a trance, remembering her parting from Octavio, but she recovers to acknowledge the audience's ecstatic acclaim. She is the greatest success the night club has had in years. Backstage, Anita helps her change, as Ibrahim, the proprietor, comes up with a large bouquet of flowers. They are from Lord Barrymore, an extremely wealthy Englishman and one of Ibrahim's best customers, who is anxious to take Giuditta out to supper. The floor-show continues with a comedy number by the night club's eccentric master of ceremonies, 'Professor' Martini. He has written it himself, and it is about the ups and downs of love, with the refrain 'Yes, love is just like a see-saw!' . The cabaret over, the audience are left to enjoy themselves at the bar or in the private rooms. Pierino enters the club, somewhat abashed at surroundings that are so unfamiliar to him, and one of the club's dancers, Lolitta, approaches him and'suggests that he buy a bottle of wine for the two of them. They have little time to get to know each other before Anita arrives. She is thrilled to see her beloved, especially when Pierrino tells her that he has bought back Aristotle, resumed his trade, and is now ready to get married. Excitedly they contemplate their future together. The arrival of Lord Barrymore has the night club personnel falling over themselves to make him at home. Ibrahim has even purchased for his lordship a pearl necklace with which to reward Giuditta's favours. Lord Barrymore kisses Giuditta's hand, and Professor Martini encourages her to tell them the secret of her magical effect on men. She explains that she hardly knows, but she does her best to describe the chemistry that seems to occur within her whenever men are close to her. Lord Barrymore assures her that she is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen and that he is wildly in love with her and, giving an order for supper and champagne to be served, he leads Giuditta away into a chambre separee. During the evening, a new customer arrives. It is Octavio. He has deserted, is in civilian clothes, and asks just to be left alone. Lolitta's attentions have no interest for him, but he shares his wine and cigarettes with Martini and, apparently oblivious to the unrestrained goings-on of the night club, asks him about Giuditta. Can Martini find her and tell her that there is someone here to see her? He reflects on the way that Guiditta has filled his thoughts ever since they parted, but he is shaken from his reverie by the sound of laughter and of Giuditta's voice as she and Lord Barrymore emerge from their private room. As Lord Barrymore hangs the pearl necklace around her neck and escorts her to his car, Octavio watches, unseen and wholly wretched. Scene 5 Four years later, in a private room of a fine hotel, two waiters are laying the table for a private supper for a Duke and Giuditta, now a famous dancer. The Duke's adjutant arrives to see that all is in order, and he summons the pianist to tip him off as to the Duke's musical tastes. The pianist is Octavio. As he awaits the guests' arrival, he lingers again over the torment of his broken love for Giuditta and, when their arrival is announced, he disappears into the alcove and begins playing melodies from Giuditta's past. She looks behind the curtain and springs back at the sight of Octavio. Octavio tells Giuditta how he has seen her dancing and singing, and how he saw her being escorted by Lord Barrymore, but when Giuditta assures him that he is still the one she really loves, he tells her that love no longer means anything to him. Giuditta entreats him, but Octavio is a broken man. When the Duke comes to join the dancer, he goes back to the piano and plays. Giuditta responds mechanically to the Duke's advances, and soon she asks to be taken home. Octavio carries on playing until the waiter, arriving to put out the lights, tells him that the guests have gone. Then he closes the piano, takes his hat and slowly leaves.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=