e door in the background and stands in
the door. PAUL and ANTOINETTE let go of each other, keeping their
places.]

INSPECTOR ZINDEL. The bay is bridled, sir, and stands out here.

ANTOINETTE (has an inspiration). The bay bridled? Is my gray there,
too?

INSPECTOR ZINDEL. It is, madam!

ANTOINETTE. Very well. Stay with the horses. We shall be there
immediately!

[INSPECTOR ZINDEL withdraws.]

PAUL (astonished). What is it, dear? What do you intend to do?

ANTOINETTE (with frantic passion). To our horses, dearest! To our
horses!

PAUL (incredulously). Out into the world, after all?

ANTOINETTE (with a wild fervor). Out with you into the night ... the
night of Saint Sylvester!

PAUL (sadly). Stay here, Toinette! Why begin the farce anew! Let it end
upon this soil, that nurtured our childhood!

ANTOINETTE (imploring). Come, dearest, to our horses! Let us ride to my
home.

PAUL. To your home?

ANTOINETTE. To Rukkoschin, the house of my fathers.

PAUL. Do you wish to go there?

ANTOINETTE. I wish to see it once more!

PAUL. And then we shall be ready?

ANTOINETTE. The house lies secluded and empty and dead.

PAUL. Only the spirits of your fathers are stirring.

ANTOINETTE. But I know of one room where I played as a child, that has
suffered no change.

PAUL (overcome). To our horses! To our horses!

ANTOINETTE. The night is clear. Many thousands of stars will light the
way. We shall ride through the forest. Right across the lake. The ice
is firm.

[She draws him out.]

PAUL (with a gesture toward the outside). Farewell, Hella! Your reign
is over!... We are returning to Mother Earth! (They depart through the
door in the background.)

HUGO VON HOFMANNSTHAL

* * * * * *

THE MARRIAGE OF SOBEIDE

A DRAMATIC POEM

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

A WEALTHY MERCHANT

SOBEIDE, his young wife

BACHTJAR, the Jeweler, SOBEIDE'S father

SOBEIDE'S MOTHER

SHALNASSAR, the Carpet-dealer

GANEM, his son

GUeLISTANE, a ship-captain's widow

An Armenian Slave

An old Camel-driver

A Gardener

His wife

BAHRAM, Servant of the MERCHANT

A Debtor of SHALNASSAR

An old city in the Kingdom of Persia

The time is the evening and the night after the wedding-feast of the
wealthy merchant.

THE MARRIAGE OF SOBEIDE (1899)

TRANSLATED BY BAYARD QUINCY MORGAN, PH.D.

Assistant Professor of German, University of Wisconsin

Scene I

Sleeping chamber i