been one marriage——

FOUNT

One marriage! One of your courtiers, to please you, married the daughter of one of your ministers; and do you recall the number of favours by which you have had to repay that act of sacrifice?

EMPEROR

You are, however, a Chinese, and I believe that you love me a little.

FOUNT

On me alone you have shed the light of your soul; and I, moreover, have cast away the prejudices which fetter life. I love you and I admire you.

EMPEROR

Well, that is my recompense——

FOUNT

Someone is coming! We must take care——

---

SCENE V

Light Palanquins, each carried by two men, stop before the Pavilion. Two attendants accompany them and mount the steps.

FOUNT

Some eunuchs, come, no doubt, to fetch the Ladies-in-Waiting.

EMPEROR

I thought it was forbidden to employ eunuchs outside of my Palace of Peking!

FOUNT

All privileges are allowed in the Palace of Nan-king.

[They step aside until the Ladies-in-Waiting shall have passed.]

---

SCENE VI

The EMPEROR, FOUNT-IN-THE-FOREST, the LADIES-IN-WAITING, and the EUNUCHS.

TRANQUIL BEAUTY [In a whisper to GOLDEN LOTUS]

Those lords are still there.

GOLDEN LOTUS

They have a noble mien.

PEARL

They are secretly watching us.

CINNAMON

Let us pretend that we do not see them.

EUNUCH

The Empress is about to leave Her Palace. You must continue your gossip to-morrow.

TRANQUIL BEAUTY

If we are late, the fault is yours.

PEARL

You should have informed us sooner.

EUNUCH

Quick, quick, the last watch of night is about to sound.

[They enter their palanquins, and go on their way in a single file preceded and followed by an EUNUCH.]

---

SCENE VII

The EMPEROR and FOUNT-IN-THE-FOREST

FOUNT

They are pretty.

EMPEROR

And so gracefully dressed! It makes me regret the fact that my victorious ancestors imposed the Tartar costume on the people. These Chinese robes are so much more beautiful.

FOUNT

They make the women appear more slender and delicate.

EMPEROR

Do all the inhabitants of the city garb themselves in the old way?

FOUNT

In their homes, no doubt, they do. Out of doors, in the streets, they still keep up a pretence of wearing the new.

EMPEROR

The Viceroy whom I sent to Nanking is certainly not ignorant of all this. Why has he not informed us?

FOUNT

Your Viceroy, Sire, is not a Tartar, but a Chinese, which means that he espouses the cause of the rebels. Yet at Peking, outside the walls of your Palace of Eternal Silence, what goes on is fairly well known. While you are dreaming of ultimate peace, they are preparing for war.

EMPEROR

Alas!——

[Trumpets, xylophones and gongs are heard in turn, each five times. Then the watchmen pass slowly.]

FOUNT

The fifth watch.

EMPEROR

Must we go in?

FOUNT

Not yet. The Empress is going to the Temple of her Ancestors. That will give us a little time.

EMPEROR

The Empress!——In a few moments I shall see Her! The beautiful vision I have dreamed of is to be destroyed by the actuality——Ah! this woman, who must have the uttermost horror for me, can have no idea that for months past she has filled all my thoughts, has haunted my solitary hours. If She only knew that the phantom Emperor, isolated in his palace at Peking, wrote poems in her honour night after night!——

FOUNT

She is said to be beautiful and charming, but that is perhaps only a courtier's tale.

EMPEROR

If She is not, then my sacrifice will be only the more meritorious.

FOUNT

Ah! see, there she comes. She is crossing the garden, and, as no one is here, her palanquin is wide open.

EMPEROR

Ah!

[Through the flowering bushes he gazes ardently at her. The sound of a march is heard.]

But I recognise Her, my friend, that woman so beautiful and tender, so noble and delicate, that rare, that imperial flower!——Friend, what do you think of this omen? It is She, absolutely She—She whom I have seen reflected in the mirror of my dreams——

FOUNT

The eyes of the dragon traverse all space.

[The EMPEROR seats himself again on the bench, leaning on FOUNT-IN-THE-FOREST, almost fainting.]

EMPEROR

See how this emotion shatters my strength!

FOUNT

You are like the sacred lyre, whose strings vibrate at the slightest inspiration.

---

SCENE VIII

The EMPEROR and FOUNT-IN-THE-FOREST, the little EMPEROR of Nanking,—a child of seven or eight years, who enters playing with a shuttlecock in the Chinese fashion, with graceful movements. Some Royal nurses follow him, two serving-men remain at the back.

FIRST NURSE [trying to take the shuttlecock away]

Sire, take care not to overheat yourself.

CHILD

No! no! give it back to me; I want to play some more.

SECOND NURSE [Respectfully approaching the TARTAR EMPEROR]

Sir, no one is permitted to remain in the presence of our Majesty, the young Emperor.

EMPEROR

It is he!

[The shuttlecock with which the little EMPEROR of Nanking is playing falls on the knees of the big EMPEROR, who takes it in his hands.]

CHILD [To the Second Nurse]

Leave him there, I want him to stay. You see that he is ill.

[To the EMPEROR]

Why are you so pale? Are you ill?

EMPEROR

No, Sire! It is emotion which has made me pale.

CHILD

What about?

EMPEROR

At seeing you, perhaps.

CHILD

That is queer. Do you think I play shuttlecock so well?

EMPEROR

With infinite grace.

CHILD

Soon, during the ceremony, I shall have to be perfectly quiet. So I am running about now, to have more patience later——Do you understand?

EMPEROR

[Handing the child the shuttlecock]

Do you wish to go on with your game?

CHILD

No! keep it as a gift from me to your son.

EMPEROR

I have no son.

CHILD

Oh, how sad that is! Very well then, keep it just the same, in memory of a child who has no father.

EMPEROR

[Detaching a jewel from his girdle]

Thank you! Take this in exchange as a