Part 28 (1/2)

ALTOUM.

Enough. She is not worth such humble words.

Now teach _her_ to be humble! Music, ho!

Up! To the altar! Let the priests begin!

TURANDOT.

One moment more! What vengeance is so sweet As this: to cradle in security And restfulness an unsuspecting heart, And then from the pinnacle of happiness To dash it down into the blackest h.e.l.l Of torment?

(_She rises._)

Hear me, all of you: Depart From this Divan, _Calaf, son of Timur_!

There is the riddle solved you set me. Wretch, Go! seek another wife, and shake with fear Of Turandot, whom none can overcome.

CALAF (_confounded and stricken_).

Great Heaven! Lost! Lost!

ALTOUM (_taken aback_).

What do I hear? Great Heaven!

PANTALONE.

Holy Madonna, she's gone and done it in his beard, my dear Lord Chancellor, Heaven knows.

TARTAGLIA.

(_Mopping his face._) Holy Gorgonzola! this gets over me and no mistake.

CALAF.

Lost! No one helps me. Who _could_ help me now?

I have-been my own a.s.sa.s.sin, and in the end I lose by too much loving love itself.

Why did I solve the riddles yesterday?

If I had failed to solve them, I were now Cold, dumb, and free from torture worse than death.

Great-hearted Emperor, why do you not Let that grim law hold good another time?

Now she has found the names, give your cold daughter, To be her crowning triumph, this last head.

(_Approaches_ TURANDOT'S _throne_.)