Act 2
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-stock
Before 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 guess
His and his father's names? Here no one knows him.
The Emperor himself has granted him
For 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 feet
To 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 know
They all are treacherous: pretending love
Until 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 he
To-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 age
Comes 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 base
In birth may, it is true, so basely think
As thou, Zelima. How couldst thou conceive
The feelings of our noble mistress, when
After so many years with triumph crowned,
A stranger roving here from who knows where
Puts her to shame in public? How shouldst thou
Know 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 pass
In the Divan to-morrow if in shame
She hold her tongue? I can already see
The mockery scarcely hid, the open scorn,
And the base wit, such wit as is the meed
Of 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 Divan
Himself betrayed it: in this city lives
One man who knows his name and origin.
Now what behoves us is to ferret through
The town, and if we make no stint of gold
Haply 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 do
If 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 indeed
Hoped to appease, convince you in the end,
Hoped you would give the Prince your hand—the Prince
Who 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 imminent
Encounter which to-morrow shall decide,
She told me she had spoken to the stranger
The night before, and said that my step-father,
Old Hassan, knows him. There and then I asked
What 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 me
To 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 you
The 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 man
Knows me, save you, and since my country lies
A hundred days of journeying from here,
And when you think we have been wanderers
O'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 win
At one throw of the dice the loveliest
Of maidens and a mighty empire too:
You stake your head to win, and, having won,
You throw the prize away.
CALAF.
You must not measure
My 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 dearest
Prince? What sort of people are you honouring
with 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, I
had not previously noticed that there was any
screw loose under your turban. Your conduct
so far had led me, I trust not misled me, to
believe that your head was screwed on quite safe.
But what the deuce are you up to now, if you
will allow me to say so?
PANTALONE.
'Sh! 'Sh! It's no use crying over spilt milk.
Heaven knows, my dear Prince, you little suspect
what hot water you've got into, and if we hadn't
kept a sharp eye on you, you'd be in a fine
pickle at this moment. (To BARAK.) Your
presence here, Mr. Nanny-goat, is no longer
desired! As for you, my dearest Royal Highness,
will you have the goodness to withdraw to
your private apartments? Brigella, you will
forthwith call two thousand men of the guards to
arms, and with your corps of pages sentinel the
entrance to his suite, taking care that no one
gains admission. Our most Sublime Majesty,
the Emperor, is so much in love with the Prince
that he is all the time in a perfect state lest
anything should happen to him. If he is not his
son-in-law by to-morrow morning, Heaven knows
the old gentleman will succumb to this violent
passion. (To CALAF.) And let me tell you,
you've been making a fool of yourself. (Whispering to him.)
For Heaven's sake, don't let your
name get between your teeth! But if by any
chance you would care to whisper it to a venerable,
discreet old man, I can assure you it would be
in 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 my
duty in due course.
TARTAGLIA.
I should advise you to. Off you go, or off
goes your head.
BRIGELLA.
My head's hard enough to stand your pecking,
old cock.
TARTAGLIA.
(Whispering to CALAF.) I'm simply bursting
with curiosity to know your dear, delightful name.
If you would only have the kindness to confide it
to 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 smoke
your pipe on the market square instead of standing
about here. I urgently recommend you to
mind your own business. I believe that would
do 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; and
I can tell you I don't like it.
(Exit.)
BRIGELLA.
Permit me, your Royal Highness, to execute
my commission. Have the goodness to follow
me 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 march in 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 Prince
Had won the game; a little, too, because
I 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 in the 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 bleating
and shaking your tags, you old ram you! (In a
kindly tone.) You're going to have a fine time
of 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. Against
all the rules of etiquette and good breeding, I
condescend 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! All
those pretty ladies? Baa! Baa! Eh! is that
nothing to you? Baa! Baa! (More to the
public.) As a rule, we are very particular on
this point—absolutely rigorous. As a rule, not
even a flea is admitted into the harem before it
has been carefully examined to see whether it's
a male or a female. We tickle it, and if it
laughs it's a she. Females have a silk thread
tied round their left leg. Males are immediately
executed. Baa! Baa! And now you have this
good 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! Thou
art a liar, old chap. Thou liest in thy throat,
thou silvery ram. Thou knowest her not! Thou
paralytic pack of prevarication! This buxom
smiling lady, with her attractive, plump figure,
thou knowest her not? Thou thrice-bleached
hypocrite! And all the time you share all she
has, year in, year out, as far as you are able to.
Baa! Baa! I'll help you. Baa! Baa! I'll
teach you to tell me lies! Baa! Baa! Me,
the Grand Eunuch of China! (Beckons to the
eunuchs 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.
Remember
What 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 the middle a table, on which stands a large basin filled with gold coins. It is night.
(TRUFFALDINO and his eunuchs surround BARAK, who is fettered to a pillar. To the right stand SKIRINA and ZELIMA, weeping; to the left, in an imperious attitude, TURANDOT.)
TURANDOT.
There still is time. I offer you again
This 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 gold
Is 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 Zelima
Come with me. I have bribed the sentinels
That stand at guard before the stranger's room.
Zelima, if you love your mother, do
What 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 the
right.)
ADELMA.
Zelima, come. (To the eunuchs.) One of you
bring this basin.
(Exit ADELMA, followed by ZELIMA and one of 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-morrow
Into his face, and drive him from my presence,
Shamed, disappointed! Not pure joy, perhaps....
I see him weeping, sad, depressed.... I feel
Something like pity at the thought of it....
Stay, Turandot, thou little soul, what thought
Is 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 now
To guard my virgin freedom, succour me
Against 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 fate
Brings, 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 always
drivelling 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 writ
Upon this sheet. From countries far away
A secret rider bore it even now,
With other tidings, grave and full of joy.
The messenger I hold in custody
Until to-morrow night. Your unknown suitor
Is 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 with the GUARDS.)
Leave us alone! I hold it in my hand
To 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 see
That he shall quit my lands without delay,
And we will have it noised abroad that you
Have 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 them
To-morrow to the crowd in the Divan.
ALTOUM (makes first a gesture of impatience and then forces himself to be calm.)
All that he did was done in love, my daughter,
And in a game played for his head. Now bid
Ambition 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 Divan
Put him to shame and contumely, and see
His anguish and his torture call for death,
Because with you he loses all he loved.
And only one thing do I crave: when you
Have 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 succeeded
Already, 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 sign
The mystery is not impenetrable.
He is in league with that strange man, and seeks
To 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 resolved
Rather 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 together
To be your temple and your altar too.
And I will summon priests, to celebrate
Your 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 with several doors. In the middle of the room an Oriental divan, which serves CALAF as a bed. Deep night.
BRIGELLA, CALAF.
BRIGELLA.
(With a candlestick in his hand.) Three hundred
and seventy-seven, three hundred and
seventy-eight, three hundred and seventy-nine.
It's already three o'clock in the morning, your
Royal Highness, and you've walked now exactly
three hundred and eighty times from one corner
of the room to the other. To be quite frank, I'm
done 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 mind
Gives 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 pays
you 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 most
stringent orders to admit nobody, under penalty
of death. H'm.... Poor servants we are, poor
servants! The Emperor is the Emperor, you
understand, but the Princess, she is the Empress,
so to speak. Poor servants... it's hard to have
to pick your way between two puddles. Not
half! If you only knew it, we've always got
our 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 wants
to put something aside for his old days. And
so you see we poor devils are in the hell of a
hole. Not half!
CALAF.
What are you driving at? Is my life in danger?
BRIGELLA.
I won't say that; but you are aware of the
blessed interest people about here take in your
name. By way of example it might possibly
happen that a hobgoblin or a fairy steps in
through the keyhole and leads you into temptation.
Keep a tight rein on your five senses, that's
all. You see what I mean, don't you? Poor
servants 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, your
Highness, that's right. I commend myself to
your most gracious protection. (Aside.) I have
heard that some people can find it in their hearts
to refuse a purse of florins. I have done my
very best, but I can't find it in my heart. So
help me, God! A man can only do what he can
do. 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 remains
Of fearing and of torment: Dawn is nigh!
And can it be her heart is still so hard
And 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 her
Are 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 first
That 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 earth
Swallow 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 ambition
Drives her to desperation. Now she sees
That what she undertook she cannot do,
But thinking of to-morrow and its shame
She is consumed.... May the earth swallow me,
If here I lie!
CALAF.
Enough, my pretty slave.
I will believe. Go! Tell her: it is easy
To give the contest up. And she would win
Fairer renown by softening her heart,
And giving of her own free will the hand
He 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 ask
Consideration for our weaknesses.
The Princess begs you for a favour. Spare
Her vanity. Help her to say those names
In the Divan to-morrow. Then she herself
Will from her throne descend, and reach to you
Her right hand. You it costs so little. Say
The 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 earth
Swallow me if I lie in this."
ZELIMA.
You doubt it?
CALAF.
I do a little doubt it—just so much
That I refuse to do what you desire.
Go, tell your mistress, if I hide the names
It 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 more
The skies will clear, and fear will have an end.
That I could sleep.... My tortured spirit yearns
For 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 before
the footlights.) As my poor old mother used to
say, "A good name is worth a fortune." What
a good name this idiot of a Prince must have,
considering how my gracious Princess is throwing
all her money away on him! Skirina's got some,
Zelima's got some, Brigella's got some. I've got
some, and I'm going to get two purses extra if
I get this young hopeful's name. And I shall
get it! You watch me. I'm going to! (With
much ceremony he pulls a big turnip, wrapped
in a strip of paper, out of his dress.) Here I
have the famous magic root mandragora. The
Universal Doctor and Great Herbalist Pimpernel,
Market Square, second door to the right, let me
have it for a tanner. Warranted, of course.
Warranted to go two years. Printed instructions
for use attached. (Unwraps the turnip, reads:)
"The root mandragora opens all doors, bursts all
locks, raises hidden treasure, confers riches and
wisdom...." (Looks up.) Aha! just what
I want. (Reads on:) "It has influence over
the constellations and the planets, makes the blind
to see and the deaf to hear, is a protection
against the evil eye, heals all maladies of the
mind, depression in men and melancholy in
women...." (Looks up.) Aha! Depression,
quite so. Melancholy, quite so. (Reads on:) "It
confers the gift of second sight, reveals hidden
secrets...." (Looks up.) Ah! now we have
it. Hidden secrets.... "Let it be placed under
the pillow of the person, whether male or female,
whose secret it is desired to know, when the
said person is asleep. Then the person aforesaid..."
Hurrah! (jumps for joy) "will,
by dreaming aloud, communicate what it is desired
to know." Did you hear that? Isn't that the
very thing?
(Creeps up to CALAF'S bed, and, with excessive caution, places the turnip under his pillow.)
'Sh! 'Sh!
(Draws back a little, and waits, in the greatest excitement, for what is going to happen. CALAF does not utter a sound. With a disappointed face TRUFFALDINO creeps nearer the bed again. CALAF remains dumb.)
Do say something, my dear boy! Do say something,
please! (Waits a little.) Out with the
name, my sweet little lambkin.
(With transfigured face CALAF whispers terms of endearment.)
What's he saying now? Tu... Tu...
Turandot. Oh, bother! I know that name
already, the name of my adored Princess. It's
your name I want to know, my darling boy.
(CALAF goes on whispering excitedly. He smiles in his happy dream, and raises himself on his elbow during the following without opening his eyes.)
Tu... nothing but Turandot! Well, then, here
I am, duckie. Here I am, lovey, here I am—my
own very self, your own little lovey duckie
Turandot. (Purses up his lips. CALAF smiles
as though in rapture.) What wouldst thou
have 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 your
name, your own delightful, sweet little name, my honey!...
(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 up
and down in front of the bed.) Look at my
lovely 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, raising himself the while.)
That's right, that's right, quite so: talk, talk,
my bonny babe! (Bends down again, till his
mouth almost touches the sleeper's.) Once again,
my sweet one! Say it once again, my little white
lambkin! It shall have its kiss, it shall, right away.
(CALAF turns suddenly and violently round on the other side, and deals him a ringing box on the ear. (Squeaking noisily, TRUFFALDINO runs away. CALAF sits up for a moment in astonishment, opens his 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 obstacles
Hast led me hither: help a lovesick maid!
Oh, bring me to the goal of my desires!
Silence this yearning, love! And, Fortune, break
These 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 am
To 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 up
And 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 bearing
Noble you seem, but by your dress a slave.
And as a slave I saw you yesterday
In 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 gate
With 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 defeat
And death. Altoum's general devised
At 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 who
Was 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 man
As I am do for you? If fortune smile
On me to-morrow, I will promise help
For you, and freedom. And your grieving now
Can 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 her
Now 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 much
From 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 out
To seek good fortune for himself and thee!
(Covers his face with his hands.)
ADELMA (aside).
Haha! Timur... Calaf.... Be thrice blest, lie
That lured this forth. Doubly I hold him now.
CALAF.
Can it be possible that Turandot...
How can it be that such an angel's face
Should 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 her
As I have! In the harem rages she,
And like a snapping bitch runs to and fro,
Green in the face, and with her bloodshot eyes
Shining with hate under distorted brows.
Doubt if you will. That you should doubt my words
Is not such pain as your approaching death.
(Weeps.)
CALAF.
What treachery! By the very guards betrayed
Appointed to protect me! He spake right,
That rascal of a captain: Gold kills duty.
Life, fare thee well!
ADELMA.
And yet you may escape
Your evil star. Up, I will show the way.
By saving you from death, I save myself
From slavery. With my jewels I have bought
Two of the guards, an escort I have hired,
And horses are in readiness. The Khan
Of Berlas is my kinsman. Leagued with him
Let 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 while
In slavery yet. And soon it will be seen
Which 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 consumed
In 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 come
For 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 the
Divan. Double quick! The Emperor has already
combed his beard and may appear in the Divan
any minute.
CALAF (in a tragedy tone).
Up, then, to the Divan! What though I do not
Reach 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 know
That I have offered of my own free will
To her assassins my defenceless breast
(Exit.)
BRIGELLA.
What the devil is the fellow raving about?
Women, those damned women! They've been at
him the whole night, not half, and his brain's
collapsed! Hello, you! Present arms! Dress
your ranks! March!
(Exeunt. Music of drums and other instruments of war.)
END of the SECOND ACT.