s to her the welcome news of Orestes' death.

Wildly triumphant she leaves her daughter, who hears the bad news from
Chrysothemis. Elektra will not believe it until she hears it from
another servant, who is sent into the fields, to inform Aegisthos about
it. Then she implores her sister's help in killing her mother and her
lover, while they are asleep.--She has hidden the axe, with which her
father was slain, yet being physically weaker than her younger sister
she requires assistance. But although she promises her all the good
things on earth and is ready to serve her like a slave, Chrysothemis
turns from her shuddering and finally escapes. Elektra wildly curses
her and resolves to carry out her design alone.

For this purpose she unearths the axe, but is disturbed by the arrival
of a stranger, who takes her for one of the maids. He replies to her
angry questions, that he has come to announce Orestes' death, which he
has witnessed. Flashing with anger Elektra reproaches him for not
having died in his stead. Her bearing convinces him, that she is
superior to what she seems. Then she tells him, that she is Elektra,
to which he replies in a whisper: "Orestes lives."--At this moment an
old family servants enters, bringing three others, who, falling at the
stranger's feet, hail him as their master. {532} Then Elektra
recognizes her brother and greets him with passionate joy, though she
is ashamed of her own miserable appearance. Orestes at once agrees to
help her in her vengeance and enters the house with his old servant,
locking the door behind him. Elektra, standing erect on the threshold,
hears Clytemnestra's scream and exclaims: "Hit her once more!" Those
screams bring on Clytemnestra's servants together with Chrysothemis,
all trying to open the closed door. But when they see Aegisthos
returning they vanish.

The king calls for lights. Elektra taking up a torch, bows low to him,
and motions him to go on. When he recognizes her, he asks where the
men are, who brought the news of Orestes' death.--Elektra, silently
advancing with the torch, opens the door and lets him pass into the
house. Then she stands like one transfixed, listening to the frightful
cries inside the house.--Chrysothemis appearing in a transport of joy
shouts to her, that Orestes has come, and has avenged them by slaying
the guilty pair.--All his enemies are dead thanks to those servants,
who had remained faithful to him. Orestes is brou