Chapter 15

I do not ask for worship—but a key.

CALAF

The key you ask for locks the gate of heavenAnd we are shut within. Love builds him barsTo stablish heaven where lovers are locked in.

The key you ask for locks the gate of heaven

And we are shut within. Love builds him bars

To stablish heaven where lovers are locked in.

TURANDOT

Lovers? You dare much.

CALAF

[Rising]

He dared more, to sayYou love me, and I dared believe.

He dared more, to say

You love me, and I dared believe.

TURANDOT

[Amazed]

Who daredTo say it?

Who dared

To say it?

CALAF

He who shuttles through our lives,Unriddling and riddling, like a restless loom—The motley emperor.

He who shuttles through our lives,

Unriddling and riddling, like a restless loom—

The motley emperor.

TURANDOT

Capocomico!He is a jester, Sir.

Capocomico!

He is a jester, Sir.

CALAF

Did he, then, jestTo furnish you that vial in your handAnd charm the fateful secret from my lipsInto your power? Ah, if you do not love me,Why have you stolen here now to drag my nameFrom dreams—Calaf, your father’s enemy,Doomed unto death?

Did he, then, jest

To furnish you that vial in your hand

And charm the fateful secret from my lips

Into your power? Ah, if you do not love me,

Why have you stolen here now to drag my name

From dreams—Calaf, your father’s enemy,

Doomed unto death?

TURANDOT

[Struggling with herself]

Nay, ask not.

CALAF

Turandot,Princess of Pekin, stoops not to betrayHer enemy, nor steal a riddle’s answerThiefwise by night, to slay her enemy.The thought is slander. No!—Therefore you love me:So you have robbed—to save me.

Turandot,

Princess of Pekin, stoops not to betray

Her enemy, nor steal a riddle’s answer

Thiefwise by night, to slay her enemy.

The thought is slander. No!—Therefore you love me:

So you have robbed—to save me.

TURANDOT

Turn your eyesAway!

Turn your eyes

Away!

CALAF

Is it not so, Lady beloved?

TURANDOT

Oh, ask not with your eyes!—Nor with your thoughtsAsk not why this bold Harlequin is hereThiefwise by night, to steal your secret name;But let me go!

Oh, ask not with your eyes!—Nor with your thoughts

Ask not why this bold Harlequin is here

Thiefwise by night, to steal your secret name;

But let me go!

CALAF

[Holding out the key, gazes at her]

Will you, then, go?

TURANDOT

[Reaches for it, but pauses and turns back her hand, screening her face]

Your eyes!They blind the space between. I cannot gropeThe key I reach for.

Your eyes!

They blind the space between. I cannot grope

The key I reach for.

CALAF

Will you go?

TURANDOT

The airIs dim, but bright with pathways to your face,And where they lead I falter, like a mothTo where the lamp shines.

The air

Is dim, but bright with pathways to your face,

And where they lead I falter, like a moth

To where the lamp shines.

CALAF

[In hushed triumph]

You will stay!

TURANDOT

O dark!What light and darkness and the murmur of watersLure me toward you?

O dark!

What light and darkness and the murmur of waters

Lure me toward you?

CALAF

Night and yearning starsAnd rush of winds blend us, beloved. Listen!Look in my eyes, O love!—Lean to my lips!

Night and yearning stars

And rush of winds blend us, beloved. Listen!

Look in my eyes, O love!—Lean to my lips!

TURANDOT

[Closing her eyes]

I lean: Let me not fall!

CALAF

Thus will I save you!

[Reaching his arms passionately, he kisses her]

TURANDOT

[Starting back, with a cry]

Ah me! I am betrayed.

CALAF

By Buddha, I swear—

TURANDOT

Destroyed. O shame of all my vows forsworn,Where have I fallen?

Destroyed. O shame of all my vows forsworn,

Where have I fallen?

CALAF

On your lover’s heart.Look, it is I.

On your lover’s heart.

Look, it is I.

TURANDOT

Who’s there?

CALAF

Calaf, your prince.

TURANDOT

Calaf!—Now shame put acid on my lipsAnd sere them of your kiss! A prince hath touched me!O you poor bloody heads on Pekin’s wall,Have you, then, died for this?—and TurandotShamed by a prince at last!

Calaf!—Now shame put acid on my lips

And sere them of your kiss! A prince hath touched me!

O you poor bloody heads on Pekin’s wall,

Have you, then, died for this?—and Turandot

Shamed by a prince at last!

CALAF

Lady, I beg—

TURANDOT

Not that!—Ah, do not stab me with that word,And make me bleed for one whobegs.—The key,Give me the key!

Not that!—Ah, do not stab me with that word,

And make me bleed for one whobegs.—The key,

Give me the key!

CALAF

Mistress, your words go by meLike leaves blown wildly. I cannot gather them.

Mistress, your words go by me

Like leaves blown wildly. I cannot gather them.

TURANDOT

Sir prince, I blow them wildly, and I care notWhither they whirl.

Sir prince, I blow them wildly, and I care not

Whither they whirl.

CALAF

Love changes blood to wine.The kiss of our communion hath turned wineTo madden you.

Love changes blood to wine.

The kiss of our communion hath turned wine

To madden you.

TURANDOT

The key!

CALAF

[Giving her the key]

Take it, my lady,So you may know your freedom and my love,And me your lover, Calaf.

Take it, my lady,

So you may know your freedom and my love,

And me your lover, Calaf.

TURANDOT

Calaf, notMy lover.—Calaf, or Keedur, Khan, you areMine enemy in my power.—Until to-morrow,Good-night!

Calaf, not

My lover.—Calaf, or Keedur, Khan, you are

Mine enemy in my power.—Until to-morrow,

Good-night!

[She hastens toward the door. Grasping her arm, his eyes glow passionately]

CALAF

You came here to betray me?—Speak!

TURANDOT

I came to win your secret, and to shame youTo-morrow at the trial. Let me pass.

I came to win your secret, and to shame you

To-morrow at the trial. Let me pass.

CALAF

No! We are in each other’s power. Let doomStrike on us both together.

No! We are in each other’s power. Let doom

Strike on us both together.

[Inexorably he compels her. She sinks on the couch]

TURANDOT

In your power!What, I? You would not dare—

In your power!

What, I? You would not dare—

CALAF

Who would not dare?Infinite ages climbed to this little moment;Infinite ages shall sink after it.I stand here on its peak to make it mine.—Open the door!

Who would not dare?

Infinite ages climbed to this little moment;

Infinite ages shall sink after it.

I stand here on its peak to make it mine.—

Open the door!

TURANDOT

[Trembling]

Openit?—What will you do?

CALAF

Now shall the rafters of your palace ringWith “Turandot, the Harlequin, Calaf’s loverStolen to his arms beside his midnight couch!”

Now shall the rafters of your palace ring

With “Turandot, the Harlequin, Calaf’s lover

Stolen to his arms beside his midnight couch!”

TURANDOT

[Shrinking from his gesture]

Touch me not!

CALAF

[Seizing her]

Wine! Your kiss turns in my bloodTo wine of fire poured foaming, and the flamesBurn outward toward your lips.

Wine! Your kiss turns in my blood

To wine of fire poured foaming, and the flames

Burn outward toward your lips.

TURANDOT

Kiss not again!Be merciful, and hear me!

Kiss not again!

Be merciful, and hear me!

CALAF

Mercy criesTo God, not to our enemy.—Your lips!

Mercy cries

To God, not to our enemy.—Your lips!

TURANDOT

[With fearful appeal]

My lover, then!

CALAF

[Drawing back amazed]

Your lover!

TURANDOT

Yea—my love!Your eyes—anotherblazes in your eyes.

Yea—my love!

Your eyes—anotherblazes in your eyes.

CALAF

Another! Who?

TURANDOT

The noblest in this world:I love him. I have sworn it. Yet—O Yet—My flesh cries out to yours, my soul to yours,My lips, my lips to yours.

The noblest in this world:

I love him. I have sworn it. Yet—O Yet—

My flesh cries out to yours, my soul to yours,

My lips, my lips to yours.

CALAF

[Clasping her]

Ha, mine at last!

TURANDOT

[Repulsing him]

Clasp me not, lest I cling to you.—No more!Iwillnot. I am his. No kiss of yoursCan quench his burning image. Let me go!But ah, the spell and rapture of your arms—Reach them where yearning lovers starve in hell,And bless them.—Stop! My body and soul arehis.I hate you—I hate you—hate you!

Clasp me not, lest I cling to you.—No more!

Iwillnot. I am his. No kiss of yours

Can quench his burning image. Let me go!

But ah, the spell and rapture of your arms—

Reach them where yearning lovers starve in hell,

And bless them.—Stop! My body and soul arehis.

I hate you—I hate you—hate you!

[She rushes into the dark. Calaf reaches—groping—with a wild cry.]

Curtain

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