Auda:
This thing you work against Aqaba, what profit do you hope from it?
Ali:
We work it for Feisal of Mecca. The Harith do not work for profit.
Auda:
Well, if it is in a man to be a servant, Sherif Ali,
he could find worse masters than Feisal.
But I, I cannot serve.
Lawrence:
You permit the Turks to stay in Aqaba.
Auda:
Yes, it is my pleasure.
Lawrence:
We do not work this thing for Feisal.
Auda:
No? For the English then?
Lawrence:
For the Arabs.
Auda:
The Arabs?
The Howeitat, Ageyil, Ruala, Beni Sahkr, these I know.
I have even heard of the Harith. But the Arabs? What tribe is that?
Lawrence:
They’re a tribe of slaves. They serve the Turks.
Auda:
Well, they are nothing to me. My tribe is the Howeitat.
Ali:
Who work only for profit.
Auda:
Who work at Auda’s pleasure.
Lawrence:
And Auda’s pleasure is to serve the Turks.
Auda:
Serve? I serve?
Lawrence:
It is the servant who takes money.
Auda:
I am Auda Abu Tayi. Does Auda serve.
Auda’s people (inner circle):
No! (laughing)
Auda:
Does Auda Abu Tayi serve?
Auda’s people (all):
No! (laughing)
Auda:
I carry 23 great wounds, all got in battle.
75 men have I killed with my own hands, in battle.
I scatter, I burn my enemies tents.
I take away their flocks and herds.
The Turks pay me a golden treasure.
Yet I am poor, because I am the river to my people.
Auda’s people (all):
Hailing
Auda:
Is that service?
Lawrence:
No.
Feisal’s envoy:
And yet now it seems Auda has grown old, and lost his taste for fighting.
Auda:
It is well you say it in my tent, thou old tulip.
Ali:
Yet this is a tulip that the Turks could not buy.
Auda:
Why should they whish to?
Now, I will tell you what they pay me, and you will tell me if this is a servant’s wages.
They pay me, month by month 100 golden guineas.
Lawrence:
150, Auda.
Auda:
Who told you that?
Lawrence:
I have long ears.
Auda:
And a long tongue between them.
Lawrence:
A 100, 150, what matters? It’s a trifle.
A trifle which they take from a great box they have.
Ali:
In Aquaba.
Auda:
In Aquaba?
Lawrence:
Where else?
Auda:
You trouble me like women.
Lawrence:
Friends, we’ve been foolish. Auda won’t come to Aqaba.
Auda:
No.
Lawrence:
For money?
Auda:
No.
Lawrence:
For Feisal?
Auda:
No.
Lawrence:
Nor to drive away the Turks.
He will come because it is his pleasure.
Auda:
Thy mother mated with a scorpion.
Copyright © Dr. Rolf Jansen - 2019-06-06 07:23:00
