ACT II

BEFORE THE CURTAIN

NOON

_The MAN enters from his house, seats himself and sings_:

Lo! Now the blazing banner of the sun In noonday sky its victory hath won; And even as on mighty battle plain So lieth, stretched and stricken, everyone.

_The WOMAN enters from her house, seats herself and sings_:

Lo! Now in the harim I seek in vain The shadowed cool of midnight to regain; Yet though I burn, ’tis not the heaven’s eye That dooms my senses to eternal pain!

_The MAN_:

Wah! That some wondrous wizard passing by Would charm to silence this my misery.

_The WOMAN_:

Wah! Might some mystic spell invade me so That all my yearning would for ever die!

_BOTH_:

O Thou, Bestower of all things, bestow This benediction on Thy servants low.

_The SORCERER enters and first reveals the MAN to the WOMAN, and the WOMAN to the MAN. When he has retired they rise and sing_:

At last thou openest the future’s wall, Revealing my desire’s inmost call, O Fate, thou greatest sorcerer of all!

_Then they draw together for an instant. But the hour is not yet ripe. So they turn and enter their respective houses. They have seen each other._