Turned to stone she listens to Kate's humble apologies and to her offer to take the child.—By a supreme effort she controls herself.
"I will give up my child to him only; let him come and take him; I shall by ready in half an hour," she answers brokenly.
When Sharpless and Kate have left her, Butterfly sends Suzuki into another room with the child. Then seizing her father's long knife she takes her white veil, throwing it over the folding screen. Kissing the blade she reads its inscription. "Honourably he dies, who no longer lives in honour," and raises it to her throat.
At this moment the door opens and her child runs up to his mother with outstretched arms. Snatching him to her bosom she devours him with kisses, then sends him into the garden.
Seizing the knife once more Butterfly disappears behind the screen and shortly afterward the knife is heard to fall.
When Linkerton's call "Butterfly" is heard, she emerges once more from the background and drags herself to the door; but there her strength fails her and she sinks dead to the ground.—
ACTÉ.
Music-Drama in four Acts. Text and Music by JOAN MANÉN.
It is only a few years since the young Spanish composer has begun to be known beyond his own country.