Wan-Tsi monologue (Act 1) — The Daughter of Heaven

Are in the hands of the Tartars. All alike!----This cast off uniform of some enemy saved me----In the streets they are burning, killing, and murdering. Several thousand women have succeeded in throwing themselves into the river----The others have been outraged, and strangled at the same time. Blood flows along the pavement in streams like the water of Heaven after a storm. Every gutter discharges itself in the river like a great red fan. Down the whole length of the street corpses are to be seen, their bodies still warm, pouring blood through the gashes in their throats---- Noble Sovereign, on my way I climbed over thousands of dead bodies, my feet became entangled in their long hair trailing from the several heads----Oh Majesty, it is the end. [_He kneels again._] And now forgive me for being the messenger of misfortune.