Оценить:
 Рейтинг: 0

Turandot: The Chinese Sphinx

Год написания книги
2017
<< 1 ... 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 >>
На страницу:
22 из 24
Настройки чтения
Размер шрифта
Высота строк
Поля

I'll not defend myself. Tell her who offered
Base gold for life, my breast I freely proffered
To meet th' assassin's knife. There lies my sword.
Fulfil her stern behest.

BRIG

Upon my word
And honour, my strict orders are, to see
You safely to divan. His Majesty
Is all agog to see the fun.

KAL. (to himself.)

Alive
I ne'er shall reach divan. My death I'll strive
To calmly meet. Perchance my bleeding corse
Will melt her heart to pity and remorse.

(Exit, BRIGHELLA following him; guards receive him outside. Music strikes up.)

SCENE. —High Divan, as in Act II. ALTOUM discovered on his throne; PANT. and TART. beside it; the eight Doctors seated; Guard under arms. Behind a curtain, in the background, is an altar, with a Chinese idol: a Chinese priest on each side of it. KALAF enters, agitated, and looking suspiciously around him; bows to ALTOUM

KAL. (aside.)

Do I still live? Each step, I thought to feel
The thrust of an assassin's deadly steel.
Adelma's warning was some dream, or now I dream.

ALT

My son, care sits upon thy brow.
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.
Rejoice, all blessings for thy weal combine,
To-day full happiness on thee shall shine.

PANT. (to KALAF, confidentially) —

Believe me, if so please your Majesty —
(I mean your Majesty that is to be.)
Your future wife's ill-temper there's no bearing;
Her tantrums and hysterics are quite wearing.
A hundred times I was called up last night
To try and set this knotty question right.
I'd scarcely time my slippers to resume,
Much less to dress in proper court costume.
I just popped on my crimson satin breeches, —
I fear I caught a cold; (sneezes) must put on leeches,
A blister p'raps – take horrid water-gruel.

(Blows, his nose portentously.)

No breakfast yet I've swallowed 'Tis too cruel!
Who'd be Prime Minister? to starve and toil,
And fret and fume in an eternal coil.
But yet, I would not, for a hundred dollar
Have missed the sight of her rampagious choler;
I was rejoiced my turn had come to grin,
Just as folks do at me when Harlequin
Before my nose runs off with Columbine,
In every stupid Christmas pantomime.

TART

I-I was c-called up-p inaspettatamente,
S-she b-begged m-my a-ai-aid qu-quite disperatamente.

ALT

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 mourninggarments, with weepers of crape attached to their pigtails.Femaleslaves in black veils: then TURANDOT, ADELMA, and SKIRINA, alldemonstrating extreme dejection. TURANDOT ascends her thronewith the same ceremonies at in Act II.)

PANT

Is this a wedding march, with muffled drums?
It sounds more like a dead march, dull and dreary —
The one in "Saul," or Verdi's Miserere.
Her sulky Highness looks as black as thunder
At having thus in public to knock under.

TUR. (to KALAF)

This sad procession, Prince Incognito
Profound humiliation is to show.
Your arrogance upon my shame will gloat, —
Your eyes on your defeated slave will doat.
I see the altar – Fo-hi's grand official
<< 1 ... 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 >>
На страницу:
22 из 24