Turandot, Princess of China: A Chinoiserie in Three Acts

by Carlo Gozzi; Karl Vollmöller

ALTOUM, TURANDOT, CALAF, ZELIMA, ADELMA, PANTALONE, TARTAGLIA, DOCTORS, GUARDS.

TURANDOT (haughtily).
What man is this again, who fondly hopes
To penetrate the darkness of my riddles
In spite of warnings manifold and grim?
What man comes speeding after dead men's heels,
And asks to lose his head?
ALTOUM.
Here stands the man.
(Points to CALAF.)
Look at him well. Does he, at last, not seem
Worthy to make you end this cursèd game?
Take him for consort, and so give me peace!
TURANDOT (after scanning CALAF for a moment,
whispers to ZELIMA).
Pity I never felt! I pity him!
ZELIMA (whispers).
Then, quick, three easy riddles. Bid pride go!
TURANDOT (flaring up, whispers).
What sayest thou, rash girl?
ADELMA (aside).
God! dare I trust
My eyes? It is the very, man—the same
Who served my sire as gardener. Then he is
A prince—a prince, indeed. My heart guessed true.
TURANDOT.
Thou errant Prince, desist from this adventure.
See, I am nowise cruel, as men say.
It is but my deep loathing for all males
That forces me to stand as now at guard
To keep from me a sex that I abhor.
Why should I not be free to fight my foe?
What brings you here to harden me again?
If prayers can move you, I myself will beg:
Desist! Put not my sharp mind to the test.
It is my only pride, the only weapon
Heaven gave me. And I know that I should die
If any man were victor of my mind.
Claim not my riddles then. There still is time.
Else naught awaits you save a shameful death.
CALAF.
Voice of a goddess, body of an angel,
Rare mind, unparalleled intelligence,
Are gathered in one woman's being here.
Who calls the man a fool that risks his life
For treasures such as these? Princess, your own
High understanding cannot fail but see
That as your gifts in greater glory shine,
As your refusal is more violent,
So many more the hearts you set on fire.
Had I a thousand lives, I would with joy,
For your sake, Princess, die a thousand deaths.
ZELIMA.
Be kind! Three easy riddles. He deserves them.
ADELMA (aside).
Would he were mine! He is a prince. That I
Had known it then, ere I became a slave!
Now I do love him with a threefold strength.
Oh, why is love for ever weak in courage?
(Aside to TURANDOT.)
Princess, take care! Your honour is at stake!
TURANDOT (aside).
So it was fated one should come at last
And teach me pity! Heart, be firm and cold!
(To CALAF, vehemently.)
Up, thou rash champion, gird thee for the fight!
ALTOUM (to CALAF).
Are you still obstinate!
CALAF.
I said just now,
Death give me, or else give me Turandot.
ALTOUM.
Proceed, then, with the public recitation
Of that bad edict. Hark, and tremble, you!
(Music, ceremony. PANTALONE takes the
Book of the Law from the folds of his
raiment, kisses it, holds it first to his
breast and then to his forehead, and
hands it to TARTAGLIA, who has just
cast himself on the floor, whereupon
TARTAGLIA recites with a loud voice.)
TARTAGLIA.
There is no prince of royal lineage
But shall be free to woo. But first to him
Three riddles of the Princess shall be set
Before eight doctors in the full Divan.
Let him solve these, and TURANDOT is his;
But if he solve them not, he shall straightway
Be yielded up into the headsman's hands,
Who promptly shall, by severing his head,
Do him to death. Immediate execution
Of this our solemn edict we affirm
And swear by oath, by great Confucius,
We, Khan Altoum, Emperor of China.
(The recital ended, TARTAGLIA kisses the
Book of the Law, holds it to his breast,
then to his forehead, and hands it to
PANTALONE, who has cast himself
down with his face to the earth, and so
receives it. He rises, and extends the
book to ALTOUM, who lays one hand
upon it to swear the oath.)
ALTOUM (sighing).
Oh, bloody edict! To observe thee now
I do affirm, and by Confucius swear.
(PANTALONE replaces the book in the 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.)
TARTAGLIA.
Victory, your Majesty! Hail! Victory!
THE EIGHT DOCTORS.
(Open the third leaf.) Love! Love! Love!
(Vociferous hurrahs of the crowd outside and
noisy music. TURANDOT falls all of
a heap on her throne, ZELIMA and
ADELMA busy themselves with her.
ALTOUM lifts the PRINCE off his feet
and kisses him, PANTALONE and TARTAGLIA
helping. The doctors retire in
a row to the background.)
ALTOUM.
And now enough of tyranny and whims—
Do you hear me, Turandot! And you, dear son,
Come to my heart.
(He embraces CALAF.)
TURANDOT.
(Has recovered herself, and rushes in a rage
at the embracing pair.)
Stay! Do not let this man
Believe he is my husband. I demand
Another meeting and three riddles more.
The time I was allowed was far too short.
Stay!——
ALTOUM (interrupting her).
False and cruel child! The game is played.
Thou shalt not so begin a second time.
The edict has run out, and is surrendered
Into the keeping of my ministers.
PANTALONE.
I beg a thousand pardons. But we can't do
with any more of these riddles, Heaven knows!
We can't do with any more head-chopping,
Heaven knows, as if they were nothing but
lettuces. The young man there has guessed
right. The edict must be executed in its entirety.
The bridecake has got to go into the oven. (To
TARTAGLIA.) What do you say, my Lord
Chancellor?
TARTAGLIA.
Must be executed—in its entirety. There is no
call for any further explanations, interpretations,
dissertations, appeals, and commentaries. What
do our learned doctors say?
THE EIGHT DOCTORS.
(All together.) Must be executed! Must be
executed—in its entirety. Decision final—irrevocable!
ALTOUM.
Straight to the altar, then. This stranger prince
Will now reveal his birth and name, the priests——
TURANDOT (in despair).
Grant me a respite, father!
ALTOUM.
Not one minute.
TURANDOT.
(Casting herself on her knees before him.)
If you would have me living, father, father!
Grant me another day, another contest.
I cannot bear the shame of it. I will rather
Die than be subject to that coxcomb there,
Die rather than be wife to that proud boy.
The very word "wife," the mere thought of it,
Of being his possession, strikes me dead.
ALTOUM (descending from his throne).
Savage and obstinate and ruthless child!
Not one word more. Come, gentlemen, let us go!
CALAF (to TURANDOT).
Arise, fair, cruel mistress of my heart!
(To ALTOUM.)
I beg you, sire, grant her the respite! How
Could I be happy if she hated me?
And what avails my love, breeding but hate?
If I have not the power to touch her heart,
Let her be free. I do not claim my right.
(To TURANDOT.)
If you could see into my heart that bleeds,
Torn as it is, you would be merciful.
You are determined I shall die. So be it.
(To ALTOUM.)
Grant her another match. My life is cheap.
ALTOUM.
No more of that! On to the Temple, on I
The games are over now.... Imprudent youth!
TURANDOT (determinedly).
So be it, to the Temple, I say, too!
But on the altar steps your daughter dies.
CALAF.
Dies? Lord and master, and my Princess you...
I pray you both to grant me one desire:
I will myself set my unbending Queen
One riddle now. And this is my riddle: Who
Is that King's son and of what stock is he,
Who was a beggar, porter, menial,
Yet in good fortune more unfortunate?
Woman without a heart, guess here to-morrow
In the Divan his and his father's name.
If you can not, take pity on my pain,
Appease your heart, refuse your hand no more!
But if your cunning tell those two names true,
Your pride may drink its fill out of my blood.
TURANDOT.
Stranger, I take the bargain. It shall hold.
ZELIMA (aside).
Alas, new fears!
ADELMA (aside).
New hope is beckoning!
ALTOUM.
I do not take the bargain. The law alone
Holds good, and shall be carried out.
CALAF (kneels before him).
Sublime
Ruler of nations, star of all the world,
Let your great heart be softened, and vouchsafe
To grant what here your daughter begs with me.
Deny her not the satisfactionI
Do not withhold. Let her bestir her brains;
And if her brains can serve her, let her give
The answer to my riddle here to-morrow.
TURANDOT (aside).
Rage stifles me, and he is mocking still.
ALTOUM.
Blind fool, you know not what you ask. But have
Your wish! Another contest there shall be!
If she can name the names, we will not force
Marriage on her; but you—for I forbid
New carnage—free and scatheless go your way!
(In a low voice to CALAF.)
Now follow me! Blind fool, what have you done?

(Music strikes up with a march. ALTOUM turns, followed by the guards, the doctors, PANTALONE, and TARTAGLIA, to left exit. Exeunt TURANDOT, ZELIMA, TRUFFALDINO, the eunuchs, and female slaves, with their tambourines, through the door to the right.)

END OF THE FIRST ACT.

THE SECOND ACT

SCENE I

Chamber in the harem.

TURANDOT, ZELIMA. Afterwards ADELMA.

TURANDOT.
I cannot bear to think of it, Zelima;
I cannot bear the thought of my disgrace.
ZELIMA.
I cannot think you mean it, mistress mine.
A young prince, noble, handsome, so enamoured,
And you so full of hatred and disgust?
TURANDOT.
Torture me not. That is the very reason...
I am ashamed to say that it is so....
But there are other feelings strange to me....
I seem to shiver both with heat and frost....
No, no, I hate him, I am sure, Zelima—
Hate him for making me a laughing-stock
Before the whole Divan—nay, the whole world!
How they will laugh at me! Help me, Zelima!
Come to my help! How did his riddle run:
"Who is that Prince and of what stock is he,
Who was a beggar, porter, menial,
Yet in good fortune more unfortunate?"
So much is clear that he himself is meant.
But how in all the world am I to guess
His and his father's names? Here no one knows him.
The Emperor himself has granted him
For the time being still to be unknown.
Only to save time did I take the odds.
What shall I do now? I am helpless, helpless!
ZELIMA.
How would it do to ask a fortune-teller?
TURANDOT.
A fortune-teller?
ZELIMA.
No, that would not do.
But think, how genuine his pain, his sighs!
And how he cast himself at your father's feet
To plead for you!
TURANDOT.
Enough of this—enough!
I said, indeed... my heart... believe it not.
It is not true. I hate him. For I know
They all are treacherous: pretending love
Until they have the maiden in their toils;
But when they have their will, they laugh at us,
Dallying with now this woman and now that;
Nor is there any slave too base for them,
Nor any harlot at too low a price.
Zelima, speak no more of him. If he
To-morrow is victorious again,
Oh, I shall hate him worse than death.
ZELIMA.
Dear mistress,
So long as you are young and beautiful,
Rebellion beseems you. But when age
Comes creeping on, and wooers stay away,
What will be yours beside too late regret?...
What would you lose now save a little pride,
The phantom of your fame?...
ADELMA.
(Has slowly come nearer, and now interrupts her.)
They that are base
In birth may, it is true, so basely think
As thou, Zelima. How couldst thou conceive
The feelings of our noble mistress, when
After so many years with triumph crowned,
A stranger roving here from who knows where
Puts her to shame in public? How shouldst thou
Know anything of pride and pain and shame?
Thou didst not see the looks of mockery,
The slanted smile round every mouth. I saw it,
Saw it and shook with rage and shame for her.
I love her. And shall I stand and see her now,
Against the promptings of her heart and will,
Delivered up into a stranger's hands?
TURANDOT (vehemently).
Stop! Do not make me mad beyond control!
ZELIMA.
Delivered up? Is it so bad as that?
ADELMA.
Be silent, thou! Thou pretty little slave,
Thou hast no need to understand these things.
What matters it to thee if, heedlessly,
She pledged her word? And what shall come to pass
In the Divan to-morrow if in shame
She hold her tongue? I can already see
The mockery scarcely hid, the open scorn,
And the base wit, such wit as is the meed
Of a poor actress.
TURANDOT (beside herself).
Hold your tongue, Adelma!
Unless I know the names before to-morrow,
I shall have nothing save this dagger....
ADELMA.
Do not despair, Princess. By taking thought—
Or, if it must be so, by trickery—
We yet will find the names.
ZELIMA.
Oh, find the names,
Dear, wise Adelma....
TURANDOT.
I must know the names,
Adelma. His name, and his father's name.
How shall I find them out? Adelma, help me!
ADELMA.
One thing I know: to-day in the Divan
Himself betrayed it: in this city lives
One man who knows his name and origin.
Now what behoves us is to ferret through
The town, and if we make no stint of gold
Haply we may discover what we seek.
TURANDOT.
Take anything—gold, gems—do what you will.
ZELIMA.
What can she do with gold or precious stones?
Whom shall she give them to, to purchase help?
And if the plan succeed, what will you do
If some one find your mesh of trickery?
ADELMA.
Who would betray the trick—if not Zelima?
ZELIMA (flaring up).
Shame on your venomous tongue! Princess, hear me:
Cast not your gold away. I had indeed
Hoped to appease, convince you in the end,
Hoped you would give the Prince your hand—the Prince
Who loves you, and well is worthy of your love.
Now I will be obedient. My old mother,
Skirina, came to visit me just now.
Rejoicing at the fortune of the Prince,
And knowing nothing of the imminent
Encounter which to-morrow shall decide,
She told me she had spoken to the stranger
The night before, and said that my step-father,
Old Hassan, knows him. There and then I asked
What might his name be, but she did not know,
Or swore she did not. Hassan, so she said,
Would not betray his name for any price.
This notwithstanding, she has promised me
To do her best to worm the secret out.
Now, Princess, doubt my zeal, if still you can.
(Exit in excitement.)
TURANDOT.
Come, to my arms! Why does she run away?
ADELMA.
Let the fool go. Now we have got the scent,
And let us with swift cunning track the game.
But come with me straightway and let me tell you
The plan I have. Put all your trust in me.
TURANDOT.
Adelma, I put all my trust in you.
But save me from this stranger whom I loathe.

(Exeunt both.)