BARAK.
(Sees SKIRINA coming from the Palace.)
Who's there? Skirina? What! And in such haste?
Whence come you? Whither are you going?
SKIRINA.
Why,
For sheer delight because the unknown Prince
Had won the game; a little, too, because
I itched to hear how the proud tigress took it,
I ran to see Zelima in the harem.
BARAK.
Incautious woman! What is this you say?
I see. I hear you boasting: "Yes, just fancy,
The strange Prince spoke to us; my husband knows him...."
Is it not as I say?
SKIRINA.
Well, if it is,
What harm is there?
BARAK.
Confess it! You have told!
SKIRINA.
Well, yes! She asked me straightway for his name,
And, to be frank, I promised her...
BARAK (angrily).
Damnation!
The cat's out of the bag. Insensate woman!
Come hence! Away out of the town!
(TRUFFALDINO appears with his eunuchs in
the background.)
Too late!
There come the eunuchs.
(To SKIRINA.)
Fool of a woman, go!
Go home and hide thy folly!
(To the eunuchs.)
Here I am!
SCENE V
TRUFFALDINO, EUNUCHS. The foregoing.
TRUFFALDINO.
(Aside.) You ass! (Aloud.) Stop bleating
and shaking your tags, you old ram you! (In a
kindly tone.) You're going to have a fine time
of it to-day, old boy.
BARAK.
I'm wanted in the harem. Good! let us go.
TRUFFALDINO.
Ass! you're going to have a fine time of it,
you old baa-baa. And I'll help you. Against
all the rules of etiquette and good breeding, I
condescend to introduce you alive into the harem.
Can you appreciate the height of your good fortune?
H'm! A vigorous old chap like you!
Inside the most holy seraglio? Baa! Baa! All
those pretty ladies? Baa! Baa! Eh! is that
nothing to you? Baa! Baa! (More to the
public.) As a rule, we are very particular on
this point—absolutely rigorous. As a rule, not
even a flea is admitted into the harem before it
has been carefully examined to see whether it's
a male or a female. We tickle it, and if it
laughs it's a she. Females have a silk thread
tied round their left leg. Males are immediately
executed. Baa! Baa! And now you have this
good fortune thrust upon you.
BARAK.
I know the Princess sends you after me.
What of the woman there? I know her not.
TRUFFALDINO.
Thou knowest her not! Baa! Baa! Thou
art a liar, old chap. Thou liest in thy throat,
thou silvery ram. Thou knowest her not! Thou
paralytic pack of prevarication! This buxom
smiling lady, with her attractive, plump figure,
thou knowest her not? Thou thrice-bleached
hypocrite! And all the time you share all she
has, year in, year out, as far as you are able to.
Baa! Baa! I'll help you. Baa! Baa! I'll
teach you to tell me lies! Baa! Baa! Me,
the Grand Eunuch of China! (Beckons to the
eunuchs to bring SKIRINA closer to BARAK.) Well,
do you know her now? This lady? Your wife,
you wretch, you wretch! Baa! Baa!
SKIRINA.
I can't make head or tail of it.
BARAK.
Remember
What I have said. And hold your tongue.
Poor fool,
You have now what you wanted.
SKIRINA.
Heaven help us!
TRUFFALDINO.
(To the eunuchs.) Up! Take the pair of
'em between you. Slope swords! Halt! Attention!
Eyes front! Quick march!
SCENE VI.
In the harem. Anteroom with columns. In the middle a table, on which stands a large basin filled with gold coins. It is night.
(TRUFFALDINO and his eunuchs surround BARAK, who is fettered to a pillar. To the right stand SKIRINA and ZELIMA, weeping; to the left, in an imperious attitude, TURANDOT.)
TURANDOT.
There still is time. I offer you again
This dish of gold, if you will speak the names.
If you refuse, I'll have you whipped to death.
Come hither, slaves!
(The eunuchs make her a deep bow and grip their sticks.)
BARAK (to SKIRINA).
Now see what you have done!
(To TURANDOT.)
Princess, feed on your prey. Strike on, ye slaves!
I know the son's name and I know the sire's.
But direst torture shall not make me speak;
No, nor the pains of death. Your dish of gold
Is so much dirt to me.
SKIRINA and ZELIMA.
(Cast themselves down before TURANDOT.)
Princess, have mercy....
TURANDOT.
I am sick of this obstinacy. Slaves, hither!
Give this old man a whipping!
ZELIMA.
Frightful! Stay!
SKIRINA.
My husband! My poor husband!
ADELMA (enters from behind the scenes).
Take heed, Princess!
Hasten away! The Emperor hither comes!
(Pointing to BARAK and SKIRINA.)
Conceal this pair here in the deepest dungeon.
Give me this dish of gold, and let Zelima
Come with me. I have bribed the sentinels
That stand at guard before the stranger's room.
Zelima, if you love your mother, do
What now I bid.
TURANDOT.
In you I put my trust,
Adelma. Help me! Do what you think fit!
(At a sign from ADELMA, TRUFFALDINO
leads BARAK and SKIRINA out to the
right.)
ADELMA.
Zelima, come. (To the eunuchs.) One of you
bring this basin.
(Exit ADELMA, followed by ZELIMA and one of the eunuchs, carrying the basin.)