Chapter 27

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 in First Act_, TURANDOT _ascends the throne, and at sight of the altar and the priests starts with surprise_. _The position of the actors is exactly the same as in the First Act._ CALAF _stands erect 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 shame Put 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 blends With all its rapture. Let not your heart rue Crowning the man with happiness who loves you And worships you, and if it is a crime To 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 sweet As this: to cradle in security And restfulness an unsuspecting heart, And then from the pinnacle of happiness To dash it down into the blackest hell Of torment?

(_She rises._)

Hear me, all of you: Depart From this Divan, _Calaf, son of Timur_! There is the riddle solved you set me. Wretch, Go! seek another wife, and shake with fear Of 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 his beard, my dear Lord Chancellor, Heaven knows.

TARTAGLIA.

(_Mopping his face._) Holy Gorgonzola! this gets 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 end I lose by too much loving love itself. Why did I solve the riddles yesterday? If I had failed to solve them, I were now Cold, dumb, and free from torture worse than death. Great-hearted Emperor, why do you not Let 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 you To know the heart still beating that has dared To 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 at his heart_. TURANDOT _leaps down from her 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 moment Spells death for me.

TURANDOT.

Now hear me: I have won By accident. For in a sudden burst Of feeling you betrayed yourself last night To my quick-witted slave Adelma here. But let the whole world know: I am above Injustice. And know you: your chivalrous Demeanour and fair features have o'ercome This 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 hour Makes good the pain you heaped upon my heart.

PANTALONE.

Wedding! Wedding! Reverend doctors, your presence 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 greatest excitement to_ CALAF).

Live! Oh, yes, live! Live with my enemy In happiness.

(_To_ TURANDOT.)

To you, Princess, I say: I hate you. All I tried to do last night I 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 him Were those two names, which I betrayed because I 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 Carcasenes To crown your triumphing....

(_She picks_ CALAF'S _dagger up from the floor_.)

This steel, which you Have warded from his breast, shall open me The 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 not Call 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 grant Some greater favour, do it for our sake!

ALTOUM.

On such a day of gladness be the measure Of mercy full. I give her not alone Her 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 weight Of guilt upon my conscience, to my load Of love sent back from where it should have lodged, You add the burden of the greatest mercy. I cannot yet conceive it. Give me time To 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 empire You have twice won. Your father, too, has won His kingdom back. Slain is the Sultan who Robbed it from him. Until your sire's return A faithful servant wields the sceptre for him, And in the meantime sends out messengers To seek you in all countries. Read this leaf I It 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 life To save his Prince. A man wins back a throne For his lost King, and makes it not his own. A woman, who made out she loved me, hid A 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 did That made me seem a monster in men's sight!

(_Steps quite up to the footlights._)

Dear gentlemen, I tell you this because I love you all; and if you are polite Let my conversion have your loud applause.

QUICK CURTAIN

UNWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PRESS, WOKING AND LONDON.