Act 2 — Scene I: A Room in the Harem

On a low bench Zelima is sealed, sewing a gorgeously embroidered garment. About her are other female slaves.

At the back stands Chang, the chief Eunuch.

ZELIMA

[Stops sewing and listens]

There! Hark! I hear it again.

CHANG

I can hear nothing.

ZELIMA

You’re growing deaf, Chang. Some one is knocking—softly.

CHANG

[Opening the door, left]

No one is here.

ZELIMA

Below—at the outer door.

See who it is.

42CHANG

I will see.

[He goes out, closing the door. Zelima sews for a moment; then rises, puts away her needle and spreads out the garment, surveying it.

From the right Turandot enters, splendidly arrayed.

She runs impetuously to Zelima and embraces her]

TURANDOT

Zelima! Zelima!

Little Zelima!

ZELIMA

[Affectionately]

My lady!

TURANDOT

Dance with me!—Dance!

ZELIMA

I heard a knocking, my lady.

TURANDOT

[Pressing her left side]

You heard it—here.

My lover is knocking, and I have let him in.

43ZELIMA

[Frightened]

You’ve let him in, my lady?

TURANDOT

[Laughing]

Into my heart!

He came a-begging. Oh, does he love me, Zelima?

ZELIMA

[Concernedly]

He kept your rose.

TURANDOT

The rose I tossed from my garden

In Astrakhan, one year ago to-night—

Isn’t he handsome, Zelima?

ZELIMA

[With conscientious pause]

Handsome, my lady?

TURANDOT

Splendid and fair like a prince!

ZELIMA

He is a beggar.

TURANDOT

I spoke of his soul—his eyes. His eyes are sapphires;

All other men’s are clay.

44ZELIMA

[Dubiously]

His face was dirty.

TURANDOT

[Slapping Zelima’s arm]

Stop it, you dunce! His face was nobly tanned

By sun and rugged wind.

ZELIMA

I thought his beard—

TURANDOT

His beard—God did his best: I want no better.

ZELIMA

You—want a beard, my lady?

TURANDOT

Stupid Zelima!

Where’s my new robe? I’ll wear it to-day—for him.

ZELIMA

[Helping her on with the embroidered garment]

You like it?

TURANDOT

Are not gold and gorgeousness

For joy? To-morrow ends my year and a day.

45Then no more suitors—no more severed heads!

I shall be free then—free to search for him

Through all the city.

ZELIMA

Search for a beggar! Why,

My lady?

TURANDOT

Must I scratch your silly eyes out

To make them see?—Of all men that love women,

I will have none for husband—if he’ll have me—

But him, the man to whom I gave my ring.

ZELIMA

Holy Confucius save you, lady! You,

Princess of Pekin, wed a beggar!

TURANDOT

Hush!

Unless I dream so and rejoice to-day

Then I must wake and tear my flesh for grief

That I was born Princess of Pekin. Oh,

Little Zelima, let me dream I am

A beggar-maid, or he, my beggar—a prince!

ZELIMA

I hope your royal father hears no word

Of this, my lady. He would kill your lover

Sooner than you should wed him.

46TURANDOT

I know it well.

So I have kept my secret this long year,

And let full many a brave prince lose his head

To hide my true love. Do not make me weep

Again for pity and despair. For now

Fresh hope has come. This Capocomico

Has changed my father’s heart to set me free

To-morrow. Only one more day is left;

You only know my secret; none can guess it;

And for this final day there is no suitor

To claim my hand.

[Chang enters, left, in perturbation. Turandot looks up inquiringly]

Well—well?

CHANG

Another suitor

Has come, my lady.

TURANDOT

Nay, alas!

ZELIMA

What,—here?

Is he at the door?

47CHANG

Not him,—the emperor

Is at the door. He comes to tell you, lady,

And asks admittance.

TURANDOT

What, my father!

CHANG

[Fidgetting]

Not

Your royal father: The new emperor

Is here.

TURANDOT

Sir Capo here!

ZELIMA

[Appalled]

Here, in the harem!

CHANG

What should I do, your highness?

TURANDOT

[Staring]

What can it mean?

CAPO.

[Entering, left]

The new régime, fair ladies!

[To Zelima, who runs with the other slave girls toward the door, right]

48I beseech you,

Do not be timid: All true love romances

Are hatched in harems. ’Tis my specialty.

[Dressed in robes of royal splendor, Capocomico stands smiling at them]

TURANDOT

Sir, this intrusion breaks our ancient law.

CAPO.

To-day—O lovely daughter!—I am the law

And legalize intrusion.

[To Chang]

You may go.

[Chang pauses, dubious, but at a gesture from Capo, departs hastily. Zelima goes timorously to Turandot, whose eyes flash]

TURANDOT

Will you make entrance here against our wills,

Or why, then, have you come?

CAPO.

[Smiling]

For a beggar’s sake.

49TURANDOT

[With sudden start]

A beggar’s?

CAPO.

What I bring will fill four ears—

No more.

TURANDOT

[Faintly]

Zelima, wait within—close by.

[Zelima goes out, right with the slave girls]

Well, Sire, what do you bring me?

CAPO.

Riches, child,

In a ragged wallet.

[He takes out Calafs wallet, and holds it toward her.]

TURANDOT

[Starting]

This! Why bring me this?

CAPO.

Hold it, and feel how heavy.

TURANDOT

[Slowly takes it, peering in]

Why, ’tis empty.

50CAPO.

What is so heavy as an empty heart

Hollow with yearning! This has yearned for love

Until it cracked. Look there—those sorry gashes

TURANDOT

What should I do with it?

CAPO.

Heal its wounds, and fill it

With royal favor.

TURANDOT

[Reticent]

Sire, you talk in riddles.

CAPO.

Daughter, you kill in riddles.—Will you kill,

Or heal, this beggar’s heart I bring?

TURANDOT

Ah me!

[No longer suppressing her feelings, she kisses the wallet passionately.]

How have you guessed my soul? How have you guessed?

CAPO.

The souls of lovers are my specialty.—

When princesses grow pale, and beggars swoon,

Then I bring forth my wallet—and prescribe.

TURANDOT

Alas—he swooned? Where is he? Is he ill?

51CAPO.

Unnecessary questions, child: Of course

He swooned. Where is he? He’s in love,

Of course, and so of course is deathly ill.

TURANDOT

Oh, by the simple truth you’ve torn from me,

Do not, I beg, speak sideling, but straight out:

That beggar whom I love—how fares he now?

Where have you left him?

CAPO.

By the city gate.

There, when he saw your ring, he fell in swoon;

And so I left him.

TURANDOT

[Passionately]

Find him! Find him for me,

And I will give you kingdoms!

CAPO.

Kingdoms, child,

Are shaky things. Give me your confidence:

Then I will find him for you.

TURANDOT

All my faith,

My gratitude and wonder—they are yours!—

When will you fetch him?

52CAPO.

Soft! To achieve for you

Joy in a perfect marriage of romance—

That is my vow. ’Tis yours, for a single day,

To swear me loyalty.

TURANDOT

I swear it.—Ah,

But do not tell my father. He would kill

My hopes.

CAPO.

Your father—I will educate;

And for your low-born lover, I’ll despatch

The eight proud legs of my prime-minister

To stalk the city till they stumble on him.

By nightfall, I will give you news what luck

They meet. Meantime, you must prepare once more

Your riddles for your final suitor.

TURANDOT

[Appalled]

What!

CAPO.

Keedur, the young khan of Beloochistan,

Waits in the hall below, to try his fate

To-day.

53TURANDOT

Keedur? Another! Must another

Still die on this last day? Oh, misery!

And I to run the awful risk once more!—

When must this be?

CAPO.

This hour, in the great hall

Of the imperial Divan. Rest you merry,

My child, and whet your riddles sharp.—Good-bye!

TURANDOT

[Detaining him by a swift gesture]

Not yet! Stay yet a little: Help me!

CAPO.

How?

TURANDOT

To shape my riddles so no man that lives

Can answer them.

CAPO.

[Bows, smiling]

Why, that’s my specialty.

TURANDOT

[Slowly, with desperation.]

Capo, those riddles hold his life or mine:

If Keedur guesses them—I’ll kill myself.

Curtain

54