| Mashadi Ibad |
Tell me your final word, whether you give me your daughter or
not? If not, I'll go and marry another girl and I'll say: "If
not this one, let it be that one!»
|
| Rustam bey:
|
I'm a man of promise.
But you also have to make some preparations beforehand. (He
makes a sign for money with his fingers). |
| Mashadi Ibad: |
Will thousand manats be enough? |
| Rustam bey: |
Add thousand manats more. |
| Mashadi Ibad: |
My man, it will have a heap of wedding
expenses. |
| Rustam bey: |
That's right, but what's to do? If you
were a bit younger, it would cost you cheaper, but very sorry,
you are old, it's your fault. |
Mashadi Ibad:
|
My man, even if I'm old, I am worth hundreds
of moustached young men. What do you think? Take five hundred
manats more. The rest you will receive afterwards.
(He takes out the money and gives it to Rustam bey). |
| Rustam bey: |
Oh, (he takes money). Never
mind. |
| Mashadi Ibad: |
Now, I want to see the girl and talk
to her, what do you think? |
| Rustam bey: |
I don't mind. Take a seat. Now the
girl will be sent for.
|
Mashadi Ibad:
|
It's a serious matter, of course! I spent
heaps of money, I have to see whether the goods are worth the
given money or not? I need a girl equal to me. Otherwise there's
no difference for me, «if not this girl, let it be that one!»
(silence). Well, 1 don't understand why people consider
me old! By God, it means that people have bad eyesight. Here is
a mirror and me (he looks at the mirror). May God bless
me, my teeth are all in good order, my beard is as black as agate.
(He looks at the mirror attentively). But I see a white hair
in my beard. I must drag it out. Oh, what sort of devilry is this?!..
The brute barber seems to have badly dyed with henna .(he
drags out the white hair) Tfue! Be off, charlatan!..
One could be called old, if he had no teeth, if he had a bad sight,
if he could not hear well, and could not move well. May God bless
me, I'm as smart as a bird, I must say "mashallah" that
may not be put the evil eye upon. I can be hardly 50 or not. (he
looks at the mirror again). There now, how should I put on
my cap so that the girl could sympathize me? If I put it on (he
puts his cap a little curved) this way, the girl will be
afraid of me, she will think I'm a Baki chieftain. If I put it
on that way, (he puts on the cap upwards his eyes) she
will be frightened. She'll think I'm a "Karabaghian cotton
grower. If I put it on like this, (he moves his cap back on
his head) then the girl will hate me, she'll think that I'm
a gambler of Ganja. If I put it on like this (he puts the
cap on the top of his head) then I'll look like a Shamakhinian
old fox. But how shall I put it on? The best is to take off the
cap. The girl will like me. She will think that I'm an educated
man. Really, in fact, I'm a little bit educated. Because I had
much trade with Russians and I learnt the Russian language well.
For example, «ishto katu, bazhalusta; funt vosem gapic, menshe
nelza (welcome what you want, a pound and eight copeck, not a
bit less-editor). (there is a noise outside). Aha, perhaps,
the girl is coming; now I must be seryozinski! |
Gulnaz and Sanam enter
|
| Gulnaz: |
Wow! I'm afraid of this man! |
| Sanam |
What an ugly man he is, oh my God! |
Mashadi Ibad
|
(aside):Probably they are afraid
of me. Never mind; It's good when the wife is afraid of her
husband. (He says to them). Tell me, which
of you is the lady and which of you is the servant? |
| Sanam: |
I'm the servant, she is the lady.(
All take their seats). |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Very good! (aside): the servant
is not bad, either. But the lady is
wonderful. She is worth the money I paid out.
(Silence, all are quiet: Suddenly Mashadi Ibad looks at Gulnaz's
head attentively). Khanum, for your hair is so black, it
means you also dye it with henna like me. Don't you? |
| Gulnaz: |
No, I don't dye my hair with henna! |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Yes! Because I dye my beard with henna
and I think you also dye your hair with henna. (Aside) But
I shouldn't begin the talk about henna, it's not a suitable time
and place to talk about it. |
| Gulnaz: |
My hair hasn't become hoary yet, that's
why it doesn't need henna. |
| Sanam: |
Why, thank God, the lady hasn't grown
old yet! |
| Mashadi Ibad: |
(heavily). No, lady, my beard
hasn't grown grey either. The black color of my beard doesn't
depend on whether I dye it with henna or not. It's always as black
as agate. However, I've got accustomed. The Persians used to say;
«Tarki - adat ba movjudi marazast (he moves forward).
May your dead relatives rest in peace! My late mother would say,
«when I delay to dye my hair with henna, my head aches. Because
I am accustomed to it». |
| Gulnaz: |
Probably, when you delay to dye your
beard with henna, it also aches |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Yes, it does. My beard aches awfully.
I would say hoariness of a man's head or beard doesn't concern
his age. Imagine, I saw a 2 - year old Russian child whose hair
was as white as snow. But we can't call a 2-year old child as
old. And, you pay attention to my head! See, is there any white
hair? |
| Gulnaz: |
There is not a single black either. |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Hence, it's obvious that human beings
are different. I swear by you both, the existing world has changed
so much that today's olds are thousands times better than the
young ones. For example, I've read half of the Tarikhi-Nadir and
that's why I've a good idea about science of wisdom. If the appearance
of a man is ugly his inside is as much beautiful. They are used
to say such a proverb «If not that, let it be this one!» of course,
there is no difference, if not youth, let it be money! Money is
such a thing, that it can turn the old to the young, and the lack
of money can change the young to the old. |
| Sanam: |
Apparently you have much money!.. |
Mashadi Ibad
|
Yes, I have enough of it.( He puts
his hand into his pocket and takes out an abbasi). Please,
take and keep this abbasi and whenever you want, you can buy some
bubble gum to chew! |
| Sanam: |
No, thank you very much, if I need my
master will give me. |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Ay, that's another thing (putting
the money into his pocket). She isn't a bad thing. (He
asks Sanam) Tell me, please, do you have a husband? |
| Sanam: |
No, I don't. |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Very good, (aside) if I knew
it before, first I'd marry her and then the lady. How are you?
Is your life condition well? |
| Sanam: |
Why, thank God, I'm all right. |
| Mashadi Ibad |
Very good (he says to Gulnaz)
Khanum, you don't speak at all. |
| Gulnaz: |
I'm listening.
|
| Mashadi Ibad |
Very good. Listening is also a good habit,
(aside) By God, I'm in a wonderful place. One beauty
on my one side, the other beauty on the other side. And the poet
used to say very nicely (he sings):
Could I walk in the garden to pick graceful flowers in it............................
I would like to meet in that garden such beautiful ladies. |
| Gulnaz: |
Looking at her flourishing cheeks you
become drunk and tipsy. |
