Tristan and Isolda Act II Scene 2

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 Brangæna'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!

TRISTAN draws ISOLDA gently aside to a flowery bank, sinks on his knee before her and rests his head on her arm.

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TRISTAN and ISOLDA sink into oblivious ecstasy, reposing on the flowery bank close together.

BRANGÆNA 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 watcher!

TRISTAN remaining in reclining position
I'll ne'er waken.

ISOLDA
But the Day
must dawn and rouse thee?

TRISTAN raising his head slightly
Let the Day
to Death surrender!

ISOLDA
Day and Death
will both engender
feud against
our passion tender.

TRISTAN drawing ISOLDA gently towards him with expressive action
O might we then
together die,
each the other's
own for aye!
never fearing,
never waking,
blest delights
of love partaking,—
each to each be given,
in love alone our heaven!

ISOLDA gazing up at him in thoughtful ecstasy
O might we then
together die!

TRISTAN
Each the other's—

ISOLDA
Own for aye,—

TRISTAN
Never fearing—

ISOLDA
Never waking—

TRISTAN
Blest delights
of love partaking—

ISOLDA
Each to each be given;
in love alone our heaven.

ISOLDA, as if overcome, droops her head on his breast.

BRANGÆNA'S VOICE as before
Have a care!
Have a care!
Night yields to daylight's glare.

TRISTAN bends smilingly to ISOLDA
Shall I listen?

ISOLDA looking fondly up at TRISTAN
Let me die thus!

TRISTAN
Must I waken?

ISOLDA
Nought shall wake me!

TRISTAN
Must not daylight
dawn, and rouse me?

ISOLDA
Let the Day
to Death surrender!

TRISTAN
May thus the Day's
evil threats be defied?

ISOLDA with growing enthusiasm
From its thraldom let us fly.

TRISTAN
And shall not its dawn
be dreaded by us?

ISOLDA rising with a grand gesture
Night will shield us for aye!

TRISTAN follows her; they embrace in fond exaltation.

BOTH. O endless Night!
blissful Night!
glad and glorious
lover's Night!
Those whom thou holdest,
lapped in delight,
how could e'en the boldest
unmoved endure thy flight?
How to take it,
how to break it,—
joy existent,
sunlight distant,
Far from mourning,
sorrow-warning,
fancies spurning,
softly yearning,
fear expiring,
sweet desiring!
Anguish flying,
gladly dying;
no more pining,
night-enshrining,
ne'er divided
whate'er betided,
side by side
still abide
in realms of space unmeasured,
vision blest and treasured!
Thou Isolda,
Tristan I;
no more Tristan,
no more Isolda.
Never spoken,
never broken,
newly sighted,
newly lighted,
endless ever
all our dream:
in our bosoms gleam
love delights supreme!