSEPH. Freedom!
_Madam Potiphar strolls in_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_familiarly_) They have gone. . . .
_Joseph picks up a scroll from the table_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_sharply_) Joseph!
JOSEPH. (_respectfully_) Yes, madam.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I understood you to say a while ago that your work was
quite finished?
JOSEPH. Yes, madam.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Then you have plenty of time now....
JOSEPH. Yes, plenty of time for more work.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Well, you need not begin immediately. _I_ want a little
of your time just now.
JOSEPH. If it is an errand, I will call one of the slaves.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Do you mean--one of the other slaves?
JOSEPH. I, madam, am no longer a slave.
_He holds up his hand, and looks at the ring_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_incredulous_) How did this happen? Did you _buy_ your
freedom, perchance?
JOSEPH. No. Your husband gave it to me a moment ago.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Gave it to you? You mean that you swindled him out of
it in some way!
JOSEPH. As you please, madam.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Well, it is his own affair if he wishes to give away
such valuable property. Only--it is difficult to adjust oneself to a
change like that.
JOSEPH. Do not, I pray, let the change disturb you.
MADAM POTIPHAR. No, I insist. It is both a duty and a pleasure. Since
you are now a free man, Joseph, I propose that we treat each other as
equals and friends.
JOSEPH. That will be very considerate of us both.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Sir, you are insolent. No, no--I mean, my friend, you
are very rude.
JOSEPH. Thank you for making the distinction. And now, since we are to
treat each other as equals and friends, I beg you--(_he takes some
small objects from his wallet and holds them out in his hand_)--to
take these hairpins, which are the mementos of your various visits to
my room. As a slave, no suspicion, of course, could attach to me in
connection with a lady of your rank. But as equals and friends, we both
have our reputations to preserve.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_taking them_) Thank you.(_She restores them to her
hair_.) I lose them everywhere I go. They fall out every time I speak.
They mean nothing whatever.
JOSEPH. It is unnecessary to explain that to me. I am perfectly aware
of the fact.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You are perfectly aware of everything, aren't you,
Joseph?
JOSEPH. Everything that it is to my interest to be aware of, madam.
MADAM POTIPHAR. No--there is one thing you don't know, and I am going
to tell you.
JOSEPH. Proceed, madam.
_He takes the coin from the table_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_coming close to him and looking boldly into his
eyes_) Can't you guess?
_At this moment Joseph drops the coin from his hand, and it rolls
away. Joseph starts, looks after it, and goes across the room to pick
it up_.
JOSEPH. One must take care of the small coins!
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_angrily_) Oh!
_She flings off to the window, Joseph returns and seats himself on
the little stool at the nearer end of the table, with a papyrus in
front of him. He reads it in silence. Madam Potiphar comes and seats
herself on the table, and looks down at him. He continues to study the
papyrus. She leans over to see what he is doing, and then, as he pays
no attention, she turns so that she is reclining prone along its
length, facing him, her chin in her hands, one foot idly waving in the
air_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_gently_) Am I bothering you?
JOSEPH. Not at all.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I like to watch you work.
JOSEPH. I don't mind.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You are very interesting to look at, do you know?
JOSEPH. (_absently_) Yes, I know.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Little egotist!
JOSEPH. (_unperturbed_) Yes.
_He rises and seats himself at the side of the table. Propping his
papyrus against the reclining body of Madam Potiphar, he takes a new
sheet of papyrus, and commences to copy a passage_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_wriggling about to look at him_) What are you
copying?
JOSEPH. Be careful. Don't jiggle my manuscript, please!
MADAM POTIPHAR. I asked, what are you copying?
JOSEPH. I am copying some inaccurate information about the climate of
Egypt, with reference to the yearly crop-yield. . . . I wonder if there
is any one in Egypt who has exact information on that subject? . . .
MADAM POTIPHAR. The yearly crop-yield! What do you care about the
yearly crop-yield?
JOSEPH. Never mind. You wouldn't understand if I told you.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You are quite right. Besides, I didn't come here to
talk about crops.
JOSEPH. (_writing_) No. You came here to talk about me.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I came here to talk about my cousin Asenath. You knew
she was coming--why didn't you tell me you had been in service in her
father's household in Heliopolis?
JOSEPH. (_writing_) It wasn't necessary for me to tell you. I knew she
would.
MADAM POTIPHAR. No doubt you think we sat there all the time she was
combing her hair, and talked about you!
JOSEPH. (_writing_) Precisely.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I suppose you know she is crazy about you!
JOSEPH. (_still writing_) Is she?
MADAM POTIPHAR. She doesn't put it just that way. She says she takes an
interest in your future.
JOSEPH. (_continuing to work_) She doesn't take half as much interest
in it as I do.
MADAM POTIPHAR. She told me your romantic story: how you had been sold
by your brothers into slavery because you wore a coat of many colours.
Joseph, did you wear a coat of many colours? That seems a curious thing
for any one to be angry about.
JOSEPH. (_not ceasing to copy the manuscript_) I wore it only
figuratively--I am wearing it now. And it _always_ makes _you_ angry.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You mean the cloak of your insolence?
JOSEPH. I mean the cloak of my pride.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I can sympathize with your brothers. . . . Are you in
love with her, Joseph?
JOSEPH. I am not.
_He has finished--he rolls up the papyrus_.
MADAM POTIPHAR. No--so I told her.
JOSEPH. But she didn't believe you.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You seem to know our conversation pretty well.
JOSEPH. I can imagine it.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Well, go ahead and imagine it. What did we say?
JOSEPH. You both lied to each other.
MADAM POTIPHAR. About what?
JOSEPH. About me.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_sitting up_) Your conceit is insufferable!
JOSEPH. (_rising politely_) I hope so.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Is that a dismissal?
JOSEPH. If you will be so kind.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You interest me more and more.
JOSEPH. I feared as much.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I detest you!
JOSEPH. It is one of the symptoms.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Young man, do you really know nothing about love?
JOSEPH. If I don't, it is not the fault of the women of Egypt.
MADAM POTIPHAR. You are a strange youth. It cannot be that you love
this work you are doing....
JOSEPH. No, madam--I _hate_ it.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Then where do you find your happiness? Tell me,
Joseph--what is the happiest hour of the day for you?
JOSEPH. (_with complete sincerity_) It is that hour when I have
finished the day's work, and can lie down upon my couch. It is the hour
before sleep comes, when the room is filled with moonlight, and there
is no sound except the crickets singing in the orchard, and the music
of the toads in the pool. The wind of the night comes in, cool with
dew. Then I am happy--for I can lie and make plans for my future.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_softly_) And in that hour of moonlight and dew
and the music of the crickets, and the ancient love-song of the toads
in the pool, when all the earth abandons itself to love,--what
would you say to a woman who stole in to you like a moonbeam, like a
breath of the night-wind, like a strain of music?
JOSEPH. I would tell her--to go, as her presence would interfere with
my plans.
MADAM POTIPHAR. I call the gods to witness. A truly virtuous young man!
JOSEPH. (_jumping down from the table, angrily_) Virtue! Virtue!
Oh, you stupid Egyptians! As though I cared about Virtue!
MADAM POTIPHAR. Well, what in the name of all the gods is it that you
care about?
JOSEPH. (_vehemently_) In the name of all the gods, madam, I care about
time.
MADAM POTIPHAR. Time! But what can you do with time?
JOSEPH. What can I do _without_ it?
MADAM POTIPHAR. But I do not understand!
JOSEPH. (_in a cold rage_) Of course you do not understand. You
are a great lady--and a fool. I am a wise man--and but an hour ago a
slave. I have more intellect than all the population of Egypt put
together. Do you expect me to be content to remain as I am? I want
power and riches--and I intend to achieve them. And I cannot achieve
them if I allow women to waste my time.
MADAM POTIPHAR. (_deeply angered at last_) Very well, I go--taking
your secret with me! (_She goes_.)
JOSEPH. (_furiously, to the empty room_) Virtue! My God!
_He sits down at his desk and writes vexedly_.
* * * * *
_Night. The room is filled with moonlight. Joseph is asleep at his
desk.... He suddenly springs up in agitation_.
JOSEPH. Ah! . . . It was only a dream! But what a dream! I thought I
saw at the door--(_he points_) a strange and terrible animal!
(_There is a sound at the door, and he starts back in terror_.)
_There it is now_!
_The curtains part, and Asenath enters, candle in hand_.
ASENATH. Ssh! It is I--Asenath! Don't be afraid!
_Joseph recovers his self-possession, and confronts her sternly_.
JOSEPH. You, too!
ASENATH. My dear?
JOSEPH. So you have come to afflict me with more romantic folly!
ASENATH. (_with concern_) What is the matter with you, Joseph?
JOSEPH. What is the matter with me? Nothing is the matter with me. Why
do you ask?
ASENATH. I think you are not well. You are behaving queerly. You must
have been working too hard. How are your nerves?
_She approaches him solicitously_.
JOSEPH. (_retreating around the table_) Leave me alone, I tell you!
Even in my own room can I have no peace? Must I be dogged even in my
dreams by shameless and unscrupulous females? Oh, unfortunate youth
that I am!
ASENATH. (_setting her candle down on the table_) Now I know what
is the matter with you, Joseph! You have an obsession.
JOSEPH. What is an obsession?
ASENATH. Don't you know what an obsession is? (_She sits down on the
stool at the end of the table_). Haven't you heard of the great
wizard in the land of the barbarians who explains everything by a new
magic?
JOSEPH. Is he the author of that popular new dream-book?
ASENATH. Yes. All Egypt is mad on the subject of dreams. Everybody,
from Pharaoh to the fiddler's wife, is telling about his latest dream,
or listening to some one else tell his.
JOSEPH. (_sitting down on the other stool_) Speaking of dreams, I
had a curious one just before you came in.
ASENATH. Did you, Joseph? Tell it to me.
_She leans across the table_.
JOSEPH. I dreamed--that I saw a dragon with many heads. And each head
had the face of a beautiful woman. I was frightened. But I took up a
sword and struck. And all the heads except one were severed. All except
one. And this one had upon it a crown of iron and a crown of gold. And
then the dragon took the crowns from its head, and offered them to me!
I did not know what to do. . . . And then I awoke.
ASENATH. Shall I interpret your dream for you, Joseph? The dragon with
the many heads signifies the women of Egypt, who are all in love with
you. The one that remains when you have struck off the rest, is the one
who will succeed where all the others have failed. The crown of iron
signifies power. The crown of gold, riches. She offers them to you. . .