Convert it into comfortless despair,

And see her youth grow pale by slow degrees,
Wither and die in mournful consciousness?
He yet shall yield. I will not rest until
He hears me, and submits to my desire.

(Exit.)

[TRISTAN, who has been unwillingly betrothed to IOLANTHE, though he has never seen her, and does not know that she is blind, enters the cottage where she is sleeping, accompanied by his preceptor GEOFFREY. AS he turns to go, he takes the talisman from her breast, and she immediately awakes, and follows him into the garden. He loves her at first sight, and asks her to give him a red rose. He then discovers that she cannot distinguish one flower from another, except by form, texture, or perfume.]

Tristan.-Have they never told thee, then,

That objects, things, can be distinguished, though
Placed at a distance-with the aid of sight?

Iolanthe. At distance? Yes! I by his twittering know

The little bird that sits upon the roof,

And, in like fashion, all men by their voice.
The sprightly steed whereon I daily ride,

I know him in the distance by his pace

And by his neigh. Yet with the help of sight?
They told me not of that. An instrument

Fashioned by art, or but a tool, perhaps?

I do not know this sight. Canst teach me, then,

Its use and purpose?

Tristan (aside).

O almighty Powers!

She does not know or dream that she is blind!

Iolanthe (after a pause).-Whence art thou? Thou

dost use so many words

I find impossible to understand;

And in thy converse, too, there is so much

For me quite new and strange! Say, is the vale
Which is thy home so very different

From this of ours? Then stay, if stay thou canst,
And teach me all that I am wanting in.

Tristan.

I'll come

Again, and soon-to-day I'll come again.

Wilt thou permit me with thy hand to mark
How high I am, that, when we next shall meet,
Thou may'st distinguish me?

Iolanthe.

What need of that—

I know that few resemble thee in height.

Thy utterance came to me as from above,
Like all that's high and inconceivable.

And know I not thy tones? Like as thou speakest
None speak beside. No voice, no melody

I've known in nature or in instrument,

Doth own a resonance so lovely, sweet,

So winning, full, and gracious as thy voice.

Trust me, I'll know thee well amidst them all!
Tristan. Then fare thee well, until we meet once

more.

Iolanthe.-There, take my hand! Farewell! Thou'lt come again

Again, and soon?—Thou know'st I wait for thee!

[KING RENÉ, the physician, and the attendants return, and MARTHA gathers from what the Princess tells her that she knows her blindness. The King explains to her further what is the sense of sight and bids her go into the cottage with EBN JAHIA, first to sink into a slumber and then to wake seeing, if it be Heaven's will.]

Iolanthe-What ails thee, father? Wherefore shakes thy hand?

My once dear father, joy'st thou not, that now
The hour has come thou'st panted for so long?
Thou fearest it will prove unfortunate.

Yet, even then, shall I not be, as ever,

Thy child, thy own dear child-thy child, who joys
To be so dear-joys in her happy lot!—

Let me go in, then.

René

Oh, my child! my child!

Iolanthe.-Nay, do not fear! For what my sage kind

master

Has ponder'd well, will prosper, I am sure.

It feels to me as though e'en now I know

The singular power which thou has called the light.
And it hath found its way to me already.

Ah, while that wondrous stranger was beside me

A feeling quivered through me, which I ne'er
Had known before; and every word he spoke
Resounded like an echo in my soul,

With new and unimagined melodies.

Didst thou not say the power of light is swift,
And gives significance to what it touches?
That it is also closely blent with warmth-
With the heart's warmth? Oh! I know it is.
If what thou call'st the light consist in this,
Then a forewarning tells me it will be
Revealed to me to-day. Yet on one point
Thou dost mistake. 'Tis not the eye that sees;
Here, close beside the heart, our vision lies;
Here is it seated in remembrance sweet,

A reflex of the light that pierced my soul,

The light I go with bounding hope to meet! (Exit.) [While the King awaits the result of the physician's care, TRISTAN and GEOFFREY return, and TRISTAN learns that the blind girl whom he loves and the Princess whom he hates are the same person.]

[Enter EBN JAHIA, leading IOLANTHE by the hand.]

Iolanthe.

Where art thou leading me? O God! where am I? Support me-oh, support me! Ebn Jahia.- Calm thee, my child! Support me-oh, stand still!

Iolanthe.

I ne'er was here before—what shall I do
In this strange place? Oh, what is that?
It comes so close on me, it gives me pain.
Ebn Jahia.-Iolanthe, calm thee!

Support me !

Look upon the

earth!
That still hath been to thee thy truest friend,
And now, too, greets thee with a cordial smile.
This is the garden thou hast ever tended.

Iolanthe. My garden-mine? Alas I know it not.
Ebn Jahia. Cease your fears, my child.

These stately trees are the date-palms, whose leaves
And fruit to thee have long been known.

Iolanthe.

Ah, no!

Indeed I know them not! This radiance, too,
That everywhere surrounds me-yon great vault,

That arches there above us-oh, how high!—
What is it? Is it God? Is it His Spirit,
Which, as you said, pervades the universe?

Ebn Jahia.-Yon radiance is the radiance of the light.

God is in it, like as He is in all.

Yon blue profound, that fills yon airy vault,

It is the heaven, where, as we do believe,
God hath set up His glorious dwelling-place.

Kneel down, my child! and raise your hands on high,
To heaven's o'erarching vault-to God-and pray.

Iolanthe (kneels).—Mysterious Being, who to me hast spoken

When darkness veiled mine eyes, teach me to seek Thee
In Thy light's beams, that do illume this world;

Still, in the world, teach me to cling to Thee!
Yes, He hath heard me. I can feel He hath,
And on me pours the comfort of His peace.
He is the only one that speaks to me,
Invisibly and kindly as before.

Ebn Jahia.-Arise! arise, my child, and look around. Iolanthe.-Say, what are these, that bear such noble forms?

Ebn Jahia.-Thou know'st them all.

Iolanthe.-Ah, no; I can know nothing.

René (approaching Iolanthe).—Look on me, Iolantheme, thy father!

Iolanthe (embracing him).—My father! Oh, my God!
Thou art my father!

I know thee now-thy voice, thy clasping hand.
Stay here! Be my protector, be my guide!
I am so strange here in this world of light.
They've taken all that I possessed away-
All that in old time was thy daughter's joy.

René. I have call'd out a guide for thee, my child.
Iolanthe.-Whom meanest thou?

René (pointing to Tristan).—See, he stands expecting

thee.

Iolanthe. The stranger yonder? Is he one of those Bright cherubim thou once didst tell me of?

Is he the angel of the light come down?

René. Thou knowest him-hast spoken with him. Think!

Iolanthe. With him? with him? Father, I understand.

In yonder glorious form must surely dwell

The voice that late I heard-gentle, yet strong:

The one sole voice that lives in Nature's round.

(To Tristan.) Oh, but one word of what thou said'st before!

Tristan. Oh, sweet and gracious lady!

Iolanthe.

List! oh, list!

With these dear words the light's benignant rays
Found out a way to me; and these sweet words
With my heart's warmth are intimately blent.
Tristan.-Iolanthe! Dearest !

René.

Blessings on you both

From God, whose wondrous works we all revere!

-Translation of THEODORE MARTIN.