Turandot

“ Last appears TURANDOT in gorgeous Chinese costume, veiled, and with a haughty attitude of challenge. The eight doctors and the two ministers cast themselves down before her, touching the floor with their brows. ALTOUM rises. TURANDOT raises her hand to her forehead and greets her father with a solemn bow, then ascends her throne and sits down. ZELIMA stands at her right, ADELMA at her left. ”

“ Glad news I have in store for thee. Alone
Joys come not. Turandot shall be thine own.
Three times to-night she sent to me to pray
I would defer th' encounter of to-day.
'Tis evident her pride is sorely vext,
She'd hide her failure by some vain pretext. ”

“ 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.) ”

“ Wish I could give him a dig in the ribs, Heaven
knows! My shanks are quivering with fear he
shouldn't be able to get his wits together again.
Oh for a cooling draught of old Three Star!
TARTAGLIA.
If it weren't contrary to etiquette, I'd like to
run into the kitchen and fetch the vinegar bottle.
TURANDOT.
Death thou didst ask for, death thou hast received. ”

“ Plunge in at once, right over head and heels.
A royal Crown Prince, too; my stars and garters!
Crême de la crême—the cream of Crimean Tartars!
ADELMA.
My soul by doubt and hate is torn;
She loves him, though she shows such bitter scorn.
I'm stung to anguish, yet I'll not repine,
My rival's torture is as sharp as mine.
(KALAF has stood bowed down by grief; he starts suddenly and
approaches TURANDOT's throne) —
KALAF.
Thy cruel will shall find no more resistance ”

“ Marriage on her; but you—for I forbid
New carnage—free and scatheless go your way!
(In a low voice to CALAF.)
Now follow me! Blind fool, what have you done?
(Music strikes up with a march. ALTOUM turns, followed by the guards, the doctors, PANTALONE, and TARTAGLIA, to left exit. Exeunt TURANDOT, ZELIMA, TRUFFALDINO, the eunuchs, and female slaves, with their tambourines, through the door to the right.)
END OF THE FIRST ACT.
THE SECOND ACT SCENE I Chamber in the harem.
TURANDOT, ZELIMA. Afterwards ADELMA.
TURANDOT.
I cannot bear to think of it, Zelima ”

“ Centre. Centre.
THE EIGHT DOCTORS.
(In chorus, after unsealing the second leaf.)
Optime. Knowledge and Power! Knowledge
and Power! Knowledge and Power!
ALTOUM (excitedly) .
O joy! O joy!—Gods, help him to the end!
ZELIMA (aside) .
Would this had been the last!
ADELMA (excitedly, aside) .
Alas! I lose him!
(Aside to TURANDOT.)
This moment turns your fair renown to shame:
He is your better.
TURANDOT (in a low voice) .
Silence! Ere he win
Let the world go to pieces.
(Aloud to CALAF.)
Rash fool! ”

“ And being dead, still blooms in death,
Living beyond its little hour
To grow more sweet in fragrance as it grows
In memory? [Turandot gazes pityingly. Calaf speaks with closed eyes]
70CALAF
A withered rose. [Turandot starts suddenly from her throne and sinks back, whispering to Zelima. Capo despatches Harlequin to Turandot, who gives him tremblingly a key, which he carries to Scaramouche]
CAPO.
Unlock the secret box.
SCARAMOUCHE [As Harlequin unlocks the little box on his platter and presents to him a strip of parchment from within it, reads aloud]
A withered rose. ”

“ Thine only son in such deep misery,
All Tartary thou'dst gladly give to save
Its royal heir from such untimely grave.
(Covers his face in despair.)
ADEL. (aside)
Kalaf, future Khan of Tartarland!
(Most luckily the last-told lie I planned.)
He's in my power. If he escape one net,
He'll fall into another, closer yet.
KAL. (to himself.)
I've said "Or death or Turandot." Her will
Decrees my death—from her 'tis, welcome still.
Adieu, fond hopes. Delusive joys, farewell!
ADEL.
Once more let me implore you. ”

“ Prepare the altar.
(A curtain is raised, disclosing an altar with a Chinese deity.
Two priests attending.)
Hither call our daughter;
Obedience to the law shall now be taught her.
Set open all the doors! Lo, where she comes.
(A slow march is heard. TRUFFALDIN and slaves enter, in mourning
garments, with weepers of crape attached to their pigtails. Female
slaves in black veils: then TURANDOT, ADELMA, and SKIRINA, all
demonstrating extreme dejection. TURANDOT ascends her throne
with the same ceremonies at in Act II.)
PANT.
Is this a wedding march, with muffled drums? ”

“ Black male and female slaves, beating tantans and
cymbals. ADELMA, in Tartar costume, and SKIRINA, both veiled.
ADELMA carries a salver upon which are sealed papers. TRUFFALDIN
and male slaves prostrate themselves as they pass ALTOUM'S throne;
the female slaves kneel, with their hands to their forehead. Then
appears TURANDOT, veiled, in rich Chinese costume. ”

“ My poverty has nothing else to show
Its gratitude. I pray you, if you will,
Give something of it to the Heavenly Powers
That they protect me. And something to the poor,
That they may pray for me. And so farewell!
(Exit in the direction of the city.)
BARAK.
Prince, do not go! My son.... My dear, dear son....
SKIRINA.
Confucius be merciful to us!
SCENE VII The great hall of the imperial Divan: two high doors on each side, on the right to TURANDOT'S harem, on the left to the EMPEROR'S chambers.
TRUFFALDINO, EUNUCHS.
TRUFFALDINO.
Halt! ”

“ Of coping with the Sphinx he may achieve—
His doom unto the gods we now must leave.
SKIR.
We'll sacrifice a pig to great Fo-hi,
He'll perhaps contrive your handsome friend shan't die.
(Exeunt into the cottage.)
END OF ACT I.
ACT II. SCENE.—Grand saloon of the Divan. L. Doors leading to the Emperor's apartment. R. Doors leading to TURANDOT's Hareem. Black slaves discovered, engaged in setting the saloon in order; TRUFFALDIN majestically directing them.
TRUF.
Come, look alive! His Majesty's Divan
Will soon assemble. Now, look sharp, my man!
A carpet for this throne ”

“ Th-the S-sp-sphinx is v-van-qui-quished—Vinto è il Demonio!
Sh-she's f-fou-found her m-ma-match. Evviva il matrimonio!
(TURANDOT faints, ADELMA and SKIRINA support her. ALTOUM
leaning on PANT. and TART. descends his throne, and embraces
KALAF. The DOCTORS quit their seats, and retire to the background.)
ALT.
Sweet prince, our son-in-law thou'lt be to-morrow,
A joyful climax to our royal sorrow.
TUR. (recovers her senses, and rashes wildly between ALTOUM and
KALAF) —
Oh, make me not his slave! ”

“ Halt! Present arms!
TRUFFALDINO.
(Behind the scenes.) Halt! Slope swords!
Open the gate! At ease! Quick march!
(The gate is thrown open. TRUFFALDINO,
leading the eunuchs; then, between PANTALONE
and TARTAGLIA, the PRINCE OF
SAMARKAND; behind them, at the head
of his pages, BRIGELLA. The whole
procession halts in front of the gate,
they all draw up in one line, and gaze
upwards at the bloody heads.)
PANTALONE.
(Stepping in front of the footlights.) ”

“ The great hall of the imperial Divan. In the "background, covered by a curtain, an altar with a Chinese idol; two priests standing beside it. ALTOUM on his throne, the doctors on their cushions, PANTALONE and TARTAGLIA on each side of the EMPEROR. ALTOUM, PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, the DOCTORS, the GUARDS. Later CALAF. (Enter CALAF excitedly from right. He looks round uneasily and suspiciously. When he arrives at the middle of the room he bows to ALTOUM.)
CALAF (aside) . ”

“ Khalaf, although he had now every day a thousand matters to occupy his attention, did not forget his kind hostess; he remembered with gratitude the solicitude she expressed for him; he sent for her to the palace, and begged Tourandocte to receive her amongst her attendants.
The hope that Timurtasch and Elmaze entertained of reascending the throne of the Nagäi-Tartars, by the assistance of the king of China, insensibly made [Pg 175] them forget their past troubles; and when Tourandocte gave birth to a beautiful prince, they were quite overwhelmed with joy. ”

“ After Khalaf had recovered from his swoon, through the attentions of the mandarins and the king himself, who had quitted his throne to come to his assistance, he thus addressed Tourandocte:
"Beautiful princess, you are mistaken if you think you have given a fitting answer to my question; the son of Timurtasch is not covered with glory, and overwhelmed with joy; he is rather covered with shame, and overwhelmed with grief." ”

“ Yes, that aversion you entertained for marriage, that aversion so contrary to nature, robbed me of the sweet hope of seeing princes of my own blood spring from you. Happily, that aversion has ceased, and what crowns my wishes is, that you have extinguished it in favour of a young hero who is dear to me. But tell us," added he, "how you have been able to guess the name of a prince who was unknown to you."
"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "it was not by enchantment that I learned it; it was by perfectly natural means. ”

“ Turandina never quarrelled with any one, and she never said anything untrue. When she was advised to use the ordinary Society evasions she shook her head and said:
"One must never say what is untrue. The earth hears everything."
At home and in the company of others Turandina behaved with such dignity and graciousness that all who could believe in a fairy-tale were obliged to believe that they were in the presence of a beautiful princess, the daughter of a great and wise king. ”

“ The son of Timurtasch had fully made up his mind to look upon the portrait of Tourandocte with an indifferent eye. He now casts his eyes on it, he regards it attentively, examines it, admires the contour of the countenance, the regularity of the features, the vivacity of the eyes,—the mouth, the nose, all appear perfect; he is surprised at so rare a combination of perfect features, and although still on his guard, he allows himself to be charmed. An inconceivable uneasiness takes possession of him in spite of himself ”

“ In fact, I tell you again,' he added, raising his voice, 'the atmosphere here is not fit for you. You like being here, but what of that! it's nice and sweet-smelling in a greenhouse—but there's no living in it. Yes! do as I tell you, and go back to your Keidanov.'
The old princess came in, and began complaining to the doctor of her toothache. Then Zinaïda appeared.
'Come,' said the old princess, 'you must scold her, doctor. She's drinking iced water all day long; is that good for her, pray, with her delicate chest?'
'Why do you do that?' asked Lushin. ”

“ In spite of her mysterious origin and her obstinate silence about her family, your Turandina is a very dear girl, beautiful, intelligent, very good and capable, and well brought up. In short, she is everything that one could wish. ”

“ A nomadic family has no traditions; Robert Turold had to trace his back to the darkness of the Middle Ages. It was a notable feat to trace the wanderings of an obscure family back so far as he did, but even then he seemed as far away from the attainment of his desire as ever. There remained a gap of forty years. To establish his claim to the title he had to prove that the Turolds sprang from the younger brother of the last Lord Turrald, who had allowed the title to lapse for fear of losing his head if he came forward to claim it. ”

“ And utterly oblivious of Naúm's horse, which he had driven thither, he trudged along the road to the inn. Before he had covered the first verst, he heard the rattle of a cart alongside of him.
"Akím, Akím Semyónitch!"—some one called to him.
He raised his eyes and beheld his acquaintance, the chanter of the parish church, Efrém, nicknamed "The Mole," a small, round-shouldered man, with a sharp-pointed little nose, and purblind eyes. He was sitting in a rickety little cart on a whisp of straw, with his breast leaning on the driver's seat. ”

“ Why persevere in the pursuit of an inhuman creature whom thou wilt never be able to obtain? Remain, if thou wilt, in my court; thou shalt hold the first rank after me; thou shalt have beautiful slaves; pleasures shall follow thee wherever thou goest; in a word, I will look on thee as my own son. Desist from thy pursuit of Tourandocte. Oh! let me at least have the joy of rescuing one victim from the sanguinary princess."
The son of Timurtasch was deeply moved by the friendship which the king of China exhibited towards him ”

“ It is, then, in his marvellous sense of the growth of life that Turgenev is superior to most of his rivals. Not only did he observe life minutely and comprehensively, but he reproduced it as a constantly growing phenomenon, growing naturally, not accidentally or arbitrarily. For example, in A House of Gentlefolk, take Lavretsky’s and Liza’s changes of mood when they are falling in love with one another; it is Nature herself in them changing very delicately and insensibly ”

“ Charles Turold found himself trying to picture Robert Turold in the part of a smart lively young fellow, and failing utterly. But Time took the smartness out of a man in less than thirty years. It had also taken the liveliness out of Robert Turold for good and all.
Thalassa went on with his story. The young men were served with their beer at five shillings a bottle, and sat down in a corner to drink it. ”

“ I will not even make an exception in favour of the famous Many."
"You delight me above measure," replied the prince of the Nagäis, "by assuring me that the beauty of [Pg 141] Tourandocte surpasses all the efforts of the artist's power. How flattering the assurance! It strengthens me in my determination, and incites me to attempt at once the brilliant adventure. Oh that I were before the princess! I burn with impatience to try whether I shall be more fortunate than the prince of Samarcand."
"What do you say, my son?" eagerly asked the widow, "what enterprise are you so rashly planning? ”