SCENE IX

Scene shifted. A magnificent apartment with several doors. In the middle of the room an Oriental divan, which serves CALAF as a bed. Deep night.

BRIGELLA, CALAF.

BRIGELLA. (With a candlestick in his hand.) Three hundred and seventy-seven, three hundred and seventy-eight, three hundred and seventy-nine. It's already three o'clock in the morning, your Royal Highness, and you've walked now exactly three hundred and eighty times from one corner of the room to the other. To be quite frank, I'm done up, and if you would lie down a little, it would do us both good. You're in safety here. CALAF. Yes, you are right. But my excited mind Gives me no peace. Forgive me! Leave me! Go! BRIGELLA. I should like to give you a piece of advice, my dearest Royal Highness: if a ghost pays you a visit, be prudent, be prudent; try to be prudent. CALAF. Ghosts, do you say? What ghosts? Is the place haunted? BRIGELLA. Well.... H'm.... We have the most stringent orders to admit nobody, under penalty of death. H'm.... Poor servants we are, poor servants! The Emperor is the Emperor, you understand, but the Princess, she is the Empress, so to speak. Poor servants... it's hard to have to pick your way between two puddles. Not half! If you only knew it, we've always got our heads between the hammer and the anvil. We don't want to get into anybody's bad graces. I'm sure you understand me. And a man wants to put something aside for his old days. And so you see we poor devils are in the hell of a hole. Not half! CALAF. What are you driving at? Is my life in danger? BRIGELLA. I won't say that; but you are aware of the blessed interest people about here take in your name. By way of example it might possibly happen that a hobgoblin or a fairy steps in through the keyhole and leads you into temptation. Keep a tight rein on your five senses, that's all. You see what I mean, don't you? Poor servants we people! Poor devils! Not half! CALAF. Go. Have no fear. I stand upon my guard. BRIGELLA. (Slapping him on the back.) That's right, your Highness, that's right. I commend myself to your most gracious protection. (Aside.) I have heard that some people can find it in their hearts to refuse a purse of florins. I have done my very best, but I can't find it in my heart. So help me, God! A man can only do what he can do. I can't do it; no, I can't do it. (Exit.)