Act I. The scene is a spacious hall open to a terrace. A lantern

employed as a signal sheds its reddish light dimly through the gloom before dawn.

From the left enters _Archibaldo_. He is old with flowing white hair and beard, and he is blind. He is led in by his guide _Flaminio_, who is in the dress of the castle guard. As if he saw, the old blind king points to the door of a chamber across the hall and bids _Flaminio_ look and tell him if it is quite shut. It is slightly open. _Archibaldo_ in a low voice orders him to shut it, but make no noise, then, hastily changing his mind, to leave it as it is.

In the setting of the scene, in the gloom penetrated only by the glow of the red lantern, in the costumes of the men, in the actions of the old king, who cannot see but whose sense of hearing is weirdly acute, and in the subtle suggestion of suspicion that all is not well, indicated in his restlessness, the very opening of this opera immediately casts a spell of the uncanny over the hearer. This is enhanced by the groping character of the theme which accompanies the entrance of _Archibaldo_ with his guide, depicting the searching footsteps of the blind old man.

[Music]

There is mention of _Fiora_, the wife of _Archibaldo's_ son, _Manfredo_, who is in the north, laying siege to an enemy stronghold. There also is mention of _Avito_, a prince of Altura, to whom _Fiora_ was betrothed before _Archibaldo_ humbled Italy, but whose marriage to _Manfredo_, notwithstanding her previous betrothal, was one of the conditions of peace. Presumably--as is to be gathered from the brief colloquy--_Archibaldo_ has come into the hall to watch with _Flaminio_ for the possible return of _Manfredo_, but the restlessness of the old king, his commands regarding the door opposite, and even certain inferences to be drawn from what he says, lead to the conclusion that he suspects his son's wife and _Avito_. It is also clear--subtly conveyed, without being stated in so many words--that _Flaminio_, though in the service of _Archibaldo_, is faithful to _Avito_, like himself a native of the country, which _Archibaldo_ has conquered.

When _Flaminio_ reminds _Archibaldo_ that _Avito_ was to have wedded _Fiora_, the blind king bids his guide look out into the valley for any sign of _Manfredo's_ approach. "Nessuno, mio signore! Tutto è pace!" is Flaminio's reply. (No one, my lord! All is quiet!)

[Music]

_Archibaldo_, recalling his younger years, tells eloquently of his conquest of Italy, apostrophizing the ravishing beauty of the country, when it first met his gaze, before he descended the mountains from which he beheld it. He then bids _Flaminio_ put out the lantern, since _Manfredo_ comes not. _Flaminio_ obeys then, as there is heard in the distance the sound of a rustic flute, he urges upon _Archibaldo_ that they go. It is nearly dawn, the flute appears to have been a signal which _Flaminio_ understands. He is obviously uneasy, as he leads _Archibaldo_ out of the hall.

_Avito_ and _Fiora_ come out of her room. The woman's hair hangs in disorder around her face, her slender figure is draped in a very fine ivory-white garment. The very quiet that prevails fills _Avito_ with apprehension. It is the woman, confident through love, that seeks to reassure him. "Dammi le labbra, e tanta ti darò di questa pace!" (Give me thy lips, and I will give thee of this peace).

[Music]

For the moment _Avito_ is reassured. There is a brief but passionate love scene. Then _Avito_ perceives that the lantern has been extinguished. He is sure someone has been there, and they are spied upon. Once more _Fiora_ tries to give him confidence. Then she herself hears someone approaching. _Avito_ escapes from the terrace into the dim daylight. The door on the left opens and _Archibaldo_ appears alone. He calls "Fiora! Fiora! Fiora!"

Concealing every movement from the old man's ears, she endeavours to glide back to her chamber. But he hears her.

"I hear thee breathing! Thou'rt breathless and excited! O Fiora, say, with whom hast thou been speaking?"

Deliberately she lies to him. She has been speaking to no one. His keen sense tells him that she lies. For when she sought to escape from him, he heard her "gliding thro' the shadows like a snowy wing."

_Flaminio_ comes hurrying in. The gleam of armoured men has been seen in the distance. _Manfredo_ is returning. His trumpet is sounded. Even now he is upon the battlement and embraced by his father. Longing for his wife, _Fiora_, has led him for a time to forsake the siege. _Fiora_ greets him, but with no more than a semblance of kindness. With cunning, she taunts _Archibaldo_ by telling _Manfredo_ that she had come out upon the terrace at dawn to watch for him, the truth of which assertion _Archibaldo_ can affirm, for he found her there. As they go to their chamber, the old man, troubled, suspecting, fearing, thanks God that he is blind.