Part 15 (1/2)

(_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, n.o.ble, 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 s.h.i.+ver 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.