1828.] The Plays of Gherardo da Rossi. 507 



Gia. Why is it that you always tell me " I don't know ?" I am not an 

 infant. I believe. Do you know that I am twenty years of age, and that 

 I have finished my course of studies ? 



Vol. That is true. But there are things in the world which are not to be 

 found in Cicero. The world is a library of itself. And for women every one 

 of them is a distinct book. You have scarcely read the frontispiece of one 

 volume ; and you already fancy yourself a doctor. You are far from that 

 yet. 



Gia. I'll not stay I ought not to stay. Here I am, diverting myself at the 

 masquerade ; while my poor Rosina is at home, alone, thinking of me. I am 

 shocked at the thought of such infidelity ! 



Vol. If this were all true, I see no infidelity. 



Gia. It is an infidelity an infidelity to a " perfetto amore."* 



Vol. There is no such thing as " perfetto amore" except that which they 

 sell in the coffee-houses. But still we are too early for our purpose. Sit down 

 for a moment, while I speak to the people in the bar. 



Giacinto takes a seat in one of the boxes ; and Volpino calls aside 

 Pistacchio (the waiter), who tells him that Rosina is not come to the 

 masquerade, but that Doubtless she will be there. He then promises, 

 for a small bribe, to give Volpino notice as soon as she arrives. Volpino 

 returns to his master. And then Enter " the Marchesa Clarissa," 

 leaning on the arm of her husband, " the Marquis Livio :" both masked 

 Pistacchio attending to them. 



Pistach. This way, ladies : this way, gentlemen : this way, if you please. 

 Is there any thing I can do to serve you ? (Goes to serve various masks who 

 enter.) 



M. Livio. Now, then, my dear, here we are in the coffee-room ; and you 

 must find somebody here to be a companion to you, or stay by yourself. 



M. Cla. Why, surely, at all events, you would not leave me alone ! 



M . Liv. Why not ? Better alone than with a husband, my dear ! You 

 have told me so a hundred times. I did not mind accompanying you as far 

 as here ; but, really I came to the masquerade to divert myself. If I had 

 wanted to be with my wife, I could have staid at home. 



M. Cla. And is it possible you would be so uncivil ? 



M. Liv. And your cavalier servente, Count Spasimo, why is he so uncivil, as 

 not to come and wait upon you ? 



M. Cla. Poor man ! You know he has a dreadful head-ache, and could not 

 leave home. 



M. Liv. Oh ! then, you ought to have sympathized and staid at home, 

 too ! 



The excellent Marquis here intimates, that, if the Count is ill, she 

 ought to have brought some other lover ; and a short dialogue ensues, in 

 which he insists upon being left to himself; which, as we are compelled 

 to condense the text a little (on account of its extent as well as occasional 

 prolixity) we shall omit. The dispute is eventually settled by the entry 

 of another character, " Signor Gerlino," a short-sighted, silly, imperti- 

 nent, sponging, middle-aged gentleman of pleasure, who runs about, 

 chattering to the different masks, poking his head into their faces, and 

 endeavouring to discover his acquaintance. The Marquis desires this 

 gentleman to take charge of his wife for the evening : but the last refuses, 

 on the score that he has only " half a ticket :" he and a friend have 

 taken one between them : and he must go away at midnight, to let the 

 other come in. With some difficulty, he undertakes to attend to the 



* This point is not translateable. The liqueur called " parfait amour" in France, 

 and " perfetto amore" in Italy, has not acquired any corresponding name in English. 



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