May my true love not meet me,
with none but Melot he stays.
BRANGAENA. What moves me to fear him
makes thee his friend then?
Through Tristan to Mark's side
is Melot's way:
he sows suspicion's seed.
And those who have
to-day on a night-hunt
so suddenly decided,
a far nobler game
than is guessed by thee
taxes their hunting skill.
ISOLDA. For Tristan's sake
contrived was this scheme
by means of
Melot, in truth:
now would you decry his friendship?
He serves Isolda
better than you
his hand gives help
which yours denies:
what need of such delay?
The signal, Brangaena!
O give the signal!
Tread out the torch's
trembling gleam,
that night may envelop
all with her veil.
Already her peace reigns
o'er hill and hall,
her rapturous awe
the heart does enthral;
allow then the light to fall!
Let but its dread lustre die!
let my beloved draw nigh!
BRANGAENA. The light of warning suppress not!
Let it remind thee of peril!-
Ah, woe's me! Woe's me!
Fatal folly!
The fell pow'r of that potion!
That I framed
a fraud for once
thy orders to oppose!
Had I been deaf and blind,
thy work
were then thy death:
but thy distress,
thy distraction of grief,
my work
has contrived them, I own it!
ISOLDA. Thy-act?
O foolish girl!
Love's goddess dost thou not know?
nor all her magic arts?
The queen who grants
unquailing hearts,
the witch whose will
the world obeys,
life and death
she holds in her hands,
which of joy and woe are wove?
she worketh hate into love.
The work of death
I took into my own hands;
Love's goddess saw
and gave her good commands
The death-condemned
she claimed as her prey,
planning our fate
in her own way.
How she may bend it,
how she may end it,
what she may make me,
wheresoe'er take me,
still hers am I solely;-
so let me obey her wholly.
BRANGAENA. And if by the artful
love-potion's lures
thy light of reason is ravished,
if thou art reckless
when I would warn thee,
this once, oh, wait
and weigh my pleading!
I implore, leave it alight!-
The torch! the torch!
O put it not out this night!
ISOLDA. She who causes thus
my bosom's throes,
whose eager fire
within me glows,
whose light upon
my spirit flows,
Love's goddess needs
that night should close;
that brightly she may reign
and shun the torchlight vain.
(She goes up to the door and takes down the torch.)
Go watch without-
keep wary guard!
The signal!-
and were it my spirit's spark,
smiling
I'd destroy it and hail the dark!
[She throws the torch to the ground where it slowly dies out.
BRANGAENA turns away, disturbed, and mounts an outer flight of steps
leading to the roof, where she slowly disappears. ISOLDA listens and
peers, at first shyly, towards an avenue. Urged, by rising impatience,
she then approaches the avenue and looks more boldly. She signs with
her handkerchief, first slightly, then more plainly, waving it quicker
as her impatience increases. A gesture of sudden delight shows that
she has perceived her lover in the distance. She stretches herself
higher and higher, and then, to look better over the intervening
space, hastens back to the steps, from the top of which she signals
again to the on-comer. As he enters, she springs to meet him.]
SCENE II.
TRISTAN (rushing in). Isolda! Beloved!
ISOLDA. Tristan! Beloved one!
(Passionate embrace, with which they come down to the front.)
BOTH. Art thou mine?
Do I behold thee?
Do I embrace thee?
Can I believe it?
At last! At last!
Here on my breast!
Do I then clasp thee!
Is it thy own self?
Are these thine eyes?
These thy lips?
Here thy hand?
Here thy heart?
Is't I?-Is't thou,
held in my arms?
Am I not duped?
Is it no dream?
O rapture of spirit!
O sweetest, highest,
fairest, strongest,
holiest bliss?
Endless pleasure!
Boundless treasure!
Ne'er to sever!
Never! Never!
Unconceived,
unbelieved,
overpowering
exaltation!
Joy-proclaiming,
bliss-outpouring,
high in heaven,
earth ignoring!
Tristan mine!
Isolda mine!
Tristan!
Isolda!
Mine alone!
Thine alone!
Ever all my own!
TRISTAN. The light! The light!
O but this light,
how long 'twas let to burn!
The sun had sunk,
the day had fled;
but all their spite
not yet was sped:
the scaring signal
they set alight,
before my belov'd one's dwelling,
my swift approach repelling.
ISOLDA. Thy belov'd one's hand
lowered the light,
for Brangaena's fears
in me roused no fright:
while Love's goddess gave me aid,
sunlight a mock I made.
But the light its fear
and defeat repaid;
with thy misdeeds
a league it made.
What thou didst see
in shadowing night,
to the shining sun
of kingly might
must thou straightway surrender,
that it should
exist in bright
bonds of empty splendor.-
Could I bear it then?
Can I bear it now?
TRISTAN. O now were we
to night devoted,
the dishonest day
with envy bloated,
lying, could not mislead,
though it might part us indeed.
Its pretentious glows
and its glamouring light
are scouted by those
who worship night.
All its flickering gleams
in flashes out-blazing
blind us no more
where we are gazing.
Those who death's night
boldly survey,
those who have studied
her secret way,
the daylight's falsehoods-
rank and fame,
honor and all
at which men aim-
to them are no more matter
than dust which sunbeams scatter,
In the daylight's visions thronging
only abides one longing;
we yearn to hie
to holy night,
where, unending,
only true,
Love extendeth delight!
(TRISTANdrawsISOLDAgently aside to a flowery bank, sinks
on his knee before her and rests his head on her arm.)
(TRISTANandISOLDAsink into oblivious ecstasy, reposing on
the flowery bank close together.)
BRANGAENA (from the turret, unseen). Long I watch
alone by night:
ye enwrapt
in love's delight,
heed my boding
voice aright.
I forewarn you
woe is near;
waken to
my words of fear.
Have a care!
Have a care!
Swiftly night doth wear!
ISOLDA. List, beloved!
TRISTAN. Let me die thus!
ISOLDA (slowly raising herself a little). Envious