PLAYS OF TO-DAY AND TO-MORROW TURANDOT PRINCESS OF CHINA A CHINOISERIE IN THREE ACTS BY KARL VOLLMOELLER AUTHORIZED ENGLISH VERSION, BY JETHRO BITHELL LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN ADELPHI TERRACE First Edition, January, 1913 (All rights reserved. ) DRAMATIS PERSONÆ TURANDOT--Princess of China ALTOUM--Emperor of China, her father ADELMA--Princess of Tartary, favourite slave of Turandot ZELIMA--Another slave of Turandot SKIRINA--Zelima's mother BARAK--(Under the name of Hassan), Skirina's husband; formerly Major-domo of CALAF--Prince of Astrakhan ISHMAEL--Major-domo of the beheaded Prince of Samarkand PANTALONE--Prime Minister of the Emperor Altoum TARTAGLIA--Lord High Chancellor of China BRIGELLA Captain of the Imperial pages TRUFFALDINO Chief Eunuch of Turandot's harem PRINCE OF SAMARKAND. .. (Silent) Eight Doctors. Female Slaves and Eunuchs of the harem. A Headsman. Soldiers of the Palace Guard. SCENE: Pekin. --All the acting characters wear Chinese costume, except Adelma and Calaf, who are in Tartar dress. Cast of the play as produced at the St. James'sTheatre, London, on January 18, 1913, under themanagement of Sir George Alexander. Turandot--EVELYN D'Alroy Altoum--J. H. BARNES Adelma--HILDA MOORE Zelima--MAIRE O'NEILL Skirina--MARGARET YARDE Barak--ALFRED HARRIS Calaf--GODFREY TEARLE Ishmael JAMES BERRY Pantalone--EDWARD SASS Tartaglia--E. VIVIAN REYNOLDS Brigella--FRED LEWIS Truffadino--NORMAN FORBES Prince of Samarkand--AUSTIN FEHRMAN The action takes place outside the gates of Pekin, andinside the Emperor's Palace. TO MY FRIEND THAT GREAT ARTIST FERRUCCIO BUSONI NOTE The very affecting history of the cruel PrincessTurandot and the handsome Prince Calaf may beread in those Persian tales which are known by thename of _The Thousand and One Nights. _ Twice already has the story gone over the boards:in 1762 in Venice as "Turandotte, " one of the _fiabe_ ofCount Carlo Gozzi; in 1804 in Weimar, as FriedrichSchiller's "Turandot. " Both versions lived theirpassing hour, and died to the stage. The present dramatisation of the ancient fable--amodest attempt to cast good metal anew--closelyfollows the Italian of the sardonic nobleman whosebones have been mouldering by the blue lagoons forover a hundred years. KARL VOLLMOELLER. THE FIRST ACT SCENE I _One of the city gates of Pekin. Over the gate, planted on iron poles, a row of severed headswith shaven crowns and Turkish tufts. _ TIME: _Shortly after sunrise. _ _When the curtainrises the gate is closed. _ _From within theroll of drums and military commands. _ BRIGELLA. (_Behind the scenes. _) Halt! Present arms! TRUFFALDINO. (_Behind the scenes. _) Halt! Slope swords! Open the gate! At ease! Quick march! (_The gate is thrown open. _ TRUFFALDINO, _leading the eunuchs_; _then, between_ PANTALONE_and_ TARTAGLIA, _the_ PRINCE OFSAMARKAND; _behind them, at the headof his pages, _ BRIGELLA. _The wholeprocession halts in front of the gate, they all draw up in one line, and gazeupwards at the bloody heads. _) PANTALONE. (_Stepping in front of the footlights. _) My name is Pantalone, and I am a native of Venice. Atthe moment I am the Prime Minister of theChinese Empire. Eh, what d'ye say? WhatI'_m_ doing here in Pekin? H'm. (_Puts his handin front of his mouth. _) Venice got too hot forme. An ind-indelicate affair. My wife ofcourse, you guess my meaning. (_To the_ PRINCE. )This, your Royal Highness, is the place youhave heard so much of. Have a good look atit, _please_. Make yourself _quite_ at home. Yes, quite right, up there, _please_! (_To_ TARTAGLIA. ) I say, my dear Lord Chancellor. Be so good asto show his Royal Highness the elevated positionhe will occupy in the near future. You have theinformation, I presume. (TARTAGLIA _turns towards the_ PRINCE, PANTALONE _pulls his sleeve_. ) Don't forget, my dear Lord Chancellor. TARTAGLIA. (_Stepping in front of the footlights. _) My nameis Tat-Tra-Tartaglia (_stammers_). From Naples. My mother always maintained that she was thedaughter of a Spanish grandee, but I fear shewas a fisherman's daughter from Po-Po-Pozzuoli. My father, on the other hand (_stops short andlooks round_)---- (PANTALONE _makes signs to him_. ) PANTALONE. Better not. TARTAGLIA. Better not! That old scarecrow there makesout that nobody ever knew who my father was. He is a. .. Li-li-liar. Excuse me, one moment, ladies and gentlemen. (_To the_ PRINCE. ) Thathead up there on the right, which I beg yourRoyal Highness graciously to observe, is the headof the valiant Prince of Hyrcania. A valiantprince, a sweet prince. But silly, silly. There'squite a nice open space next to him for you, afine, sunny situation with a pleasant prospect. How would that do, eh? Company to your liking?All of 'em in the Almanach de Gotha. PANTALONE. (_To_ BRIGELLA. ) Send the executioner up withthe pole. We'll let this charming young Princeselect his own point of vantage. BRIGELLA. (_To the headsman. _) What are you hangingabout here for, you hangman, you? Up on thewall with you, by Hikey Mo! Up on the wall orI'll wallop you. PANTALONE. Halt! 'Sh! Don't forget! BRIGELLA. (_Stepping in front of the footlights. _) I'mBrigella, begging your pardon. One of the oldhonest family of the Brigellas. As you can hearby the way I talk, I was born in Ferrara. Thereare lying rogues, drat 'em, as say as how you cantell any one that comes from Ferrara by hisknavish face. Concerning my own person, thoughI says it as shouldn't, I've a heart of gold. Nothalf. Talking about gold now, you'll be wondering, sure enough, what brought _me_ from Ferrarato Pekin. Well, now, it was a purse of gold, God bless ye! It was a little matter of twohundred florins that belonged to my employer, the celebrated Dr. Gratiano. .. PANTALONE. (_Pulls his sleeve. _) Better not! BRIGELLA. And now with this heart of gold of mine blestif I ain't got to conduct this broth of a boy, bless his honest face! to the block, by commandof my mistress, the high and mighty Turandot. .. The cru'l Turandot. (_Sobs. _) TRUFFALDINO (_Pushing_ BRIGELLA _aside. _) That's enough. Get out of that. A regular rogue. Standingthere and talking about florins. .. . H'm!Regular rogue. (PANTALONE _pulls his sleeve_. ) Ah! quite so. I am Truffaldino, by your leave. Truffaldino from the Giudeccao Quite so. (_Turning towards_ BRIGELLA. ) Regular rogue. It is monstrous that the dirtiest rascals shouldalways get on best. I have not myself alwayshad the best of luck in these parts. .. Would youbelieve it, my voice used to be a very fine, deepbaritone. But now. .. (_Sings falsetto_): I am not young; I am not old; I live, yet have no life! Ask him who hath suffered woes untold From some volcanic strife Of passionate years, if he remember, Tombed in the grave of life's December, Its vanished golden June. What do you say about my voice? Lady-like?Well, yes, you see I've spent so much of mytime in the society of ladies that I'm afraid myvoice has assimilated the quality of theirs. (_Sighsdeeply. _) Oh, yes. Not that there is any lack ofgood nourishment. Oh, no. Nor of liquidrefreshment. Oh, no. Nor of refined and entertainingcompany. Oh, no. Nor could any onesuggest that I am not in high favour. Oh, no. I have been appointed Chief. .. Inspector. .. Oh, no, no, Chief. .. Manager. .. Oh, no, no, no. .. Chief Administrator. .. Quite so!Chief Administrator of the Harem of her ImperialHighness the Princess Turandot. A position ofdistinction, a-- (PANTALONE _pulls his sleeve, and drags him away_. ) PANTALONE. Confound you, sir!. .. (_To the hangman, whohas appeared on the wall. _) Another inch or soto the right. Halt! a fine place that. TARTAGLIA. Too far to the right, my dear colleague. Muchtoo far to the right. There's a fine place quitenear there between the young Maharajah of Timbuctooand the Crown Prince of Beluchistan. (_Tothe headsman. _) Just a shade farther--to theleft, that's it, you've got it--straight up, straightup. Halt! PANTALONE. That will never do, my dear Lord Chancellor. That will never do. Really, we _can't_ have threemoustaches together. Back to the right--to theright. The Prince of Hyrcania is clean-shaven. His Royal Highness, the dear fellow, will havequite a martial appearance next to him. That'sit, right in the middle. A little bit more tothe front. Right you are. Halt! (_To thePrince. _) I do hope your Royal Highness isdelighted with the situation we have been at suchpains to select for you. Commanding position, don't you think? Eh? Very well, then, that'sall right. Drive it in fast. Down with you. Quick--march! And now, your Royal Highness, my dear old fellow, may we request the honour ofyour company back to town? We shall proceed, according to instructions, past the harem of ourillustrious Princess to the place of execution. But you won't need to make-a, long stay _there_, you'll be back here again very shortly. Let metake this opportunity of introducing to you oneof our most capable, one of our busiest officials, with whom you will soon come into closer contact. A very charming man--(_whispers to him_). You'llfind him sharp though, he has a cutting manner. . .. But don't look so cut up, your Royal Highness;keep your pecker up. Come now, lovehasn't treated you so badly after all; it bringsmost men to the altar and then to the halter--you'll keep your head out of that noose anyhow. And your flame, your idolized, lovely Turandot, will perhaps do you the honour of appearing onthe grated balcony. I tell you this in case youshould by any chance desire to cast her one ofyour languishing glances, your Royal Highness, my dear old chappie. You silly fool you. .. Forward, march!. .. Forward, I tell you, march, and be damned to you! Right aboutturn, forward march! (_Music. Exeunt all, in the same order asthey came, towards the interior of thecity. Enter CALAF, from the left, ona pony. He dismounts, and looks roundabout him in a dazed and dreamymanner. _) SCENE II CALAF. (_Stepping in front of the footlights. _) I amPrince Calaf, 'sh! Nobody must know my name. Calaf--I don't mind telling _you_. My father isTimur, once the mighty King of Astrakhan--thecruel Sultan of Taschkent drove us out of our owncountry. O miserable fate! O heavenly gods!I wandered for months and months with myparents in the desert. Our foe, the Sultan, sentriders after us. At the Court of Kaikobad, Kingof the Carcasenes, I served as a gardener. Hisdaughter, the Princess Adelma, fell in love withme. I had to flee again, and came to Berlas. There I kept my poor parents by carrying burdens, and by begging. Then a happy chance gaveme these fine clothes, a horse, and this purse ofgold. I set out in quest of adventure. Andhere I am now in Pekin. (_Noise behind the scenes. Enter BARAK fromthe city. _) SCENE III CALAF, _then_ BARAK. BARAK. Whence come you, stranger? CALAF. Who asks? BARAK. Dare I believe, my eyes? CALAF. Do I see right? BARAK. It is he! CALAF. None else! BARAK. My Prince! CALAF. My tutor, friend! BARAK. Prince Calaf! CALAF. Barak! BARAK. Yet alive! CALAF. You here? BARAK. And you, Prince? CALAF. Quiet. Betray me not. But whisper low, How comes it that in Pekin you are found? BARAK. When your ill-fated army fought and lostBefore the gates of Astrakhan, and fledClose followed by the Sultan of Taschkent, Who, barbarous, o'er the battlefield careered, I in my helpless rage and wounded soreSought refuge in the city. There I heardTimur, your noble father, like yourself, Had fallen in the battle. Weeping then, I hastened to the Palace, with intentTo save Elmase, your mother, from the foe. I could not find her. And already ragedThe Sultan o'er the unresisting town. I turned my back on hope, and fled away. And after months of wandering I came hither, And took a false name, calling myself HassanThe Persian, and as such I came to knowA widow in distress. By virtue ofMy few remaining jewels which I soldFor her, and by the good advice I gave, I rescued her from utter penury. She was not thankless, I disliked her not, And in the end I married her. And sheEven to this very day thinks that I amA Persian, and she calls me Hassan, notBarak. And so I live with her, and IAm poor indeed after my former state, But richer than a prince now that I findYou who are dearer to me than a son, Now that I find my Prince Calaf alive. (_Kneels. _) CALAF. 'Sh! Speak no name! On that disastrous dayI hied me with my father to the Palace. We snatched what precious things we could, and fled, We and my mother, out of Astrakhan, All three in beggars' garb. BARAK (_weeps_). Prince, say no more!My heart is breaking. Timur, my noble King, The Queen herself in such sad lowliness. But are they yet alive? CALAF. They are alive, Barak. They both are living. And after that, Wandering still farther, in the end we cameUnto the city of the Carcasenes. BARAK (_rises_). O say no more! I have heard enough of grief. .. And yet I see you as a knight attired. Tell me how fortune favoured you at last. CALAF. Tell you how fortune--_favoured_ me? You jest!But I will tell you how I fared. The KhanOf Berlas hath a favourite sparrow-hawk, That with his jesses to the forest flew. By some good chance I caught this hawk, and brought himHome to the Khan, who questioned of my name. I hid my birth, and painted myself poor, A porter of burdens, and my parents ill. Straightway he sends them to the hospital. .. (_Weeps. _)Barak, thy King, thy Queen, in a hospital! BARAK. Merciful God! CALAF. To me he gives this purse here;A horse he gives me, too, and this attire. I throw myself into my parents' arms, And weeping say: "I will no longer bearTo see you so. Now I will fare in questOf the jade Fortune, and either I will loseMy life, or you shall hear from me anon. "They clung around my, neck, would come with me. (God grant they have not followed at my heelsIn their blind love!) Now to Pekin I comeWhere in the Emperor's army I will 'list;And if I rise!--The day of vengeance dawns!--Why is the city full to overflowing?Stay! I will seek thee out again, Barak;But now I burn to see what festivalSwells such a crowd. BARAK. O go not, my dear Prince. And spare your eyes the pitiable sightOf most ignoble butchery. CALAF. Butchery? BARAK. It cannot be but you have heard the fameOf Turandot, the Emperor's only daughter, Who, beautiful as she is cruel, fillsPekin with death and mourning without end? CALAF. Something I heard of this kind at the CourtOf Kaikobad. Indeed, they told me thereThat Kaikobad's own son mysteriouslyIn Pekin found his death. And this was whyKing Kaikobad waged war against Altoum. But these are tales told for an idle hour. Well, what comes next? BARAK. What next? Why, Turandot, The mighty Emperor's daughter, unexcelledIn the mind's keenness, and of beauty suchThat never master's pencil limned her (spiteOf the innumerable pictures of herWhich travel round the world), is so conceited, And hates all men with such a ruthless hate, The greatest princes woo her hand in vain. CALAF. That ancient fable. And what follows next? BARAK. This fable is a fable that is true. Her father often sought to have her wed--For she is sole heir to his mighty throne--But she said "no" to every prince that came, And his soft heart would not constrain her "yea. "Not seldom her refusal led to war, And, though his arms were yet victorious, He felt the approach of age, and so one dayHe spake to her, deliberately resolved:"Make up thy mind to take a husband now, Or else show me a means to spare my landThe throes of war. Age bows my shoulders down, And I have made too many kings my foesBy breaking faith with them for love of thee. So once again I charge thee, promptly wed, Or show the means I seek, then live and dieEven as it pleases thee. " The proud maid thenUsed every artifice to thwart his will, Was sick with fury, yea, was nigh to death!And when the Emperor would not bate a jot, Hark what this wild she-devil then devised. .. . CALAF. I know the tale! She craves an edict: this--That any prince be free to sue for her. With this condition: She will set the suitorThree riddles, and before the whole Divan. If he can solve them, he shall be her consort, And heir of China. If he cannot solve them, Altoum by most solemn oath is boundTo rid the reckless suitor of the headWhich could not solve the riddles of his daughter. Goes not the fable so? Well, you go on with it;It bores me. BARAK. Fable! Would to Heaven it were!The Emperor would not hear of it at first;But she with threats and feints and flatteringForces the old man's gentle heart to yield, Convincing him by saying: "No one everWill risk his head on it; and if he should, In any case the Emperor would be blameless, Since it were question of an edict sworn, And noised abroad. " And what she willed was done. A fable, is it? Is it a fable, allThat this inhuman law has brought to pass? CALAF. Well, if you say it is so, I will creditThe edict. But I never will believeThat any fool has known, and risked his head. BARAK. You won't believe it? Pray you, look up here! (_Points to the heads on the wall. _) All those are heads of hopeful princes, whoHave tried their luck and could not solve the riddles, And hence. .. Are where they are. CALAF (_horror-struck_). Most horrible!But, tell me, who could ever be so mad, So crazy, as to risk his head to winA monster of a maiden such as this? BARAK. Prince, he who sees her picture is so lost, That to possess the living picture heWould blindly walk into the arms of death. CALAF. A fool might. BARAK. Yes, and a wise man, too. Hark to the people pouring out to seeThe wise and handsome Prince of SamarkandBeheaded now. The Emperor himself weeps, But the she-devil puffs herself with pride. (_In the distance a beating of muffled drums. _) This muffled rolling is the headsman's sign. It was to see it not I left the town. CALAF. These are strange things you tell me, BarakHowCould Nature ever fashion such a thing, And call it woman, as this Turandot, So harnessed against love, so pitiless? BARAK. My own wife's daughter serves her in the harem, And tells such things about her--things, myPrince!--Worse than a tigress is this Turandot;And worst of all her vices is her pride. CALAF. To Hell with such a monster! If _I_ wereHer father, , I would burn her at the stake. .. . BARAK (_looking towards the city gate. _) See, there comes Ishmael, the friend and guideOf the young Prince they slaughtered even now. My poor friend! SCENE IV ISHMAEL. _The foregoing. _ ISHMAEL (_Enters weeping from the city_). Oh, my friend! Now he is dead. My Prince is dead! Accursed headsman's axe, Why hast thou severed not this neck of mine? (_Breaks out into despairing weeping. _) BARAK. But why didst thou not hinder him in time, My friend? ISHMAEL. Dost thou on all my miseryHeap reprimands, Hassan! I have done my dutyTo the uttermost. I might, indeed, have summonedHis father hither, if there _had_ been time;But there was _not_. BARAK. Be calm, my friend, be calm. ISHMAEL. Calm? I be calm? Like arrows stinging sharpThe last words that he spoke stick in my breast: "Weep not, " he said, "for I am glad to die, Since I may not possess her. Bear my greetingUnto my father. May he pardon meThat when I fared I took no leave of him. Tell him it was for fear lest his denialShould force my disobedience. And show himThis picture. (_Draws a picture from the folds of his robe. _) When he sees such loveliness, He will forgive, and weep my fate with thee. "Thus speaking, my dear Prince a hundred timesKissed the accursed picture, and then bowedHis neck to the stroke. Blood spurts on high. The trunkQuivers, and falls. High in the headsman's handsThe head I love. Blind, dazed with pain I flee. .. . (_Hurls the picture to the ground and tramples on it. _) Thou devilish, accursed witchery!I tread thee in the dust, thou spawn of Hell!And O that I could trample with these feetThe witch herself! Haha! I was to take theeUnto his father, unto Samarkand?I fancyThat Samarkand will never see me more. (_Exit in desperation. _) SCENE V BARAK, CALAF. BARAK. Well? Did you hear? CALAF. You see me all amazed. One thing I understand not: how such powerShould issue from a picture. (_Bends down to lift up the picture. _) BARAK (_screams_). Prince, bethink you IWhat are you doing? CALAF. I will lift it up, To gaze upon this perilous loveliness. .. . (_Makes a dash for the picture. _ BARAK _holdshim back with force. _) BARAK. You might as well look on the Gorgon's head!I will not let you. CALAF. Have you lost your wits?Let go of me! If _you_ are weak, _I_ am not! (_Pushes him aside, and lifts the picture up. _) I tell you: woman's loveliness hath neverFettered even for a second's space my eyes, Much less my heart: I mean the lovelinessOf _living_ women. And now a daub or so, Cast on a canvas by some colour-grinder, Will stagger me, you think! Am I a child? (_Sighs. _) Mine is no case of love. .. (_Is about to look at the picture, when BARAKquickly lays his hand upon it and prevents him. _) BARAK. Prince, close your eyes, For Heaven's sake! CALAF. Offend me not. Let go! (_Looks at the picture, makes a gesture ofsurprise, and is seen to be in a stateof ecstasy that grows with gazing. _) BARAK (_in anguish_). Disaster, take thy course! CALAF. O Barak, whatDo I behold? How can it be that thisSweet face, these gentle eyes, this soft, white breast, Should harbour such a heart as thou hast said, A heart cold as the snows of yesteryear? BARAK. Unhappy man! CALAF. O worshipped rosy cheeks!O magic-breathing lips! O angel eyes!. .. BARAK. Unhappy man! CALAF. What son of earth shall beSo brimmed with bliss, so blessed of the gods, That he shall hold thee, breathing, animatePerfection, in the hollow of his arms? BARAK. Unhappy man! CALAF (_looks up for a moment, resolved_). This is the turn of fate!The loveliest lady of the whole round earth, Yea, and the richest empire time hath known, I by a game of riddles now shall win--Or else, thou turbid life of mine, farewell! BARAK. Unhappy man! CALAF (_gazing at the picture again_). Thou sweetest promise! ThouPledge of my hope! Lo! a new sacrificeIs coming to thy riddles and to thee. Vouchsafe one smile, sweet lady, lady mine!--O Barak, tell me, tell me, shall I once, Before they murder me, behold her face? (_A new roll of drums from the centre of thecity, sounding nearer than the first. _CALAF _hearkens, though his eyes arestill riveted on the picture. _ _The executionerappears on the city wall, a fearfulsight, his bare arms bespattered withblood. _ _He plants the head of the_PRINCE Of SAMARKAND _on the vacantpole and then disappears_. ) BARAK. Stop looking on her face and look on that!That head up yonder, smoking yet with blood, Is the last lunatic's. And the same headsmanWho set it there to-morrow will be yours. (_Bursts into tears. _) CALAF (_turning towards the Prince's head_). Unhappy man! What unknown power decreesThat I must be thy mate? Up, Barak, up!Thou hast already once mourned me for dead, And why not once again? I will venture it. Tell no one who I am. Perchance the heavensAre tired of heaping troubles on my back. If fortune crown me in this game of riddles, Barak, I shall be grateful! Now, farewell! BARAK. O Heaven! My son. .. . My child. .. . (_Notices his wife coming out of her house. _) Come hither, quick! Skirina, help thou also! See, this youth, Whom I love well, is running from me nowTo woo the Princess and her riddles. .. . SCENE VI SKIRINA. _The foregoing. _ SKIRINA. Hold! What drives thee on, fair youth, to meet thy death? CALAF. My fate, good woman, and this loveliness. .. . (_Shows the picture. _) SKIRINA. Who gave him the she-devil's image? (_Weeps. _) BARAK (_weeps likewise_). Chance. CALAF (_frees himself_). Hassan, farewell! Farewell, thou worthy dame IMy charger and this purse I give to you. (_Draws his purse and hands it to_ SKIRINA. ) My poverty has nothing else to showIts gratitude. I pray you, if you will, Give something of it to the Heavenly PowersThat they protect me. And something to the poor, That they may pray for me. And so farewell! (_Exit in the direction of the city. _) BARAK. Prince, do not go! My son. .. . My dear, dear son. .. . SKIRINA. Confucius be merciful to us! SCENE VII _The great hall of the imperial Divan: two highdoors on each side, on the right to_ TURANDOT'S_harem, on the left to the_ EMPEROR'S_chambers_. TRUFFALDINO, EUNUCHS. TRUFFALDINO. Halt! First scrubbing company, at ease, march. Stack muskets. Attention! Presentbesoms. Sweep. Sweep like the devil. Rollup, spread, smooth. (_Eunuchs roll up the carpets. _) There's nothing I like better than watching otherpeople work. Quite so. This here is the GreatThrone. His Majesty the Emperor of China sitson that. (_Two eunuchs carry the throne past. _) We call it the Great Throne because it's a big'un. And this is the Little Throne. Quite so, the Little Throne. (_Two eunuchs carry_ TURANDOT 's _throne toits place_. ) The Princess's, don't you know. We call thisthe Little Throne because it's a small 'un. Quiteso. And _these_ are the eight cushions of thelearned doctors. (_Eight slaves carry cushions past. _) The sublime Divan will assemble immediately, andthen they'll all sit on 'em--the Emperor onthe Great Throne, the Princess on the LittleThrone, and the Doctors on the eight cushions. (BRIGELLA _enters from the right_. ) BRIGELLA. I've always got the blues in Pekin. Not half!Here's the Emperor just gone and issued a freshCourt ceremonial again, and I can't get it intomy noddle. I keep on practising. I can't doanything without practising. Oh, all right, you'rea laughing at me. What are you laughing about? TRUFFALDINO. Business is good, that's what I'm laughing for. My business and my adored Princess's. Trade'sflourishing, praised be the Lord! Huge turnover, commissions promptly executed. Greateststock of sheep's heads in the world. The Divanwill assemble immediately. There's another princearrived, with his head itching. .. . _Ut veniantomnes_--let them all come. BRIGELLA. No, it's getting a bit too hot, all our youngsparks going off like match-heads. Strike medead, a man _can_ talk without his head--he cantalk with his belly if he's a ventriloquist--buthe can't keep his mouth shut when he's lost hishead. What _are_ you a-laughin' at? It's no joke, not half! It's not three hours since the last waspolished off, and you can find it in your heart tolaugh! TRUFFALDINO. I have good reason to laugh. Every time mysweet adored Princess has netted one of thesesheepish little princes with her riddles she's insuch an excellent temper she's sure to present mewith a charming token of her Imperial favour. But you have no taste for such charms. BRIGELLA. I've more than you, anyhow! I can't comeout with such high-flying language about yourPrincess. The hysterical water-wagtail. Whatright has she to turn her nose up at marriage?Considering she knows nothing about it. Perhapsshe might like it. You never can tell. TRUFFALDINO. Marriage! Oh, fie! BRIGELLA. Look here, I can't stand hearing a carved turkeylike you cackling rot about marriage. Think ofyour own mamma. If she hadn't got married, where would you be? TRUFFALDINO. That's a lie. My mamma never got married atall, and I'm here just the same. You see me, don'tyou? BRIGELLA. True; I ought to have seen at the first glancethat you were a bastard. TRUFFALDINO. I am not a bastard. I am a child of love. Allgeniuses are children of love. BRIGELLA. But all children of love are not geniuses. You, for instance. TRUFFALDINO. I? I have risen in the world. I am Chief--Chief--Chief--Administrator of the Harem. Youunderstand. (Music is heard. ) Anyhow, yougo to the devil now and pay your customaryassiduous attention to your pages. His SublimeMajesty the Emperor approaches. .. . SCENE VIII (_To the strains of music enter from the leftthe Imperial Guards, thereupon theeight doctors, behind them_ PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, _finally_ ALTOUM, _at whoseentrance all prostrate themselves, touchingthe floor with their brows_. ALTOUM_seats himself on his throne_. PANTALONE_and_ TARTAGLIA _stand near him_. _The doctors sink on to their cushions. The music ceases. _) ALTOUM. How long, ye faithful, shall this torture last?Scarcely have we with seeming reverenceMourned the poor Prince of Samarkand, mine eyesHave scarcely dried their tears, but a new victim, New sorrow comes. O cruel daughter, bornTo be a curse to me! But what availsTo curse the day when by the highest GodI swore that edict! For I cannot breakMy oath; I cannot touch my daughter's heart;I cannot frighten those who come to woo. Which man of you can tell me what to do? PANTALONE. My dearest Majesty, some other Counsellormust advise you in this case. In my home inVenice, Heaven knows, I never heard of suchlaws. In my home there are never any edictsof that sort. In my home princes don't fall inlove with a medallion, and then, out of sheerlove for the original, go hawking their heads about. In my home in Venice there never was a girlwho refused a man when he offered, like thisPrincess Turandot here. Heaven knows, in myhome such things don't happen even in dreams!Before I had the ill-luck to have to run awayfrom Venice, and before I had the unmerited goodfortune to be appointed your Majesty's PrimeMinister, I had never heard anything about China, except that you had to be careful not to smashit; and Heaven knows it kind of knocks meon the head that in this part of the world thereshould be such obsolete customs and such obsoleteoaths and such obsolete males and females asthere are here in your country, Heaven knows. And if I were to tell the story in my home inVenice, they would say: "Shut up, you bounder!Tell that to the marines!" They'd laugh inmy face, I tell you, Heaven knows! (_Goes to his place. _) ALTOUM. (_To_ TARTAGLIA. ) Have you already seen thenew arrival? TARTAGLIA. I have, your Majesty. We have given himthe suite reserved for foreign princes. He hasa remarkably good presence, a nice face, charmingmanners, and a good accent. I never saw a nicerprince in all my life. I am positively in lovewith him, and my heart goes pit-a-pat when Ithink that he is at this moment on his way tohave his head chopped off, just like a silly sheep;such a handsome prince, such a charming prince, such a boy of a prince. .. . ALTOUM. O sorrow! (_To_ PANTALONE. ) Are the sacrifices madeBy which we send up prayers to ProvidenceTo teach this most unhappy man to solveOur cruel daughter's riddles? Though I scarceCan hope. .. . PANTALONE. As far as the sacrifices are concerned, Heavenknows, your Majesty may be quite easy on thatpoint. There has been no economy with regardto the sacrifices, your Majesty. I have orderedsacrifices to be made to High Heaven of onehundred dogs, sacrifice of one hundred horses tothe Sun, and of one hundred cats to the Moon. (_Aside. _) I, for my own part, Heaven knows, expect nothing from this Imperial butchery exceptsausages and meat-pies. TARTAGLIA. (_Aside. _) It would have been far better toslaughter that cat of a Princess. Then everythingwould be in order. That would be the bestway to end all this spitting and scratching. ALTOUM. Let the new-comer be conducted hither! (_Exit one of the_ DOCTORS. ) I will endeavour to dissuade him. You, My reverend doctors, help in this, and you, My faithful ministers and counsellors, If, haply, grief should paralyse my tongue. PANTALONE. We've done our best in that direction oftenenough already, your Majesty, and we're gettingabout sick of it, Heaven knows. We shall talkat him till our throats are sore, and then he'llgo and get his windpipe cut like a turkey. TARTAGLIA. Listen here, Pantalone. If my observations canbe relied on, this young Prince has gifts of thevery highest order, and a degree of ingenuitywhich is positively penetrating. I do not quitegive up all hope. PANTALONE. Rot, my dear fellow, rot! You think he's going, to guess that snake's riddles. Rot! Stuff andnonsense! Humbug! Get out! He's done for. SCENE IX CALAF. _The foregoing. _ (_Enter_ CALAF, _escorted by the_ DOCTOR. _Hekneels, and rests his hand on his forehead. _) ALTOUM. Arise, thou young and madly daring man! (CALAF _rises, makes an obeisance, and standswith noble bearing between the twothrones, facing the spectators. _ ALTOUM_scans him carefully_. _Aside. _) How handsome the youth is! Compassion movesMy breast. (_Aloud. _) Unhappy man, what is thy name?What King calls himself father unto thee? CALAF (_at first somewhat confused, then with anoble bow_). Sire, let me beg a boon: that for the nonceMy name be covered up with dark. ALTOUM. How now! You woo the Emperor's daughter, and withholdYour name? CALAF (_with pride_). I am of royal blood. If HeavenDecree my death, there will be time left thenTo make my name and country known to you. (_With another bow. _) Vouchsafe me silence for the present, Sire. ALTOUM (_aside_). What noble speech and port!(_Aloud. _) But if perchanceYou solve the riddles, and then prove to beOf mean extraction, how shall the edict. .. CALAF (_interrupting him quickly_). Sire, The edict serves not save for sons of Kings. If I by help of Heaven should solve the riddles, And then were found to be of base extraction, Let my head pay for it. My body giveTo dogs and carrion crows upon the fields. There is one man in Pekin knows my name, And he will bear me witness. (_With an obeisance to the_ EMPEROR. ) Therefore IEntreat you in your mercy once again, Still let my name be covered up with dark. ALTOUM. So be it then! It is your pleasing speechAnd noble bearing make me grant the boon. Oh that you now would grant the EmperorThe boon he begs for from his very throne, Beseeching you: Go back, my son, go back!Desist from this adventure, and go back! PANTALONE. We can't get him any farther, your Majesty. ALTOUM. The nations are already nursing wrathAgainst me for the reckless oath I swore. Do not thou also force me to shed tearsOver thy corpse. Oh, force me not to hateThis daughter of my loins more than I doAlready; force me not to hate myselfWho brought her into the world, more than I do. Proud, vain, and pitiless, and cruel, sourceIs she of torment to me till I die. CALAF. Sire, but I cannot think that you have causeTo fill your heart with torment and unrest. If in your daughter there is cruelty, It is not from her father that it came. If guilt you have, it can be only this:That you have given the world such peerless beautyAs draws all men to her. I thank you, Sire, For your great goodness! I have but one thought, To win your Turandot or live no more. All that I ask is death or Turandot. PANTALONE. H'm, my dearest Royal Highness, I presumeyou vouchsafed to behold the severed heads onthe city wall. Eh? Heaven knows what pleasurethere can be in having oneself stuck like a pig, so that afterwards the whole town is full oftears and blowing of noses, Heaven knows. Ican tell you beforehand, the Princess will nailyou three riddles together that it would takeOld Moore himself seven years to take to pieces, Heaven knows. We two sit here, year in, yearout, and the learned doctors, too, sit here injudgment, judging who guesses well and whoguesses ill, and we've had a bit of practice andwe can "read print, Heaven knows--and yet wecan't make head or tail of our most wise Princess'sriddles. These are not riddles like those inSaturday's _Daily Telegraph_, such as: "Puts his head between his feet, And rolls him in a ball complete, " or: "Four already, I'll be bound, This is one when it is found. " No, these are confounded new-fangled puzzleswith man-traps in 'em and patent springs. Andif she didn't write the solutions beforehand onslips of paper and pop 'em into sealed envelopesand hand 'em in to the doctors, why even theywouldn't know whether they were standing on theirhead or their feet, Heaven knows. You go backhome, my dearest Royal Highness. It reallywould be a pity, such a fine young fellow as youare. Do as I advise you, Heaven knows. Ifyou don't I wouldn't give as much for your headas I would for a turnip radish. No use, no use. (PANTALONE _to his place. _) CALAF. You talk and lose your breath, old gentleman, What I demand is death or Turandot. TARTAGLIA. Turandot. .. . Turandot. .. . What adamned stupid ass the dear fellow is! You justlisten to me, my dear boy! This is not aquestion of drawing lots with blades of strawfor a cup of coffee or an iced chocolate. Getthat into your head; do be quick and get thatinto your head, please. It is a question here ofkeeping or losing your head. That is the onlyargument I will bring forward to reduce you toreason. This one argument _should_ suffice. Yourhead is in danger, do you understand? Yourhead. His belovèd Majesty in his own mostgracious person begs and implores you not, tolose your head. His Imperial Majesty has inhis own most gracious person sacrificed one hundredhorses to the Sun, one hundred dogs to HighHeaven, and one hundred cats to the Moon, toinduce them to restore your lost wits--and you, you sweet little sugar-plum you, you actuallyrefuse. Why, even if there were no other fishin the sea except Princess Turandot, your intentionswould still amount to capital folly. Youmust give me credit, my dearest Prince, for talkingso frankly, because I wish you well. Have you, may I ask, at any time carefully considered whatit means to be shortened by a head? I can hardlybelieve you have. CALAF. You talk too much and lose your breath, dear sir. Death is what I demand or Turandot. ALTOUM. Death have then, and with death my own despair. (_To the_ DOCTORS. ) Go, one of you, and bid the Princess come. And tell her a fresh sacrifice awaits. (_Exit_ DOCTOR _behind_ EMPEROR, _front of stage_. ) CALAF (_aside_). Ye heavenly powers, help me, and lend me strengthAnd self-possession, lest the sight of herConfuse me: for my mind already sways, My heart pants, and my lips are quivering. (_To the assembly. _) Illustrious Divan, most reverend Doctors, My answers' judges, judges soon to meOver my life and death, oh, pardon nowMy rash adventure, be not pitilessTo one disquieted and blind with love, Who, heedless of the place and of the hour, Forces the closed arms of his sullen fate. SCENE X (_From the right the sounds of a march withkettledrums and tambourines. _ _Firstappears_ TRUFFALDINO, _shouldering hisbroadsword, at the head of his eunuchs_. _After them a troop of female slavesbeating tambourines. _ _Then, thicklyveiled, the two favourite slaves of the_PRINCESS--_the one_, ADELMA, _in richTartar costume; the other_, ZELIMA, _inmore simple Chinese dress_. _The lattercarries a little dish, which containssealed leaves with the solutions ofthe riddles. _ TRUFFALDINO _and theeunuchs march past the_ EMPEROR'S_throne, cast themselves face downwardson the earth, and rise again_. _Thefemale slaves kneel, and lift their handsto their foreheads. _ _Last appears_ TURANDOT_in gorgeous Chinese costume, veiled, and with a haughty attitude ofchallenge_. _The eight doctors and thetwo ministers cast themselves downbefore her, touching the floor with theirbrows. _ ALTOUM _rises_. TURANDOT_raises her hand to her forehead andgreets her father with a solemn bow, then ascends her throne and sits down_. ZELIMA _stands at her right_, ADELMA _ather left_. CALAF, _who had bowed whenthe_ PRINCESS _entered, now stands erect, sunk in admiration of her beauty_. TRUFFALDINO, _after performing variousceremonies in his comic way, takes thedish with the sealed leaves out of_ZELIMA'S _hand; he distributes theseamong the doctors, and then, withvarious ceremonies and obeisances, withdrawsto his place_. _Music plays until_TRUFFALDINO _leaves the Divan_. _Thendeep silence ensues. _) SCENE XI ALTOUM, TURANDOT, CALAF, ZELIMA, ADELMA, PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, DOCTORS, GUARDS. TURANDOT (_haughtily_). What man is this again, who fondly hopesTo penetrate the darkness of my riddlesIn spite of warnings manifold and grim?What man comes speeding after dead men's heels, And asks to lose his head? ALTOUM. Here stands the man. (_Points to_ CALAF. ) Look at him well. Does he, at last, not seemWorthy to make you end this cursèd game?Take him for consort, and so give me peace! TURANDOT (_after scanning_ CALAF _for a moment, whispers to_ ZELIMA). Pity I never felt! I pity him! ZELIMA (_whispers_). Then, quick, three easy riddles. Bid pride go! TURANDOT (_flaring up, whispers_). What sayest thou, rash girl? ADELMA (_aside_). God! dare I trustMy eyes? It is the very, man--the sameWho served my sire as gardener. Then he isA prince--a prince, indeed. My heart guessed true. TURANDOT. Thou errant Prince, desist from this adventure. See, I am nowise cruel, as men say. It is but my deep loathing for all malesThat forces me to stand as now at guardTo keep from me a sex that I abhor. Why should I not be free to fight my foe?What brings you here to harden me again?If prayers can move you, I myself will beg:Desist! Put not my sharp mind to the test. It is my only pride, the only weaponHeaven gave me. And I know that I should dieIf any man were victor of my mind. Claim not my riddles then. There still is time. Else naught awaits you save a shameful death. CALAF. Voice of a goddess, body of an angel, Rare mind, unparalleled intelligence, Are gathered in one woman's being here. Who calls the man a fool that risks his lifeFor treasures such as these? Princess, your ownHigh understanding cannot fail but seeThat as your gifts in greater glory shine, As your refusal is more violent, So many more the hearts you set on fire. Had I a thousand lives, I would with joy, For your sake, Princess, die a thousand deaths. ZELIMA. Be kind! Three easy riddles. He deserves them. ADELMA (_aside_). Would he were mine! He is a prince. That IHad known it then, ere I became a slave!Now I do love him with a threefold strength. Oh, why is love for ever weak in courage? (_Aside to_ TURANDOT. ) Princess, take care! Your honour is at stake! TURANDOT (_aside_). So it was fated one should come at lastAnd teach me pity! Heart, be firm and cold! (_To_ CALAF, _vehemently_. ) Up, thou rash champion, gird thee for the fight! ALTOUM (_to_ CALAF). Are you still obstinate! CALAF. I said just now, Death give me, or else give me Turandot. ALTOUM. Proceed, then, with the public recitationOf that bad edict. Hark, and tremble, you! (_Music, ceremony. _ PANTALONE _takes theBook of the Law from the folds of hisraiment, kisses it, holds it first to hisbreast and then to his forehead, andhands it to_ TARTAGLIA, _who has justcast himself on the floor, whereupon_TARTAGLIA _recites with a loud voice_. ) TARTAGLIA. There is no prince of royal lineageBut shall be free to woo. But first to himThree riddles of the Princess shall be setBefore eight doctors in the full Divan. Let him solve these, and TURANDOT is his;But if he solve them not, he shall straightwayBe yielded up into the headsman's hands, Who promptly shall, by severing his head, Do him to death. Immediate executionOf this our solemn edict we affirmAnd swear by oath, by great Confucius, We, Khan Altoum, Emperor of China. (_The recital ended_, TARTAGLIA _kisses theBook of the Law, holds it to his breast, then to his forehead, and hands it to_PANTALONE, _who has cast himselfdown with his face to the earth, and soreceives it_. _He rises, and extends thebook to_ ALTOUM, _who lays one handupon it to swear the oath_. ) ALTOUM (_sighing_). Oh, bloody edict! To observe thee nowI do affirm, and by Confucius swear. (PANTALONE _replaces the book in the foldsof his garment_. _The whole Divan waitsin profound silence_. TURANDOT _rises_. ) TURANDOT (_in a didactic tone_). Come, stranger, name that tender pair of doves, As white as innocence, as frail as roses, Hiding from all men's eyes save his who lovesTo see how by the other each reposes, Even as a sister by her sister's aide. But he that loves and finds them where they hideRoams restless till he holds them to his breast. They bring him from the Islands of the BlestHeroic fire to make him do and dare, And tidings from the Land of Heart's Desire. Name, cunning stranger, name this tender pair. (_Sits down again. _) CALAF. (_Gazes upwards for a moment in meditation, then makes a bow to_ TURANDOT _andlifts his hand to his brow_. ) Two doves, thou sayest, doves so tender-heartedThat they are always paired and never parted;Scarce grown enough to bear their weight aloft, And yet already plump, and firm, and soft;Two smooth, white doves to which my yearning wings, To which by night my secret dreaming sings. These two white doves which hold me free from scaith, These doves my fortune--they are: HOPE and FAITH. PANTALONE. He's hit the mark, my dear Lord Chancellor! TARTAGLIA. Hit the bull's-eye. THE EIGHT DOCTORS. (_Open the first of the sealed papers. _ _Alltogether. _) Optime. Hope and Faith! Hope and Faith!Hope and Faith! ALTOUM (_joyfully_). Heaven help thee farther, my belovèd son! ZELIMA (_aside_). Ye gods, protect him! ADELMA (_aside_). Blind him, O ye gods!O give him not to her, or I shall die! TURANDOT (_aside, indignantly_). Can it be possible that _he_ should win? (_To_ CALAF, _aloud_. ) Listen, poor fool! And solve this riddle now: (_She stands up, and continues in her didactic tone. _) Come, stranger, name those slender pillars twainWhich bear a bristling fortress on their summit, A fort which still is in my sire's domain, Although thy heart burns high to overcome it;Pillars in strength and beauty smooth and rounded, On which thy Hope and Faith are firmly founded:These pillars holding Heaven upon their height--Tell me the names, now, of these pillars white. CALAF. (_After some meditation, and with the samebow as before. _) These two white pillars soaring to the skies, That bear a kingdom and all Paradise;That bear the magic land my dreams divine, Which are as slender as a forest pine;Of every prince the very noblest aim;Thine empire's fairest ornament and fame, To which my hope clings like a climbing flower--I call these pillars twain: KNOWLEDGE and POWER. PANTALONE. (_Joyfully_. ) Hits the bull right in the eye, my dear Lord Chancellor! TARTAGLIA. Centre. Centre. THE EIGHT DOCTORS. (_In chorus, after unsealing the second leaf. _) Optime. Knowledge and Power! Knowledgeand Power! Knowledge and Power! ALTOUM (_excitedly_). O joy! O joy!--Gods, help him to the end! ZELIMA (_aside_). Would this had been the last! ADELMA (_excitedly, aside_). Alas! I lose him! (_Aside to_ TURANDOT. ) This moment turns your fair renown to shame:He is your better. TURANDOT (_in a low voice_). Silence! Ere he winLet the world go to pieces. (_Aloud to_ CALAF. ) Rash fool! knowMy hatred step by step grows with thy hopeOf victory. Leave the Divan! Go! FleeFrom my last riddle, and so save thy head! CALAF. Your hate weighs heavy, my adored Princess. So much the lighter weighs this head of mine, Since before you it finds so little grace. ALTOUM. Desist, my son. And thou, my child, desistFrom further riddles. Reach thy hand to him, For he deserves to be thy husband. TURANDOT (_fiercely_). He!My husband! Of my free will? Never! Never!Let the law have its course. CALAF (_to_ ALTOUM). Free be her will. Naught I demand but death, or Turandot. TURANDOT. So be it, then; take death. Hold still and mark! (_Rises. _) Now tell me: knowest thou the magic flowerBy whose bright rays the soul's dark deeps are lit;Which, hiding in its quiet, sacred bower, Waits for the Fairy Prince to gather it;But which, if he find not its shy recess, Withers and dies in forlorn loneliness?Within the bosom of its petals furledLies with Life's sense the Riddle of the World;And he that first its chalice openethGlows with the wine of Life, the scorn ofDeath. (_She unveils herself. _) Now look me in the face, now hold thy ground, Die like a dog, or name the flower I mean. CALAF (_in ecstasy_). O beauty bright! ALTOUM (_excitedly_). Alas! he is wandering!Compose thyself, my son. Keep clear! Keep clear! ZELIMA (_aside_). I am dizzy with excitement. ADELMA (_aside_). He is mine! PANTALONE. (_Beside himself. _) Cheer up, sonny! cheer up!Wish I could give him a dig in the ribs, Heavenknows! My shanks are quivering with fear heshouldn't be able to get his wits together again. Oh for a cooling draught of old Three Star! TARTAGLIA. If it weren't contrary to etiquette, I'd like torun into the kitchen and fetch the vinegar bottle. TURANDOT. Death thou didst ask for, death thou hast received. CALAF. For one poor moment I was dazzled byYour beauty--but I was not overcome. (_To the public. _) This magic flower by which the soul is lit, Which makes the heart tremble with dreaming it;This magic rose of all men's fiery dreams, Which under soft moss hides its gentle beams;Which is with beauty sweet and goodness shy, And bears the hope that holds the heavens on high;This magic flower of purest ray divine, This flower is: LOVE--dearest, your love and mine. PANTALONE. Praised be the Lord! Praised be the Lord!Here! I can't stand this any longer. .. . (_Runs up to_ CALAF _and embraces him_. ) TARTAGLIA. Victory, your Majesty! Hail! Victory! THE EIGHT DOCTORS. (_Open the third leaf. _) Love! Love! Love! (_Vociferous hurrahs of the crowd outside andnoisy music. _ TURANDOT _falls all ofa heap on her throne_, ZELIMA _and_ADELMA _busy themselves with her_. ALTOUM _lifts the PRINCE off his feetand kisses him_, PANTALONE _and_ TARTAGLIA_helping_. _The doctors retire ina row to the background. _) ALTOUM. And now enough of tyranny and whims--Do you hear me, Turandot! And you, dear son, Come to my heart. (_He embraces_ CALAF. ) TURANDOT. (_Has recovered herself, and rushes in a rageat the embracing pair. _) Stay! Do not let this manBelieve he is my husband. I demandAnother meeting and three riddles more. The time I was allowed was far too short. Stay!---- ALTOUM (_interrupting her_). False and cruel child! The game is played. Thou shalt not so begin a second time. The edict has run out, and is surrenderedInto the keeping of my ministers. PANTALONE. I beg a thousand pardons. But we can't dowith any more of these riddles, Heaven knows!We can't do with any more head-chopping, Heaven knows, as if they were nothing butlettuces. The young man there has guessedright. The edict must be executed in its entirety. The bridecake has got to go into the oven. (_To_TARTAGLIA. ) What do you say, my LordChancellor? TARTAGLIA. Must be executed--in its entirety. There is nocall for any further explanations, interpretations, dissertations, appeals, and commentaries. Whatdo our learned doctors say? THE EIGHT DOCTORS. (_All together. _) Must be executed! Must beexecuted--in its entirety. Decision final--irrevocable! ALTOUM. Straight to the altar, then. This stranger princeWill now reveal his birth and name, the priests---- TURANDOT (_in despair_). Grant me a respite, father! ALTOUM. Not one minute. TURANDOT. (_Casting herself on her knees before him. _) If you would have me living, father, father!Grant me another day, another contest. I cannot bear the shame of it. I will ratherDie than be subject to that coxcomb there, Die rather than be wife to that proud boy. The very word "wife, " the mere thought of it, Of being his possession, strikes me dead. ALTOUM (_descending from his throne_). Savage and obstinate and ruthless child!Not one word more. Come, gentlemen, let us go! CALAF (_to_ TURANDOT). Arise, fair, cruel mistress of my heart! (_To_ ALTOUM. ) I beg you, sire, grant her the respite! HowCould I be happy if she hated me?And what avails my love, breeding but hate?If I have not the power to touch her heart, Let her be free. I do not claim my right. (_To_ TURANDOT. ) If you could see into my heart that bleeds, Torn as it is, you would be merciful. You are determined I shall die. So be it. (_To_ ALTOUM. ) Grant her another match. My life is cheap. ALTOUM. No more of that! On to the Temple, on IThe games are over now. .. . Imprudent youth! TURANDOT (_determinedly_). So be it, to the Temple, I say, too!But on the altar steps your daughter dies. CALAF. Dies? Lord and master, and my Princess you. .. I pray you both to grant me one desire:I will myself set my unbending QueenOne riddle now. And this is my riddle: WhoIs that King's son and of what stock is he, Who was a beggar, porter, menial, Yet in good fortune more unfortunate?Woman without a heart, guess here to-morrowIn the Divan his and his father's name. If you can _not_, take pity on my pain, Appease your heart, refuse your hand no more!But if your cunning tell those two names true, Your pride may drink its fill out of my blood. TURANDOT. Stranger, I take the bargain. It shall hold. ZELIMA (_aside_). Alas, new fears! ADELMA (_aside_). New hope is beckoning! ALTOUM. I do _not_ take the bargain. The law aloneHolds good, and shall be carried out. CALAF (_kneels before him_). SublimeRuler of nations, star of all the world, Let your great heart be softened, and vouchsafeTo grant what here your daughter begs with me. Deny her not the satisfaction IDo not withhold. Let her bestir her brains;And if her brains can serve her, let her giveThe answer to my riddle here to-morrow. TURANDOT (_aside_). Rage stifles me, and he is mocking still. ALTOUM. Blind fool, you know not what you ask. But haveYour wish! Another contest there shall be!If she can name the names, we will not forceMarriage on her; but you--for I forbidNew carnage--free and scatheless go your way! (_In a low voice to_ CALAF. ) Now follow me! Blind fool, what have you done? (_Music strikes up with a march. _ ALTOUM_turns, followed by the guards, thedoctors_, PANTALONE, _and_ TARTAGLIA, _toleft exit_. _Exeunt_ TURANDOT, ZELIMA, TRUFFALDINO, _the eunuchs, and femaleslaves, with their tambourines, throughthe door to the right_. ) END OF THE FIRST ACT. THE SECOND ACT SCENE I Chamber in the harem. TURANDOT, ZELIMA. _Afterwards_ ADELMA. TURANDOT. I cannot bear to think of it, Zelima;I cannot bear the thought of my disgrace. ZELIMA. I cannot think you mean it, mistress mine. A young prince, noble, handsome, so enamoured, And you so full of hatred and disgust? TURANDOT. Torture me not. That is the very reason. .. I am ashamed to say that it is so. .. . But there are other feelings strange to me. .. . I seem to shiver both with heat and frost. .. . No, no, I hate him, I am sure, Zelima--Hate him for making me a laughing-stockBefore the whole Divan--nay, the whole world!How they will laugh at me! Help me, Zelima!Come to my help! How did his riddle run:"Who is that Prince and of what stock is he, Who was a beggar, porter, menial, Yet in good fortune more unfortunate?"So much is clear that he himself is meant. But how in all the world am I to guessHis and his father's names? Here no one knows him. The Emperor himself has granted himFor the time being still to be unknown. Only to save time did I take the odds. What shall I do now? I am helpless, helpless! ZELIMA. How would it do to ask a fortune-teller? TURANDOT. A fortune-teller? ZELIMA. No, that would not do. But think, how genuine his pain, his sighs!And how he cast himself at your father's feetTo plead for you! TURANDOT. Enough of this--enough!I said, indeed. .. My heart. .. Believe it not. It is not true. I hate him. For I knowThey all are treacherous: pretending loveUntil they have the maiden in their toils;But when they have their will, they laugh at us, Dallying with now this woman and now that;Nor is there any slave too base for them, Nor any harlot at too low a price. Zelima, speak no more of him. If heTo-morrow is victorious again, Oh, I shall hate him worse than death. ZELIMA. Dear mistress, So long as you are young and beautiful, Rebellion beseems you. But when ageComes creeping on, and wooers stay away, What will be yours beside too late regret?. .. What would you lose now save a little pride, The phantom of your fame?. .. ADELMA. (_Has slowly come nearer, and now interrupts her. _) They that are baseIn birth may, it is true, so basely thinkAs thou, Zelima. How couldst thou conceiveThe feelings of our noble mistress, whenAfter so many years with triumph crowned, A stranger roving here from who knows wherePuts her to shame in public? How shouldst thouKnow anything of pride and pain and shame?Thou didst not see the looks of mockery, The slanted smile round every mouth. I saw it, Saw it and shook with rage and shame for her. I love her. And shall I stand and see her now, Against the promptings of her heart and will, Delivered up into a stranger's hands? TURANDOT (_vehemently_). Stop! Do not make me mad beyond control! ZELIMA. Delivered up? Is it so bad as that? ADELMA. Be silent, thou! Thou pretty little slave, Thou hast no need to understand these things. What matters it to thee if, heedlessly, She pledged her word? And what shall come to passIn the Divan to-morrow if in shameShe hold her tongue? I can already seeThe mockery scarcely hid, the open scorn, And the base wit, such wit as is the meedOf a poor actress. TURANDOT (_beside herself_). Hold your tongue, Adelma!Unless I know the names before to-morrow, I shall have nothing save this dagger. .. . ADELMA. Do not despair, Princess. By taking thought--Or, if it must be so, by trickery--We yet will find the names. ZELIMA. Oh, find the names, Dear, wise Adelma. .. . TURANDOT. I must know the names, Adelma. His name, and his father's name. How shall I find them out? Adelma, help me! ADELMA. One thing I know: to-day in the DivanHimself betrayed it: in this city lives_One_ man who knows his name and origin. Now what behoves us is to ferret throughThe town, and if we make no stint of goldHaply we may discover what we seek. TURANDOT. Take anything--gold, gems--do what you will. ZELIMA. What can she do with gold or precious stones?Whom shall she give them to, to purchase help?And if the plan succeed, what will you doIf some one find your mesh of trickery? ADELMA. Who would betray the trick--if not Zelima? ZELIMA (_flaring up_). Shame on your venomous tongue! Princess, hear _me_:Cast not your gold away. I had indeedHoped to appease, convince you in the end, Hoped you would give the Prince your hand--the PrinceWho loves you, and well is worthy of your love. Now I will be obedient. My old mother, Skirina, came to visit me just now. Rejoicing at the fortune of the Prince, And knowing nothing of the imminentEncounter which to-morrow shall decide, She told me she had spoken to the strangerThe night before, and said that my step-father, Old Hassan, knows him. There and then I askedWhat might his name be, but she did not know, Or swore she did not. Hassan, so she said, Would not betray his name for any price. This notwithstanding, she has promised meTo do her best to worm the secret out. Now, Princess, doubt my zeal, if still you can. (_Exit in excitement. _) TURANDOT. Come, to my arms! Why does she run away? ADELMA. Let the fool go. Now we have got the scent, And let us with swift cunning track the game. But come with me straightway and let me tell youThe plan I have. Put all your trust in me. TURANDOT. Adelma, I put all my trust in you. But save me from this stranger whom I loathe. (_Exeunt both. _) SCENE II Before the Palace. CALAF, BARAK. CALAF. But seeing that in all Pekin no manKnows me, save you, and since my country liesA hundred days of journeying from here, And when you think we have been wanderersO'er the earth's face eight years as unknown men, And when you think we are reported dead:I say, Barak, the wretched have no name. BARAK. And yet my mind misgives me: Here you winAt one throw of the dice the loveliestOf maidens and a mighty empire too:You stake your head to win, and, having won, You throw the prize away. CALAF. You must not measureMy actions by the ell: I am in love. .. . But you have been discreet, Barak, I know?Even to your wife? BARAK. Even to my wife, be sure. And yet my heart forebodes much evil hap. SCENE III PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, BRIGELLA, SOLDIERS. _The foregoing. _ PANTALONE. Here he is, by the Lord Harry, here he is! TARTAGLIA. Who is this man, your Royal Highness? PANTALONE. Where the dickens have you been to, my dearestPrince? What sort of people are you honouringwith your intercourse, my dearest Prince? BARAK (_aside_). Great heavens, what threatens now? CALAF. This is some stranger, Whom here I met and questioned of the way. TARTAGLIA. By your leave, my dearest Royal Highness, Ihad not previously noticed that there was anyscrew loose under your turban. Your conductso far had led me, I trust not misled me, tobelieve that your head was screwed on quite safe. But what the deuce are you up to now, if youwill allow me to say so? PANTALONE. 'Sh! 'Sh! It's no use crying over spilt milk. Heaven knows, my dear Prince, you little suspectwhat hot water you've got into, and if we hadn'tkept a sharp eye on you, you'd be in a finepickle at this moment. (_To_ BARAK. ) Yourpresence here, Mr. Nanny-goat, is no longerdesired! As for you, my dearest Royal Highness, will you have the goodness to withdraw toyour private apartments? Brigella, you willforthwith call two thousand men of the guards toarms, and with your corps of pages sentinel theentrance to his suite, taking care that no onegains admission. Our most Sublime Majesty, the Emperor, is so much in love with the Princethat he is all the time in a perfect state lestanything should happen to him. If he is not hisson-in-law by to-morrow morning, Heaven knowsthe old gentleman will succumb to this violentpassion. (_To_ CALAF. ) And let me tell you, you've been making a fool of yourself. (_Whisperingto him. _) For Heaven's sake, don't let yourname get between your teeth! But if by anychance you would care to whisper it to a venerable, discreet old man, I can assure you it would bein good keeping. What do you say? CALAF. You serve your Emperor ill, old gentleman! PANTALONE. Oh, bravo! Oh, bravo! Now then, Mr. Brigella, off you go! BRIGELLA. You stop your parleying first. I'll see to myduty in due course. TARTAGLIA. I should advise you to. Off you go, or offgoes your head. BRIGELLA. My head's hard enough to stand _your_ pecking, old cock. TARTAGLIA. (_Whispering to_ CALAF. ) I'm simply burstingwith curiosity to know your dear, delightful name. If you would only have the kindness to confide itto me! CALAF. Enough! Enough! To-morrow you shall hear it. TARTAGLIA. Excellent. By George! PANTALONE. Your Royal Highness, I take my leave! (_To_BARAK. ) And you, my worthy Mr. Nanny-goat, you will do well to depart this place and smokeyour pipe on the market square instead of standingabout here. I urgently recommend you tomind your own business. I believe that woulddo you a lot more good. (_Exit. _) TARTAGLIA. (_To_ BARAK. ) A lot more good, believe me!You have, if I may say so, a rascal's face; andI can tell you I don't like it. (_Exit. _) BRIGELLA. Permit me, your Royal Highness, to executemy commission. Have the goodness to followme to your apartments! CALAF. I am coming. (_To_ BARAK. ) Friend, until we meet again, Some better time, farewell. BARAK. Your humble servant. BRIGELLA. Come along! Come along! No more fooling. (_Exit at the head of his guards, who marchin two lines, with_ CALAF _between them_. ) SCENE IV BARAK, then SKIRINA. BARAK. (_Sees_ SKIRINA _coming from the Palace_. ) Who's there? Skirina? What! And in such haste?Whence come you? Whither are you going? SKIRINA. Why, For sheer delight because the unknown PrinceHad won the game; a little, too, becauseI itched to hear how the proud tigress took it, I ran to see Zelima in the harem. BARAK. Incautious woman! What is this you say?I see. I hear you boasting: "Yes, just fancy, The strange Prince spoke to us; my husband knows him. .. . "Is it not as I say? SKIRINA. Well, if it is, What harm is there? BARAK. Confess it! You have told! SKIRINA. Well, yes! She asked me straightway for his name, And, to be frank, I promised her. .. BARAK (_angrily_). Damnation!The cat's out of the bag. Insensate woman!Come hence! Away out of the town! (TRUFFALDINO _appears with his eunuchs inthe background. _) Too late!There come the eunuchs. (_To_ SKIRINA. ) Fool of a woman, go!Go home and hide thy folly! (_To the eunuchs. _) Here I am! SCENE V TRUFFALDINO, EUNUCHS. _The foregoing. _ TRUFFALDINO. (_Aside. _) You ass! (_Aloud. _) Stop bleatingand shaking your tags, you old ram you! (_In akindly tone. _) You're going to have a fine timeof it to-day, old boy. BARAK. I'm wanted in the harem. Good! let us go. TRUFFALDINO. Ass! you're going to have a fine time of it, you old baa-baa. And I'll help you. Againstall the rules of etiquette and good breeding, Icondescend to introduce you alive into the harem. Can you appreciate the height of your good fortune?H'm! A vigorous old chap like you!Inside the most holy seraglio? Baa! Baa! Allthose pretty ladies? Baa! Baa! Eh! is thatnothing to you? Baa! Baa! (_More to thepublic. _) As a rule, we are very particular onthis point--absolutely rigorous. As a rule, noteven a flea is admitted into the harem before ithas been carefully examined to see whether it'sa male or a female. We tickle it, and if itlaughs it's a she. Females have a silk threadtied round their left leg. Males are immediatelyexecuted. Baa! Baa! And now you have thisgood fortune thrust upon you. BARAK. I know the Princess sends you after _me_. What of the woman there? I know her not. TRUFFALDINO. Thou knowest her not! Baa! Baa! Thouart a liar, old chap. Thou liest in thy throat, thou silvery ram. Thou knowest her not! Thouparalytic pack of prevarication! This buxomsmiling lady, with her attractive, plump figure, thou knowest her not? Thou thrice-bleachedhypocrite! And all the time you share all shehas, year in, year out, as far as you are able to. Baa! Baa! I'll help you. Baa! Baa! I'llteach you to tell me lies! Baa! Baa! Me, the Grand Eunuch of China! (_Beckons to theeunuchs to bring_ SKIRINA _closer to_ BARAK. ) Well, do you know her now? This lady? Your wife, you wretch, you wretch! Baa! Baa! SKIRINA. I can't make head or tail of it. BARAK. RememberWhat I have said. And hold your tongue. Poor fool, You have now what you wanted. SKIRINA. Heaven help us! TRUFFALDINO. (_To the eunuchs. _) Up! Take the pair of'em between you. Slope swords! Halt! Attention!Eyes front! Quick march! SCENE VI. _In the harem. _ _Anteroom with columns. _ _In themiddle a table, on which stands a large basinfilled with gold coins. _ _It is night. _ (TRUFFALDINO _and his eunuchs surround_BARAK, _who is fettered to a pillar_. _Tothe right stand_ SKIRINA _and_ ZELIMA, _weeping; to the left, in an imperiousattitude_, TURANDOT. ) TURANDOT. There still is time. I offer you againThis dish of gold, if you will speak the names. If you refuse, I'll have you whipped to death. Come hither, slaves! (_The eunuchs make her a deep bow and grip their sticks. _) BARAK (_to_ SKIRINA). Now see what you have done! (_To_ TURANDOT. ) Princess, feed on your prey. Strike on, ye slaves!I know the son's name and I know the sire's. But direst torture shall not make me speak;No, nor the pains of death. Your dish of goldIs so much dirt to me. SKIRINA _and_ ZELIMA. (_Cast themselves down before_ TURANDOT. ) Princess, have mercy. .. . TURANDOT. I am sick of this obstinacy. Slaves, hither!Give this old man a whipping! ZELIMA. Frightful! Stay! SKIRINA. My husband! My poor husband! ADELMA (_enters from behind the scenes_). Take heed, Princess!Hasten away! The Emperor hither comes! (_Pointing to_ BARAK _and_ SKIRINA. ) Conceal this pair here in the deepest dungeon. Give me this dish of gold, and let ZelimaCome with me. I have bribed the sentinelsThat stand at guard before the stranger's room. Zelima, if you love your mother, doWhat now I bid. TURANDOT. In you I put my trust, Adelma. Help me! Do what you think fit! (_At a sign from_ ADELMA, TRUFFALDINO_leads_ BARAK _and_ SKIRINA _out to theright_. ) ADELMA. Zelima, come. (_To the eunuchs. _) One of youbring this basin. (_Exit_ ADELMA, _followed by_ ZELIMA _and oneof the eunuchs, carrying the basin_. ) SCENE VII TURANDOT. TURANDOT. What will Adelma do? If I should win, Who would be greater then than Turandot?Who then would dare to challenge her again?Ah! what a joy, to cast the names to-morrowInto his face, and drive him from my presence, Shamed, disappointed! Not pure joy, perhaps. .. . I see him weeping, sad, depressed. .. . I feelSomething like pity at the thought of it. .. . Stay, Turandot, thou little soul, what thoughtIs this thou harbourest now! Did _he_ show pity, When _he_ in the Divan had solved the riddles?Did he not make thee red with rage and shame?Heaven, help Adelma now, and help me, Heaven, To annihilate him utterly! Help me nowTo guard my virgin freedom, succour meAgainst the coarse and domineering sex! SCENE VIII ALTOUM, PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, GUARDS, TURANDOT. ALTOUM (_meditatively, aside, reading letter_). So Fate at last has stricken that bloody robber, The Sultan of Tashkent. And the same fateBrings, by strange dispensation, Timur's son, Calaf, to us, and to a great good-fortune. Who dares to penetrate Thy mysteries, Just Heaven? PANTALONE (_whispering to_ TARTAGLIA). What the devil is the old gentleman alwaysdrivelling about now? TARTAGLIA (_whispering_). A secret messenger has arrived. Hell's loose somewhere. ALTOUM (_stepping up to_ TURANDOT). Child, the night is almost gone, And, sleepless yet, you wander to and fro, Seeking to know-something you cannot know. I, who have nowise sought, have found it out:You seek, and know it not. (_Shows her the letter. _) Both names are writUpon this sheet. From countries far awayA secret rider bore it even now, With other tidings, grave and full of joy. The messenger I hold in custodyUntil to-morrow night. Your unknown suitorIs of a truth a prince, and a King's son. You will not, cannot guess the names. My child, It is a father's pity brings me here:Why will you once again, this day that dawns, Have yourself put to shame before a crowd, Suffering the cruel malice of their hate? (_Makes signs to_ PANTALONE _and_ TARTAGLIA_to leave him alone_. _Exeunt both withthe_ GUARDS. ) Leave us alone! I hold it in my handTo spare you all. TURANDOT (_wavering_). To spare me what? I thank you, Father. I have no need of any help. In my own wits I have my best defence. ALTOUM. You are now at your wits' end; you know it, too. A desperate confusion fills your eyes. We are alone with one another now. Come, tell your father! Do you know the names? TURANDOT. You will know that in the Divan to-morrow. ALTOUM. Listen, my child. You do not know these names. But if you do, trust in my love and say. Then I will let the poor man know, and seeThat he shall quit my lands without delay, And we will have it noised abroad that youHave conquered him, and spared him public shame. Thus you escape the hatred of the crowd. Will you deny your father this light boon? TURANDOT. I know the names. .. . I do not know the names. .. . Did _he_ show any pity when _he_ won?Now let him bear what I myself have borne. If I _do_ know the names, I shall announce themTo-morrow to the crowd in the Divan. ALTOUM (_makes first a gesture of impatience andthen forces himself to be calm. _) All that he did was done in love, my daughter, And in a game played for his head. Now bidAmbition leave your heart, and anger too, And let me show you how a father loves. I pledge my head you do not know the names. I have them here--and I will tell you them. To-morrow then you may in the DivanPut him to shame and contumely, and seeHis anguish and his torture call for death, Because with you he loses all he loved. And only one thing do I crave: when youHave fed your vengeance on him to the full, Reach him your hand and be his willing wife. Swear it; we are alone. Then have the names. And all shall be a secret, mine and yours. TURANDOT (_uncertain and excited, aside_). What shall I do? Depend upon Adelma?Or shall I let my father tell the names, And bow my head to the yoke?. .. Less is the shame, Beyond all doubt, to yield to one's own father. But what if wise Adelma had succeededAlready, and my oath had been too soon? ALTOUM. Why will you rack your brains when all is clear?Let not irresolution harry you!Would you still have me think you know the names?Child, be persuaded! TURANDOT (_aside_). No, I will wait for Adelma. My father urges me. This is a signThe mystery is not impenetrable. He is in league with that strange man, and seeksTo talk me over. ALTOUM. Hesitate no longer!Make up your mind! Rein in your rearing pride!Torture yourself no more. TURANDOT. I _am_ resolved. Call the Divan together in good time. I have no more to say. ALTOUM. You are resolvedRather to yield to force than to your father! TURANDOT. I am resolved to fight. ALTOUM (_in a rage_). Fool without heart!I will indeed call the Divan togetherTo be your temple and your altar too. And I will summon priests, to celebrateYour marriage while a crowd looks on and mocks. Yea, have your will, you stupid fool! Good night. (_Exit. _) SCENE IX _Scene shifted. _ _A magnificent apartment withseveral doors. _ _In the middle of the room anOriental divan, which serves_ CALAF _as a bed_. _Deep night. _ BRIGELLA, CALAF. BRIGELLA. (_With a candlestick in his hand. _) Three hundredand seventy-seven, three hundred andseventy-eight, three hundred and seventy-nine. It's already three o'clock in the morning, yourRoyal Highness, and you've walked now exactlythree hundred and eighty times from one cornerof the room to the other. To be quite frank, I'mdone up, and if you _would_ lie down a little, it would do us both good. You're in safety here. CALAF. Yes, you are right. But my excited mindGives me no peace. Forgive me! Leave me!Go! BRIGELLA. I should like to give you a piece of advice, my dearest Royal Highness: if a ghost paysyou a visit, be prudent, be prudent; _try_ to be prudent. CALAF. Ghosts, do you say? What ghosts? Is the place haunted? BRIGELLA. Well. .. . H'm. .. . We have the moststringent orders to admit nobody, under penaltyof death. H'm. .. . Poor servants _we_ are, poorservants! The Emperor is the Emperor, youunderstand, but the Princess, she is the Empress, so to speak. Poor servants. .. It's hard to haveto pick your way between two puddles. Nothalf! If you only knew it, we've always gotour heads between the hammer and the anvil. We don't want to get into _anybody's_ bad graces. I'm sure you understand me. And a man wantsto put something aside for his old days. Andso you see we poor devils are in the hell of ahole. Not half! CALAF. What are you driving at? Is my life in danger? BRIGELLA. I won't say that; but you are aware of theblessed interest people about here take in yourname. By way of example it might possiblyhappen that a hobgoblin or a fairy steps inthrough the keyhole and leads you into temptation. Keep a tight rein on your five senses, that'sall. You see what I mean, don't you? Poorservants _we_ people! Poor devils! Not half! CALAF. Go. Have no fear. I stand upon my guard. BRIGELLA. (_Slapping him on the back. _) That's right, yourHighness, that's right. I commend myself toyour most gracious protection. (_Aside. _) I _have_heard that some people can find it in their heartsto refuse a purse of florins. _I_ have done myvery best, but I can't find it in my heart. Sohelp me, God! A man can only do what he cando. I can't do it; no, I can't do it. (_Exit. _) SCENE X CALAF. CALAF. What is this fellow warning me against?Who is to visit me? Well, I can fight, Yea, fight the very devil, if he come. My thoughts are all for her. Short time remainsOf fearing and of torment: Dawn is nigh!And can it be her heart is still so hardAnd pitiless? Well, let us try to sleep. SCENE XI ZELIMA, CALAF. _Enter_ ZELIMA. ZELIMA. My Prince, I am a slave of Turandot, And hither come by ways which even to herAre closed. Good news I bring you. CALAF. Slave, you lie. The heart of Turandot is pitiless. ZELIMA. You speak the truth. And yet: you are the firstThat ever touched it. You believe me not, And yet it is quite true. She says she hates you, And she already loves you. May the earthSwallow me if it is not true she loves you. CALAF. The news _is_ good. I will believe. What next? ZELIMA. She bids me tell you, only her ambitionDrives her to desperation. Now she seesThat what she undertook she cannot do, But thinking of to-morrow and its shameShe is consumed. .. . May the earth swallow me, If here I lie! CALAF. Enough, my pretty slave. I will believe. Go! Tell her: it is easyTo give the contest up. And she would winFairer renown by softening her heart, And giving of her own free will the handHe longs for to the man who loves her true. Is this the message, haply, that you bring? ZELIMA. No, Prince. My message runs not so. We askConsideration for our weaknesses. The Princess begs you for a favour. SpareHer vanity. Help her to say those namesIn the Divan to-morrow. Then she herselfWill from her throne descend, and reach to youHer right hand. You it costs so little. SayThe names, and in this manner win her heart. CALAF (_with a smile_). H'm! Pretty slave, where is the speech's end? ZELIMA. What speech's end, your Highness? CALAF. "Let the earthSwallow me if I lie in this. " ZELIMA. You doubt it? CALAF. I do a little doubt it--just so muchThat I refuse to do what you desire. Go, tell your mistress, if I hide the namesIt is because a lover must be cautious--I do not hide them with intent to pain her. ZELIMA (_violently_). Fool, fool! you little know what this will cost you! CALAF. And if it cost my life! ZELIMA. You soon will see. Good-night. (_Aside. _) The fool! He has made a fool of me. (_Exit in a rage. _) CALAF. Be steadfast, heart! Only a few hours moreThe skies will clear, and fear will have an end. That I could sleep. .. . My tortured spirit yearnsFor rest. Sink down upon me, gentle sleep! (_Goes to sleep. _) SCENE XII CALAF, TRUFFALDINO. TRUFFALDINO. (_Comes creeping in cautiously from right, creeps under the divan. _) Well, thank God! he's gone to sleep at last. 'Sh! 'Sh! (_In the front of the stage beforethe footlights. _) As my poor old mother used tosay, "A good name is worth a fortune. " Whata good name this idiot of a Prince must have, considering how my gracious Princess is throwingall her money away on him! Skirina's got some, Zelima's got some, Brigella's got some. I've gotsome, and I'm going to get two purses extra ifI get this young hopeful's name. And I shallget it! You watch me. I'm going to! (_Withmuch ceremony he pulls a big turnip, wrappedin a strip of paper, out of his dress. _) Here Ihave the famous magic root mandragora. TheUniversal Doctor and Great Herbalist Pimpernel, Market Square, second door to the right, let mehave it for a tanner. Warranted, of course. Warranted to go two years. Printed instructionsfor use attached. (_Unwraps the turnip, reads:_)"The root mandragora opens all doors, bursts alllocks, raises hidden treasure, confers riches andwisdom. .. . " (_Looks up. _) Aha! just whatI want. (_Reads on:_) "It has influence overthe constellations and the planets, makes the blindto see and the deaf to hear, is a protectionagainst the evil eye, heals all maladies of themind, depression in men and melancholy inwomen. .. . " (_Looks up. _) Aha! Depression, quite so. Melancholy, quite so. (_Reads on:_) "Itconfers the gift of second sight, reveals hiddensecrets. .. . " (_Looks up. _) Ah! now we haveit. Hidden secrets. .. . "Let it be placed underthe pillow of the person, whether male or female, whose secret it is desired to know, when thesaid person is asleep. Then the person aforesaid. .. "Hurrah! (_jumps for joy_) "will, by dreaming aloud, communicate what it is desiredto know. " Did you hear that? Isn't that thevery thing? (_Creeps up to_ CALAF'S _bed, and, with excessive caution, places the turnip underhis pillow_. ) 'Sh! 'Sh! (_Draws back a little, and waits, in thegreatest excitement, for what is goingto happen. _ CALAF _does not utter asound_. _With a disappointed face_TRUFFALDINO _creeps nearer the bedagain_. CALAF _remains dumb_. ) Do say something, my dear boy! Do say something, please! (_Waits a little. _) Out with thename, my sweet little lambkin. (_With transfigured face_ CALAF _whispersterms of endearment_. ) What's he saying now? Tu. .. Tu. .. Turandot. Oh, bother! I know that namealready, the name of my adored Princess. It's_your_ name I want to know, my darling boy. (CALAF _goes on whispering excitedly_. _Hesmiles in his happy dream, and raiseshimself on his elbow during the followingwithout opening his eyes_. ) Tu. .. Nothing but Turandot! Well, then, hereI am, duckie. Here I am, lovey, here I am--myown very self, your own little lovey duckieTurandot. (_Purses up his lips. _ CALAF _smilesas though in rapture_. ) What wouldst thouhave of me, my sweetest heart? Eh? Well, what? Something like this? (_Smacks his lips. _)Well, then, you _shall_ have it, and more besides. But first of all, darling, you must tell me yourname, your own delightful, sweet little name, myhoney!. .. (CALAF _sinks back and lies dumb again, sulkily_. ) Oh, you won't, won't you? You really won't?How nasty of you, my love! Just look at me. See how pretty I am! (_Trips coquettishly upand down in front of the bed. _) Look at mylovely white arms and my lovely plump legs, and my glorious hair hanging all down my back!. .. Just look at it, my sweet little chick! (CALAF _begins to whisper excitedly, raisinghimself the while_. ) That's right, that's right, quite so: talk, talk, my bonny babe! (_Bends down again, till hismouth almost touches the sleeper's. _) Once again, my sweet one! Say it once again, my little whitelambkin! It shall have its kiss, it shall, rightaway. (CALAF _turns suddenly and violently roundon the other side, and deals him a ringingbox on the ear_. (_Squeaking noisily_, TRUFFALDINO _runs away_. CALAF _sitsup for a moment in astonishment, openshis eyes, shuts them again immediately, and sinks back on his couch_. ) SCENE XIII ADELMA, _veiled, with a lantern in her hand_. CALAF _sleeping_. ADELMA (_aside_). O moment I have sighed for long! O love, That lendest cunning courage unto me!And Fortune, thou that through all obstaclesHast led me hither: help a lovesick maid!Oh, bring me to the goal of my desires!Silence this yearning, love! And, Fortune, breakThese galling fetters. .. . (_She lets the light of her lantern rest on_CALAF, _and gazes at him_. ) My belovèd sleeps. Oh, burst not, heart! Dear eyes, how loth I amTo trespass on the rest possessing you!And yet I must. At once. The short night flees. (_She puts her lantern down. _) Stranger, awake! CALAF (_starts up in a fright_). Whose voice awakens me?What seekest thou again, thou creeping ghost?Why are my eyes denied their sleep? ADELMA. Be calm!Only a wretched woman stands before you. And she does not come, as the other did, To lure the names from you by trickery. CALAF. Let be! You cannot cheat me. ADELMA. I cheat _you_?Has not a slave been here with such intent? (_Puts her lantern down. _) CALAF. Yes, and she went as wise, as when she came, And you will go as wise as when you came. ADELMA. You know me ill to be so rude. Sit upAnd listen. (_Sits down on the divan. _) CALAF. Well, then, what is your desire? ADELMA. First look at me, and then. .. . Prince, tell me now, Who do you think I am? CALAF. In shape and bearingNoble you seem, but by your dress a slave. And as a slave I saw you yesterdayIn the Divan. ADELMA. Five years since I saw you, And then _you_ were a slave. (_Raises her veil. _) Look at this face!Do you not know it? CALAF. Adelma! How! Adelma, Whom I thought dead! ADELMA. She is a serving-maid, Who was the daughter of King Kaikobad. CALAF. Adelma! A slave! ADELMA. A slave! I'll tell you why. I had a brother, blind with love, as you are, For Turandot. In the Divan he met her. (_Weeps. _) You saw his head above the city gateWith all the others. CALAF. It is true, then, true. ADELMA. My father Kaikobad, in fury bold, Led his array against Altoum. Fortune, The fickle jade, lured him to his defeatAnd death. Altoum's general devisedAt one fell stroke to extirpate our race. My brothers he assassinated. Me, Together with my mother and three sisters, He cast into the river, then in spate. The gentle Emperor, coming on the scene, Ordered his guards to fish us out again. I was the only one brought to the shore, And I was led in the triumphal train, And given as a slave to Turandot, To wait on the hard-hearted woman whoWas cause of all my griefs. Now, Calaf, speak, Am I not worth compassion? (_Weeps. _) CALAF (_moved_). Indeed you are, Adelma, Princess of the Carcasenes!But what can so unfortunate a manAs I am do for you? If fortune smileOn me to-morrow, I will promise helpFor you, and freedom. And your grieving nowCan only heap the measure of my own. ADELMA. You know me now, my destiny, my race. May you the better credit a King's daughter, What pity--I will not say love--constrains herNow to confide to you. False Turandot, Malicious, cunning, cruel Turandot, Soon as the morning dawns, will have you murdered. All orders are already given. So muchFrom her, who is the mistress of your dreams. CALAF (_starts up savagely_). She will have me murdered, do you say? ADELMA. (_Rises likewise, with the most solemn emphasis. _) Yes, murdered:While you are on your way to the Divan. A score of swords await your setting out. CALAF (_beside himself_). I will call the guards. (_Makes for the door. _) ADELMA (_holds him back_). Bethink yourself, rash man!The guards? They have been bought by Turandot! CALAF (_in blind despair_). Timur, my wretched father, thus it stands. With Calaf, thy proud son; he that set outTo seek good fortune for himself and thee! (_Covers his face with his hands. _) ADELMA (_aside_). Haha! Timur. .. Calaf. .. . Be thrice blest, lieThat lured this forth. Doubly I hold him now. CALAF. Can it be possible that Turandot. .. How _can_ it be that such an angel's faceShould hide such devilry?. .. (_Contemptuously. _) No. You deceive me, Adelma. Go! ADELMA. I will forgive your doubt. An angel's face? Oh, would that you had seen herAs I have! In the harem rages she, And like a snapping bitch runs to and fro, Green in the face, and with her bloodshot eyesShining with hate under distorted brows. Doubt if you will. That you should doubt my wordsIs not such pain as your approaching death. (_Weeps. _) CALAF. What treachery! By the very guards betrayedAppointed to protect me! He spake right, That rascal of a captain: Gold kills duty. Life, fare thee well! ADELMA. And yet you may escapeYour evil star. Up, I will show the way. By saving you from death, I save myselfFrom slavery. With my jewels I have boughtTwo of the guards, an escort I have hired, And horses are in readiness. The KhanOf Berlas is my kinsman. Leagued with himLet us invade and seize my kingdom--yours, If so you will. And this my hand be yours, If you will have it. But if you will not, The Tartar Kings are not unblest with daughters, Fair maidens full of love and fit for you. Be you the King, and I will be your subject. Only flee, death. Only deliver me. And I will conquer even my love, which now, Crimson with shame, I have confessed. .. .. Day dawns!Day dawns! My head swims. .. . Stranger, flee with me! CALAF. In vain. I have resolved to stay and die. ADELMA. Then I will, too, stay for a little whileIn slavery yet. And soon it will be seenWhich of us two is readier to die. (_Aside. _) Often persistent love attains at last!Calaf, Timur's son? (_Aloud. _) Stranger Prince, good-night! (_Exit. _) CALAF. Oh, will this night of horrors never end?And this fight of the soul that is consumedIn burning love? By Fortune cast away--Cast into perils, by her hate pursued, I tarry for the dawn and traitorous knives. (_The scene grows light. _) See, the sun rises. Now the hour is comeFor her to feed her pleasure on my blood, The hour has come that sees my torment end! SCENE XIV BRIGELLA, GUARDS, CALAF. BRIGELLA. Time's up, your Highness. Fun begins in a minute. CALAF. Oh, is it you? Well, carry out your orders!Be quick! It doesn't matter. Get it over. BRIGELLA (_astonished_). What orders? Eh? I haven't got any orders. The only order I've got is to escort you to theDivan. Double quick! The Emperor has alreadycombed his beard and may appear in the Divanany minute. CALAF (_in a tragedy tone_). Up, then, to the Divan! What though I do notReach it alive? What matters it? See here, Am I the man to be afraid of death? (_Casts his sword away. _) I need no weapon. Let the Princess knowThat I have offered of my own free willTo her assassins my defenceless breast (_Exit. _) BRIGELLA. What the devil _is_ the fellow raving about?Women, those damned women! They've been athim the whole night, not half, and his brain'scollapsed! Hello, you! Present arms! Dressyour ranks! March! (_Exeunt. _ _Music of drums and other instruments of war. _) END OF THE SECOND ACT. THE THIRD ACT SCENE I _The great hall of the imperial Divan. In the "background, covered by a curtain, an altar witha Chinese idol; two priests standing besideit. _ ALTOUM _on his throne, the doctors ontheir cushions_, PANTALONE _and_ TARTAGLIA_on each side of the_ EMPEROR. ALTOUM, PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, _the_ DOCTORS, _the_ GUARDS. _Later_ CALAF. (_Enter_ CALAF _excitedly from right_. _Helooks round uneasily and suspiciously. __When he arrives at the middle of theroom he bows to_ ALTOUM. ) CALAF (_aside_). How's this? No trace of ambushed murderers?Did the slave lie? Can Turandot have foundThe names out, and rescinded her commands?Then I lose all. Death had been better far. ALTOUM. My son, you seem excited and in fear, And I were fain had you a merry face. Now all is well. Your sorrows are at end. Glad tidings that concern you I will saveA little while. As for my daughter, sheIs yours. She sent to me thrice in the nightPetitioning release from this encounter. Therefore I charge you, son, be of good cheer! PANTALONE. Heaven knows, my dearest Royal Highness, Imyself had to trot off in the night to pay a callon her Royal Highness in the Seraglio and receiveher most illustrious commands. I didn't evenhave the time to tumble into my slippers andget dressed properly. And it was so cold, Heaven knows (_coughs_), I'm shivering yet. Nevermind! Never mind! TARTAGLIA. They fetched me out of bed at 5 a. M. It wasjust beginning to get light a bit. She mademe stand in front of her half an hour while shewent on whining something or other. For sheercold and vexation I talked the most clottednonsense to her. (_Aside. _) It would have suitedmy humour better if I could have given her adownright good spanking. ALTOUM. You see yourself: she is so slow in coming. I have already sent explicit ordersIn case of need to bring her here by force. Here she shall stand and learn to blush, a painShe would not let me spare her. Therefore, son, Take good heart at the prospect of near joy. CALAF. I crave your pardon, sire, and give you thanks!I am tormented by most fearful doubts, And by the thought that for my sake she nowIs suffering shame and force. Much rather. .. NoNot that. If I _do_ lose her, what remainsTo me of life? With time and tendernessI will compel her to forget this rage. My will shall be her wish, my heart her heart. For her sake I will grant what either asks, And my love's banner be: Fidelity! ALTOUM. Let there be no more dallying! This DivanBe changed into a temple, so that she, Soon as she enters here, may recognizeThat I too have a will. Prepare the marriage. Unveil the altar. (_The curtain in the background opens, andthe altar with the priests is seen. _) PANTALONE. She's coming, my dear Lord Chancellor, she'scoming. I believe I can already hear her whining. TARTAGLIA. The accompaniment does at all events sounddecidedly dismal. That's what I call a genuinewedding march, just the same as for a funeral. SCENE II TURANDOT, ADELMA, ZELIMA, TRUFFALDINO, EUNUCHS, SLAVES. _The foregoing. _(_To the strains of a gloomy march_ TURANDOT_appears_. _Before her proceed eunuchs. __Her whole escort wear signs of mourning. __With the same ceremonial as inFirst Act_, TURANDOT _ascends thethrone, and at sight of the altar andthe priests starts with surprise_. _Theposition of the actors is exactly the sameas in the First Act. _ CALAF _standserect in the centre_. ) TURANDOT. This mourning of my escort, _Prince unknown_, These gloomy faces and these necks bowed down, Are (well I know it) sweet to your hard heart;And, mourning, I behold the altar ready. For all my efforts to avenge the shamePut on me yesterday, I still am helpless. I have fought my fight. I bow my neck to fate. CALAF. Would you could read the heart you say is hard, Princess, to see what wormwood your hate blendsWith all its rapture. Let not your heart rueCrowning the man with happiness who loves youAnd worships you, and if it is a crimeTo worship you, I beg you here: forgive! ALTOUM. Enough. She is not worth such humble words. Now teach _her_ to be humble! Music, ho!Up! To the altar! Let the priests begin! TURANDOT. One moment more! What vengeance is so sweetAs this: to cradle in securityAnd restfulness an unsuspecting heart, And then from the pinnacle of happinessTo dash it down into the blackest hellOf torment? (_She rises. _) Hear me, all of you: DepartFrom this Divan, _Calaf, son of Timur_!There is the riddle solved you set me. Wretch, Go! seek another wife, and shake with fearOf Turandot, whom none can overcome. CALAF (_confounded and stricken_). Great Heaven! Lost! Lost! ALTOUM (_taken aback_). What do I hear? Great Heaven! PANTALONE. Holy Madonna, she's gone and done it in hisbeard, my dear Lord Chancellor, Heaven knows. TARTAGLIA. (_Mopping his face. _) Holy Gorgonzola! thisgets over me and no mistake. CALAF. Lost! No one helps me. Who _could_ help me now?I have-been my own assassin, and in the endI lose by too much loving love itself. Why did I solve the riddles yesterday?If I had failed to solve them, I were nowCold, dumb, and free from torture worse than death. Great-hearted Emperor, why do you notLet that grim law hold good another time?Now she has found the names, give your cold daughter, To be her crowning triumph, this last head. (_Approaches_ TURANDOT'S _throne_. ) Most cruel Princess, does it not offend youTo know the heart still beating that has daredTo love you? Look upon your victim here, Calaf, hateful to you, hateful to Heaven, To the world hateful, and to fortune too--Calaf, who at your feet now dies. (_He draws a dagger, and makes a thrust athis heart_. TURANDOT _leaps down fromher throne and seizes his arm_. ) TURANDOT (_in a tone of tenderness_). Calaf, What are you doing? ALTOUM. Dare I trust my eyes? CALAF. Leave me alone, cold woman! Let me die! (_Points the dagger again at his breast. _TURANDOT _restrains him_. ) TURANDOT. Stay! You shall live! and you shall live for me!Listen! (_To_ ZELIMA. ) Run to the prisoners, Zelima!Comfort old faithful Barak and your mother! ZELIMA. Mistress, I will, and lose no time. (_Exit. _) ADELMA (_excitedly, aside_). This momentSpells death for me. TURANDOT. Now hear me: I have wonBy accident. For in a sudden burstOf feeling you betrayed yourself last nightTo my quick-witted slave Adelma here. But let the whole world know: I am aboveInjustice. And know you: your chivalrousDemeanour and fair features have o'ercomeThis stubborn heart. Live then, live and be proud:I am your prize. ADELMA (_in pain, aside_). Oh, torment worse than death. .. . CALAF (_casts his dagger to the floor_). Mine! You! Oh, do not kill me, supreme joy! ALTOUM (_descends from his throne_). Let me embrace thee, daughter. This one hourMakes good the pain you heaped upon my heart. PANTALONE. Wedding! Wedding! Reverend doctors, yourpresence is no longer required here. TARTAGLIA. Have the goodness to withdraw to the posterior apartment. (_Exeunt doctors back of stage. _) ADELMA (_comes to the front_. _In the greatestexcitement to_ CALAF). Live! Oh, yes, live! Live with my enemyIn happiness. (_To_ TURANDOT. ) To you, Princess, I say:I hate you. All I tried to do last nightI did to snatch from you the man I love, Whom secretly I loved ere he loved you. Last night I sought to have him flee with me. He would not. All my arts could lure from himWere those two names, which I betrayed becauseI hated you. I planned you should reject him, And that I then should have him. All in vain. There is one last way open to me now. I, too, am royal, and I am ashamed. That so long I have suffered servitude. Take now the last of all the CarcasenesTo crown your triumphing. .. . (_She picks_ CALAF'S _dagger up from the floor_. ) This steel, which youHave warded from his breast, shall open meThe way to freedom. .. . CALAF (_restrains her_). Stay! ADELMA. Off! Let me die. (_In a voice stifled with tears. _) Ungrateful wretch! CALAF (_snatches the dagger from her_). No, for I owe you all. It was your treachery saved me. You shall notCall me ungrateful. TURANDOT. Are you mad, Adelma, All of a sudden? CALAF. Generous Emperor, If my petition may in aught avail, Give her her freedom! TURANDOT. I petition, too, My noble father. I conceive it well, She never can forgive me her distress;No, nor believe that I can pardon her. Give her her freedom. .. . And if you could grantSome greater favour, do it for our sake! ALTOUM. On such a day of gladness be the measureOf mercy full. I give her not aloneHer freedom but her father's kingdom back. So let her choose a consort she can love, And rule the realm with him. .. . ADELMA. To all the weightOf guilt upon my conscience, to my loadOf love sent back from where it should have lodged, You add the burden of the greatest mercy. I cannot yet conceive it. Give me timeTo understand the height of my good fortune. But now I have no answer save these tears. .. . CALAF. Oh that I knew now where to find you, father!My heart, so full of joy, burns to embrace you. ALTOUM. Calaf, rejoice exceedingly. This empireYou have twice won. Your father, too, has wonHis kingdom back. Slain is the Sultan whoRobbed it from him. Until your sire's returnA faithful servant wields the sceptre for him, And in the meantime sends out messengersTo seek you in all countries. Read this leaf IIt signifies the end of all your grief. CALAF. Ye heavenly gods, you raise and you cast down. You cast down and make mighty, heavenly gods. (_All present sob in their emotion. _) TURANDOT. Now nothing more trouble this wedding-day. (_Comes meditatively somewhat to the front. _) Calaf here risks his head to win a wife. A faithful friend and servant risks his lifeTo save his Prince. A man wins back a throneFor his lost King, and makes it not his own. A woman, who made out she loved me, hidA false heart's treachery. And could I then, After all this, look down in scorn on men?No. And may Heaven forgive me all I didThat made me seem a monster in men's sight! (_Steps quite up to the footlights. _) Dear gentlemen, I tell you this becauseI love you all; and if you are politeLet my conversion have your loud applause. QUICK CURTAIN UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON.