terfly alone.--Linkerton has left her, and she
sits dreamily with her faithful maid Suzuki, who vainly invokes her
gods, to bring back the faithless husband.

The young wife, who has been waiting three long years for his return,
still firmly believes his promise, to come back when the
robin-redbreast should build its nest.

She refuses a proposal of marriage from prince Yamadori, who has loved
her for years, and now tries again to win the forsaken wife. She
answers him with quiet dignity, that, though by Japanese law a wife is
considered free, as soon as her husband has left her, she considers
herself bound by the laws of her husband's country, and Yamadori leaves
her.

Sharpless now enters with a letter he has received from Linkerton. Not
daring, to let her know its contents at once, he warns her, that her
{516} husband will never return and advises her to accept prince
Yamadori's offer.

Butterfly is at first startled and alarmed, but soon she recovers
herself, and beckoning to Suzuki, she shows Sharpless her little fair
haired, blue eyed boy, begging the Consul to write and tell her
husband, that his child is awaiting him.

Sharpless takes leave of her deeply touched and without having shown
the letter, when Suzuki enters screaming and accusing Goro, who has
goaded her to fury, by spreading a report in the town, that the child's
father is not known.

"You lie, you coward!" cries Butterfly, seizing a knife to kill the
wretch. But suppressing her wrath she throws away the weapon and kicks
him from her in disgust.

Suddenly a cannon shot is heard. Running on to the terrace Butterfly
perceives a war-ship in the harbour, bearing the name "Abraham
Linkerton."

All her troubles are forgotten; she bids her maid gather all the
flowers in the garden; these she scatters around in profusion. Then
she fetches her boy and bids Suzuki comb her hair, while she herself
rouges her pale cheeks and those of her child.--Then they sit down
behind a partition, in which they have made holes, through which they
may watch the ship and await Linkerton's arrival.

The third act finds them in the same position. Suzuki and the child
have fallen asleep, while Butterfly, sleepless, gazes through the
"Shosy". Suzuki waking sees, that it is morning and implores her {517}
mistress to take some rest, on which Butterfly, taking her child in her
arms, retires into the inner room.

A loud knock causes Suzuki to open the "Shosy", and s