folds
of his garment. The whole Divan waits
in profound silence. TURANDOT rises.)


TURANDOT (in a didactic tone).

Come, stranger, name that tender pair of doves,
As white as innocence, as frail as roses,
Hiding from all men's eyes save his who loves
To see how by the other each reposes,
Even as a sister by her sister's aide.
But he that loves and finds them where they hide
Roams restless till he holds them to his breast.
They bring him from the Islands of the Blest
Heroic fire to make him do and dare,
And tidings from the Land of Heart's Desire.
Name, cunning stranger, name this tender pair.

(Sits down again.)


CALAF.

(Gazes upwards for a moment in meditation,
then makes a bow to TURANDOT and
lifts his hand to his brow.)

Two doves, thou sayest, doves so tender-hearted
That they are always paired and never parted;
Scarce grown enough to bear their weight aloft,
And yet already plump, and firm, and soft;
Two smooth, white doves to which my yearning wings,
To which by night my secret dreaming sings.
These two white doves which hold me free from scaith,
These doves my fortune—they are: HOPE and FAITH.


PANTALONE.

He's hit the mark, my dear Lord Chancellor!


TARTAGLIA.

Hit the bull's-eye.


THE EIGHT DOCTORS.

(Open the first of the sealed papers. All
together.)

Optime. Hope and Faith! Hope and Faith!
Hope and Faith!


ALTOUM (joyfully).

Heaven help thee farther, my belovèd son!


ZELIMA (aside).

Ye gods, protect him!


ADELMA (aside).

Blind him, O ye gods!
O give him not to her, or I shall die!


TURANDOT (aside, indignantly).

Can it be possible that he should win?

(To CALAF, aloud.)

Listen, poor fool! And solve this riddle now:

(She stands up, and continues in her didactic tone.)

Come, stranger, name those slender pillars twain
Which bear a bristling fortress on their summit,
A fort which still is in my sire's domain,
Although thy heart burns high to overcome it;
Pillars in strength and beauty smooth and rounded,
On which thy Hope and Faith are firmly founded:
These pillars holding Heaven upon their height—
Tell me the names, now, of these pillars white.


CALAF.

(After some meditation, and with the same
bow as before.)

These two white pillars soaring to the skies,
That bear a kingdom and all Paradise;
That bear the magic land my dreams divine,
Which are as slender as a forest pine;
Of every prince the very noblest aim;
Thine empire's fairest ornament and fame,
To which my hope clings like a climbing flower—
I call these pillars twain: KNOWLEDGE and POWER.


PANTALONE.

(Joyfully.) Hits the bull right in the eye,
my dear Lord Chancellor!


TARTAGLIA.

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! know
My hatred step by step grows with thy hope
Of victory. Leave the Divan! Go! Flee
From my last riddle, and so save thy head!


CALAF.

Your hate weighs heavy, my adored Princess.
So much the lighter weighs this head of mine,
Since before you it finds so little grace.


ALTOUM.

Desist, my son. And thou, my child, desist
From further riddles. Reach thy hand to him,
For he deserves to be thy husband.


TURANDOT (fiercely).

He!
My husband! Of my free will? Never!
Never!
Let the law have its course.


CALAF (to ALTOUM).

Free be her will.
Naught I demand but death, or Turandot.


TURANDOT.

So be it, then; take death. Hold still and mark!

(Rises.)

Now tell me: knowest thou the magic flower
By whose bright rays the soul's dark deeps are lit;
Which, hiding in its quiet, sacred bower,
Waits for the Fairy Prince to gather it;
But which, if he find not its shy recess,
Withers and dies in forlorn loneliness?
Within the bosom of its petals furled
Lies with Life's sense the Riddle of the World;
And he that first its chalice openeth
Glows with the wine of Life, the scorn of
Death.

(She unveils herself.)

Now look me in the face, now hold thy ground,
Die like a dog, or name the flower I mean.


CALAF (in ecstasy).

O beauty bright!


ALTOUM (excitedly).

Alas! he is wandering!
Compose thyself, my son. Keep clear! Keep clear!


ZELIMA (aside).

I am dizzy with excitement.


ADELMA (aside).

He is mine!


PANTALONE.

(Beside himself.) Cheer up, sonny! cheer up!
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.


CALAF.

For one poor moment I was dazzled by
Your beauty—but I was not overcome.

(To the public.)

This magic flower by which the soul is lit,
Which makes the heart tremble with dreaming it;
This magic rose of all men's fiery dreams,
Which under soft moss hides its gentle beams;
Which is with beauty sweet and goodness shy,
And bears the hope that holds the heavens on high;
This magic flower of purest ray divine,
This flower is: LOVE—dearest, your love and mine.


PANTALONE.

Praised be the Lord! Praised be the Lord!
Here! I can't stand this any longer....

(Runs up to CALAF and embraces him.)