ZELIMA.

Be kind! Three easy riddles. He deserves them.

ADELMA (_aside_).

Would he were mine! He is a prince. That I
Had known it then, ere I became a slave!
Now I do love him with a threefold strength.
Oh, why is love for ever weak in courage?

(_Aside to_ TURANDOT.)

Princess, take care! Your honour is at stake!

TURANDOT (_aside_).

So it was fated one should come at last
And teach me pity! Heart, be firm and cold!

(_To_ CALAF, _vehemently_.)

Up, thou rash champion, gird thee for the fight!

ALTOUM (_to_ CALAF).

Are you still obstinate!

CALAF.

I said just now,
Death give me, or else give me Turandot.

ALTOUM.

Proceed, then, with the public recitation
Of that bad edict. Hark, and tremble, you!

(_Music, ceremony._ PANTALONE _takes the
Book of the Law from the folds of his
raiment, kisses it, holds it first to his
breast and then to his forehead, and
hands it to_ TARTAGLIA, _who has just
cast himself on the floor, whereupon_
TARTAGLIA _recites with a loud voice_.)

TARTAGLIA.

There is no prince of royal lineage
But shall be free to woo. But first to him
Three riddles of the Princess shall be set
Before eight doctors in the full Divan.
Let him solve these, and TURANDOT is his;
But if he solve them not, he shall straightway
Be yielded up into the headsman's hands,
Who promptly shall, by severing his head,
Do him to death. Immediate execution
Of this our solemn edict we affirm
And swear by oath, by great Confucius,
We, Khan Altoum, Emperor of China.

(_The recital ended_, TARTAGLIA _kisses the
Book of the Law, holds it to his breast,
then to his forehead, and hands it to_
PANTALONE, _who has cast himself
down with his face to the earth, and so
receives it_. _He rises, and extends the
book to_ ALTOUM, _who lays one hand
upon it to swear the oath_.)

ALTOUM (_sighing_).

Oh, bloody edict! To observe thee now
I do affirm, and by Confucius swear.

(PANTALONE _replaces the book in the folds
of his garment_. _The whole Divan waits
in profound silence_. TURANDOT _rises_.)

TURANDOT (_in a didactic tone_).

Come, stranger, name that tender pair of doves,
As white as innocence, as frail as roses,
Hiding from all men's eyes save his who loves
To see how by the other each reposes,
Even as a sister by her sister's aide.
But he that loves and finds them where they hide
Roams restless till he holds them to his breast.
They bring him from the Islands of the