Act III. That tragedy further advances toward its consummation in the

present act.

It is a beautiful moonlight night on the banks of the Nile--moonlight whose silvery rays are no more exquisite than the music that seems steeped in them.

[Music]

Half concealed in the foliage is the temple of Isis, from which issues the sound of women's voices, softly chanting. A boat approaches the shore and out of it steps _Amneris_ and the high priest, with a train of closely veiled women and several guards. The _Princess_ is about to enter upon a vigil in the temple to implore the favour of the goddess before her nuptials with _Rhadames_.

For a while after they have entered the temple, the shore seems deserted. But from the shadow of a grove of palms _Aïda_ cautiously emerges into the moonlight. In song she breathes forth memories of her native land: _Oh, patria mia!--O cieli azzurri!_ (Oh, native land!--Oh, skies of tender blue!).

[Music: O cieli azzurri, o dolci aure native,]

The phrase, _O patria mia! mai più ti rivedrò_ (Oh, native land! I ne'er shall see thee more)--a little further on--recalls the famous "Non ti scordar" from the "Miserere" in "Trovatore." Here _Rhadames_ has bid _Aïda_ meet him. Is it for a last farewell? If so, the Nile shall be her grave. She hears a swift footfall, and turning, in expectation of seeing _Rhadames_, beholds her father. He has fathomed her secret and divined that she is here to meet _Rhadames_--the betrothed of _Amneris_! Cunningly _Amonasro_ works upon her feelings. Would she triumph over her rival? The Ethiopians again are in arms. Again _Rhadames_ is to lead the Egyptians against them. Let her draw from him the path which he intends to take with his army and that path shall be converted into a fatal ambuscade.

At first the thought is abhorrent to _Aïda_; but her father by craftily inciting her love of country and no less her jealousy and despair, at last is able to wrest consent from her; then draws back into the shadow as he hears _Rhadames_ approaching.

This duet of _Aïda_ and _Amonasro_ is and will remain one of the beautiful dramatic efforts of the Italian repertory. The situation is one of those in which Verdi delights; he is in his element.

It is difficult to bring _Aïda_ to make the designs of her father agree with her love for the young Egyptian chief. But the subtlety of the score, its warmth, its varied and ably managed expression, almost make plausible the submission of the young girl to the adjurations of _Amonasro_, and excusable a decision of which she does not foresee the consequences. To restore the crown to her father, to view again her own country, to escape an ignominious servitude, to prevent her lover becoming the husband of _Amneris_, her rival,--such are the thoughts which assail her during this duet, and they are quite capable of disturbing for a moment her better reason. _Amonasro_ sings these phrases, so charming in the Italian:

Rivedrai le foreste imbalsamate, Le fresche valli, i nostri templi d'or! Sposa felice a lui che amasti tanto, Tripudii immensi ivi potrai gioir!...

(Thou shalt see again the balmy forests, The green valleys, and our golden temples. Happy bride of him thou lovest so much, Great rejoicing thenceforth shall be thine.)

As she still is reluctant to lure from her lover the secret of the route by which, in the newly planned invasion of her country, the Egyptians expect to enter Ethiopia, _Amonasro_ changes his tactics and conjures up for her in music a vision of the carnage among her people, and finally invokes her mother's ghost, until, in pianissimo, dramatically contrasting with the force of her father's savage imprecation, she whispers, _O patria! quanto mi costi!_ (Oh, native land! how much thou demandest of me!).

_Amonasro_ leaves. _Aïda_ awaits her lover. When she somewhat coldly meets _Rhadames's_ renewed declaration of love with the bitter protest that the rites of another love are awaiting him, he unfolds his plan to her. He will lead the Egyptians to victory and on returning with these fresh laurels, he will prostrate himself before the _King_, lay bare his heart to him, and ask for the hand of _Aïda_ as a reward for his services to his country. But _Aïda_ is well aware of the power of _Amneris_ and that her vengeance would swiftly fall upon them both. She can see but one course to safety--that _Rhadames_ join her in flight to her native land, where, amid forest groves and the scent of flowers, and all forgetful of the world, they will dream away their lives in love. This is the beginning of the dreamy yet impassioned love duet--"Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti" (Ah, fly with me). She implores him in passionate accents to escape with her. Enthralled by the rapture in her voice, thrilled by the vision of happiness she conjures up before him, he forgets for the moment country, duty, all else save love; and exclaiming, "Love shall be our guide!" turns to fly with her.

This duet, charged with exotic rapture, opens with recitativo phrases for _Aïda_. I have selected three passages for quotation: "Là tra foreste vergini" (There 'mid the virgin forest groves); "Di fiori profumate" (And 'mid the scent of flowers); and "In estasi la terra scorderem" (In ecstasy the world forgotten).

[Music: Là tra foreste vergini,]

[Music: In estasi beate la terra scorderem,]

[Music: in estasi la terra scorderem,]

But Aïda, feigning alarm, asks:

"By what road shall we avoid the Egyptian host?"

"The path by which our troops plan to fall upon the enemy will be deserted until tomorrow."

"And that path?"

"The pass of Napata."

A voice echoes his words, "The pass of Napata."

"Who hears us?" exclaims _Rhadames_.

"The father of _Aïda_ and king of the Ethiopians," and _Amonasro_ issues forth from his hiding place. He has uncovered the plan of the Egyptian invasion, but the delay has been fatal. For at the same moment there is a cry of "Traitor!" from the temple.

It is the voice of _Amneris_, who with the high priest has overheard all. _Amonasro_, baring a dagger, would throw himself upon his daughter's rival, but _Rhadames_ places himself between them and bids the Ethiopian fly with _Aïda_. _Amonasro_, drawing his daughter away with him, disappears in the darkness; while _Rhadames_, with the words, "Priest, I remain with you," delivers himself a prisoner into his hands.