Sawt al-Mara — page 38

opens: "Ah, what happiness!"

Rocco returns and announces to Fidelio that the governor has agreed to let him accompany him down to where Florestan is imprisoned underground, and has likewise approved the marriage of Fidelio and Marcellina; and he explains to him that his task is confined to helping him dig the grave for the prisoner who is to be killed. Leonora's limbs tremble, but she resolves to surmount every obstacle in the hope of rescuing her husband Florestan.

Pizarro comes on, and a violent rage seizes him at the sight of the prisoners outside; he issues his orders for their immediate withdrawal to their cells, and commands Rocco to take up his tools and go down to the underground dungeon, for there is no time to spare.

Act Two

Scene One: Florestan's dungeon.

Here is Florestan in his dark prison, lying silent, bound in chains, having lost all hope of deliverance; he awaits death calmly, repeating a sweet air that opens "In the springtime of life," into which he pours the memories of his past life and his married happiness at Leonora's side. He imagines Leonora before him, but the vision fades after a few moments, and he sinks back, his strength spent and his nerves worn out.

The prison door opens, and Rocco and Fidelio creep cautiously down the stone stair at the back by the light of a lamp Rocco carries; they set about opening the mouth of the cistern with pick

and shovel. Leonora cannot make out the prisoner's features clearly because of the darkness, but she knows his voice — Florestan's voice — when he calls to Rocco and begs him to give him water. The kind-hearted Rocco gives him a draught of wine to drink. A little later Rocco gives the whistle agreed upon between himself and Pizarro, the signal that the cistern has been made ready to be Florestan's final resting place.

Pizarro arrives and orders Rocco to send Fidelio away, but the latter refuses to go. Florestan recognizes his old and bitter enemy Pizarro, and learns that it was he who threw him into prison; he accuses him of being a criminal. Pizarro draws his dagger, but

before he can plunge it into the unarmed Florestan, Fidelio leaps forward and stands between them, crying: "Kill me before you kill him! I am his wife!" Pizarro tries to thrust Leonora aside — whereupon she draws a pistol and levels it at him.

At that instant there pierces the prison walls

a sound that changes the whole situation. It is the note of the trumpet, sounded by the watchman at the top of the tower, announcing the arrival of the Prime Minister's procession. Rocco cries out: "Thank God!" And Pizarro leaves the prison trailing the skirts of defeat, rage, and terror... Leonora embraces her husband after the long sepa

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