mar consents to pay all the
creditors.

When they are gone, Fatima returns with Zobeide's presents, and Abu
Hassan prepares to go in his turn to the Calif, in order to repeat a
similar death-story about his wife and get a like sum. While he is
away Omar reappears. He has bought all Hassan's accounts from his
numerous creditors and offers them to Fatima for a kiss. At this
moment the husband returns. Omar is shut into the adjoining cabinet,
and the wife secretly points out the caged bird to her spouse who
begins to storm at finding the door of the next room closed, greatly to
the anguish of the old sinner Omar,--anguish, which is enjoyed by his
tormentors to the full. In the midst of this scene Mesrur, messenger
of the Calif, appears, to find out whether Fatima is really dead. The
Calif and his wife having each received news of the death of the
other's favorite, want to know, who it was, that died, and--if both are
dead--who died first. The Calif affirms, that it is Fatima--his wife,
that it is Abu Hassan. They have made a bet, and Mesrur, seeing Fatima
lying motionless on the divan, covered with the brocade, and her
husband in evident distress beside her, runs away to convey the tidings
to the Calif. He is hardly gone, when Zobeide's nurse, Zemrud comes on
a similar errand from her mistress. Fatima, who has just covered her
husband with {3} the brocade, receives her with tears and laments, and
the nurse departs triumphantly.

Hassan presently comes to life again but he and Fatima are not long
permitted to congratulate one another on the success of their scheme,
for the arrival of the Calif with his wife is pompously announced.
Both throw themselves on the divans, covering themselves, and so the
august couple finds them dead. The Calif, much afflicted by the sight,
offers 1000 gold pieces to anyone, who can tell him, which of the two
died first. No sooner does Hassan hear this than tearing aside his
cover, he throws himself at the Calif's feet, crying out: "It was I,
who died first!" at the same time craving the Calif's pardon together
with the gold pieces. Fatima is also speedily resuscitated and the
Calif pardons his favorites, Hassan meanwhile asserting, that he only
died badly, in order to live better. Omar, who has paid their bills in
the hope of winning Fatima's love, is driven away in disgrace.

L'AFRICAINE.

Opera in five acts by MEYERBEER.

Text by E. SCRIBE, translated by GUMPERT.