Chapter 10

SCARAMOUCHE

By the belly of Baal, your majesty, I moveWe all adjourn to breakfast.

By the belly of Baal, your majesty, I move

We all adjourn to breakfast.

PANTALOON

[Quickly]

Second the motion!

PUNCHINELLO

Hear! hear! Applause!

[Harlequin dances to the gate]

CAPO.

[Correctively]

No applause in court! The motionRests on the table—

No applause in court! The motion

Rests on the table—

[To Scaramouche]

with your breakfast.—NowMore pressing matters urge: Our imperialDaughter—Princess of Pekin—comes.

with your breakfast.—Now

More pressing matters urge: Our imperial

Daughter—Princess of Pekin—comes.

ALTOUM

[Gasping]

Your daughter!

CAPO.

Daughter,pro tem!—

[To all]

The princess Turandot:Salute her!

The princess Turandot:

Salute her!

[To the intermittent toll of the deep gong, soldiers enter with procession to slow,martial music. Amongst them, with regalia, a Headsman bears on a pike the head of a young man, which he places beside the others over the gate.

Finally, accompanied by female slaves, comes Turandot, dressed like her followers in garb of gloomy splendor.

In the crowd Calaf gazes at her passionately. With him is Barak.

The Chinese courtiers prostrate themselves.

The Maskers bow in European fashion]

THE CHINESE COURTIERS AND CROWD

Turandot! Salaam!

CAPO.

[Speaks familiarly to the emperor]

Altoum,Present to us our newly adopted daughter!

Altoum,

Present to us our newly adopted daughter!

ALTOUM

Turandot, heaven to-day has interposedTo grant your prayers. Listen!

Turandot, heaven to-day has interposed

To grant your prayers. Listen!

TURANDOT

[Looking with wonder at Capocomico and the Maskers]

I am listening, Sire.

ALTOUM

’Tis your strange prayer never to marry. Well,Henceforth I vow no more to oppose your whim.One year has passed and one day yet remainsOf my rash law that dooms your lovers to death.

’Tis your strange prayer never to marry. Well,

Henceforth I vow no more to oppose your whim.

One year has passed and one day yet remains

Of my rash law that dooms your lovers to death.

[He points to the new head upon the wall]

For that one day, to celebrate my vowAnd do you pleasure, I have appointed thesePrinces of Faraway, to usher inOur new régime. Sir CapocomicoIs now your emperor; these are your courtTo make a festa of the law’s last day.—After to-morrow you are free forever.

For that one day, to celebrate my vow

And do you pleasure, I have appointed these

Princes of Faraway, to usher in

Our new régime. Sir Capocomico

Is now your emperor; these are your court

To make a festa of the law’s last day.—

After to-morrow you are free forever.

TURANDOT

Sire, are you jesting?

CAPO.

Signorina, allWe dream or do is jesting, and ourselvesThe butts of the jester. We are antics all.To advertise it is my specialty.Therefore, if we be kings or deuces hangsOn how the clever jester cuts his pack.This cut I’m king, and

Signorina, all

We dream or do is jesting, and ourselves

The butts of the jester. We are antics all.

To advertise it is my specialty.

Therefore, if we be kings or deuces hangs

On how the clever jester cuts his pack.

This cut I’m king, and

[Pointing to the Maskers]

red is trumps, not black.So doff your mourning, daughter.

red is trumps, not black.

So doff your mourning, daughter.

TURANDOT

If I am dreaming,Or you are jesting, this is the pleasantest jestMy heart has dreamed in all one doleful year.Princes of Faraway, I welcome you.This bloody sport of spikèd lovers’ heads—I’m tired of playing it. Those heartless foolsThat sought to wed a princess ’gainst her will—Look how they read my riddle on the air!Love is a slippery necklace.—Bring me laughter,My one day’s Sire, and I will bow me lowAnd kiss your garment.

If I am dreaming,

Or you are jesting, this is the pleasantest jest

My heart has dreamed in all one doleful year.

Princes of Faraway, I welcome you.

This bloody sport of spikèd lovers’ heads—

I’m tired of playing it. Those heartless fools

That sought to wed a princess ’gainst her will—

Look how they read my riddle on the air!

Love is a slippery necklace.—Bring me laughter,

My one day’s Sire, and I will bow me low

And kiss your garment.

CAPO.

Go and change your own, then,To match our motley.

Go and change your own, then,

To match our motley.

TURANDOT

I will go—and laughIn going.

I will go—and laugh

In going.

[To her slaves]

Come!

[Turandot starts to return within the gate. Pushing through the crowd, Calafprostrates himself before her, with a passionate cry]

CALAF

Alms!—alms for heartsThat beg!

Alms!—alms for hearts

That beg!

[Reaching toward her, Calaf holds up the withered rose.

Gazing, Turandot pauses an instant, moves past, but, looking back, staggers, trembling]

TURANDOT

Ah me!

[Swaying, she swoons in the arms of her slave, Zelima]

ZELIMA

My lady!

CAPO.

[Rushing toward her, with Altoum]

Quick! She’s falling!

ALTOUM

Turandot!—Kill the beggar.

TURANDOT

[Faintly, recovering]

No, ’tis nothing.

[To Capocomico]

Here, give him this.

CAPO.

[Taking it, astounded]

Your ring?

TURANDOT

A token, Sire.—A token of our new régime: to allMy people—blessing, and to beggars—love.

A token, Sire.—

A token of our new régime: to all

My people—blessing, and to beggars—love.

[She goes out]

ALTOUM

[Going with her]

Attend her well, Zelima.

[All follow after, and at a gesture from Capocomico, pass out. Near the gate the Maskers pause and wait for Capocomico, who returns to Calaf]

CAPO.

Fellow, rise!

[Calaf staggers to his feet]

Your most high princess graciously bestowsThis alms—a ring, in token of her loveTo all the world.

Your most high princess graciously bestows

This alms—a ring, in token of her love

To all the world.

[Taking it, Calaf falls again to the ground. Barak comes to him.

Capocomico watches, and beckons, twinkling, to the Maskers]

Now heaven witness this:—He also swoons. My playboys, catch your cue.Who said Romance is buried? Here is ChinaWhere princesses and beggars swoon to meet!—

Now heaven witness this:—

He also swoons. My playboys, catch your cue.

Who said Romance is buried? Here is China

Where princesses and beggars swoon to meet!—

[Surreptitiously, he takes from Calaf’s side a wallet. Then beckons the Maskers.]

Prime-Minister, follow your emperor!

[He departs with the Maskers]

BARAK

[With solicitude]

Calaf—my prince!

[He raises him to a sitting posture]

CALAF

[Dazedly]

Her ring!

BARAK

We must be gone gone—Danger surrounds us here.

We must be gone gone—

Danger surrounds us here.

CALAF

[Rising]

Herring for token!But ah!—he said “to all the world.”

Herring for token!

But ah!—he said “to all the world.”

BARAK

Be quick!

CALAF

[With suddenness]

I will. This instant I will follow her.

BARAK

Follow her!—what, to death?

CALAF

Death or delight,Either or both, for death itself were joyFor her sake.

Death or delight,

Either or both, for death itself were joy

For her sake.

BARAK

Do you wear that ring in hope?A beggar?

Do you wear that ring in hope?

A beggar?

CALAF

No, she gave it as an alms,“To all the world.” The princess of the worldWould never stoop in love to wed with lessThan royal blood.—There is no hope for me,A beggar.

No, she gave it as an alms,

“To all the world.” The princess of the world

Would never stoop in love to wed with less

Than royal blood.—There is no hope for me,

A beggar.

BARAK

How, then—?

CALAF

I will go as prince—As Calaf, prince of Astrakhan, I’ll goTo guess her riddles—like those others.

I will go as prince—

As Calaf, prince of Astrakhan, I’ll go

To guess her riddles—like those others.

BARAK

No!That would be doubly death. Your head is forfeitIf you are even found.

No!

That would be doubly death. Your head is forfeit

If you are even found.

CALAF

Few know me here, or none,In Pekin; yet though every dog should know meI’ll do it.—Here, keep safe this beggar’s cloak:I love it for her sake. This ring and roseGuard as your life. Come now; help me removeThis stain and straggled beard. Then wait for me,Till I have won my love—or perish there!

Few know me here, or none,

In Pekin; yet though every dog should know me

I’ll do it.—Here, keep safe this beggar’s cloak:

I love it for her sake. This ring and rose

Guard as your life. Come now; help me remove

This stain and straggled beard. Then wait for me,

Till I have won my love—or perish there!

[Pointing to the heads on the gate, he rushes into the city.]

BARAK

[Following him]

Lord of mad lovers, save him!

Curtain.

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