SMERALDINA enters.

SMERALDINA: Stop. What the hell are you doing?

She takes the sword from CLARICE.

[To SILVIO] And you cowardly dog, you see a young woman about to top herself and you just stand there staring, as if you were watching a scene from a commedia! I just can’t understand you would have left her to die! [To the audience] Look here, what a fine specimen of man, such a catch, that women disembowel themselves for him. [To CLARICE] Signora mistress, doesn’t he want you anymore? Well, if that’s the case, he doesn’t deserve you. Let him go to hell and you come with me. For there is no shortage of men here in Venice, I can get you a dozen by tonight.

CLARICE: Ingrate, is it possible that my death does not even move you? Where is your heart?

Lazzo of ‘Wrenching the Heart’: SILVIO wrenches his heart and mimes it being destroyed in various ways.

SMERALDINA: You men make me sick! You and you and you and you too. [To an audience member] Not you, you’re cute. [To SILVIO] Oh, poor Silvio. Your little tiny ego has been hurt? [To CLARICE] And you, be a woman, stand up. You can do much better. You got brains, so use them!

CLARICE exits.

SILVIO: You are crazy, do you think she really wanted to kill herself?

SMERALDINA: [aside to the audience] Listen to this guy! [To SILVIO] If I hadn’t arrived in time she would have been finished.

SILVIO: All a fabrication of your minds.

SMERALDINA: You mean us women? Yes, if we were like you men … I would say, like the saying goes: women are from Venus and men have a penis. Men and women have a reputation for being unfaithful and both commit infidelities, but people gossip about women and say nothing about men! We are criticised, and of you men, no-one says a word. You know why? Because the laws have been written by men for men, and women always get the shorter end of the stick—pun intended. If the laws were made by women, everything would be different. If I were in charge I would decree that all men who have been unfaithful must carry a branch from a tree in their hands … and then you’ll see that all cities would become forests!

SMERALDINA exits.

SILVIO: Yes, Clarice is unfaithful. And I will continue to seek revenge. That worthless scum will die and that ungrateful wag will see her love in his blood.

CHORUS: Boo!

SILVIO exits.

SCENE THREE

Brighella’s Inn.

TRUFFALDINO: Oh, what bad luck! Out of both of my masters neither has turned up for lunch. It’s been two hours since the clock struck midday and neither is to be seen. I bet they both turn up together and then I’ll be in a pickle. I won’t be able to serve both and I’ll be found out. Calm down, here comes one now.

FLORINDO enters.

FLORINDO: So have you found this Pasquale?