THE EQUINOX
RINALDO. For water I will give you fire.
Twelve hundred
years ago came peace on earth and goodwill toward men
through avirgin sacrifice.
.
.
. History repeats itself.
LAYLAH. I am on the edge of the well ; but I shall not fall
in.
You area renegade, I see; and, I think, a monster.
You
are mad with pride and conceit of your own wisdom.
SoI
know you for a fool.
RINALDO, The wisdom of this world is foolishness with
God.
LAYLAH. Prate on
I
Even the dust mocks at you.
RINALDO. There are snakes in the dust.
LAYLAH. What do you mean?
RINALDO. I saw it in your eyes three minutes since.
I did
not need to turn my head to know that on the horizon gallop
your husband and his band.
LAYLAI-I. You are clever.
RINALDO. And you were forced despite yourself to drop a
hint that might warn me to rejoin my knights.
LAYLAH. Nol
RINALDO. Yes.
By that I knew that you loved me.
LAYLAH. And by this (she strikes him) know that I hate
you.
RINALDO. You are too young.
I have seen lions.
LAYLAH. You are a savage.
RINALDO. Natureis savage.
Passion is savage.
The God
alike of Jews and Moslems delights in death.
Or why are
men and beasts slain in His honour?
Brutal force is at
the heart
of things.
Man is dragged
crying
from his
mother's womb in dire agony; man fights his surroundings
——the nearer they are the more bitterly must he fight them
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