Lazzo of ‘Dividing and Eating Meatballs’.

FLORINDO: Truffaldino! I’m off to take a nap, wake me when you have found Pasquale. Oh, Beatrice!

BEATRICE: Truffaldino! I’m off to escort Pantalona home. Air out my clothing!

FLORINDO and BEATRICE exit.

TRUFFALDINO: Hurray! I served two masters and neither one was none the wiser. Now I’ve served two and I will eat for four!

The ZANNI sweep the mess offstage.

A musical interlude as they do so.

SCENE FIVE

The street outside Brighella’s Inn.

SMERALDINA enters.

SMERALDINA: Look at what my mistress makes me do! Sending me to deliver a message to a gentleman in his inn. Serving a woman in love sucks. I tell you, for such a smart girl she is capable of such stupidness. And I don’t quite understand why she claims to love Signor Silvio so much that she’s ready to disembowel herself, and in the next moment she’s sending secret messages to another! I know: maybe one for the summer and one for winter! If that were the case, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. Okay, I better deliver this message. Hey! Anyone there?

A ZANNI enters.

Tell me, is there a Federigo Rasponi staying here?

The ZANNI nods.

I need to give him a message.

The ZANNI looks at the audience.

How dare you! I am the servant of his bride-to-be.

The ZANNI gestures for her to enter.

Oh no, I won’t. You better tell his servant to come out here. The cute one.

TRUFFALDINO enters.

TRUFFALDINO: Who’s asking for me?

SMERALDINA: It’s me, Signor. Oh, I’m interrupting. It looks like you’re eating.

TRUFFALDINO: I was.

SMERALDINA: I’m sorry.

TRUFFALDINO: I’m not. My belly is full and those pretty eyes are just the thing to help me digest.

SMERALDINA: [aside] He’s so cute!

TRUFFALDINO: What can I do for you, my dear?

SMERALDINA: [aside] He called me dear! [To TRUFFALDINO] My mistress wants me to deliver this message to Signor Federigo Rasponi.

TRUFFALDINO: Of course, I will bring it to him. But before I go, I have a message too.

SMERALDINA: From whom?

TRUFFALDINO: From a gentleman. Do you know of a certain Truffaldino Batocchio?

SMERALDINA: He sounds familiar … [Aside] I wonder if it’s him?

TRUFFALDINO: He’s a handsome guy. Dark hair, muscles, real smart and talks good.

SMERALDINA: I don’t know him.

TRUFFALDINO: But he knows you and is in love with you.

SMERALDINA: You’re pulling my leg.

TRUFFALDINO: I’d like to. No, I’m not! And if he knew you felt the same he would present himself.

SMERALDINA: Well, if I saw him and liked him, I wouldn’t say no.

TRUFFALDINO: Great. I’ll go get him.

SMERALDINA: [aside] Oh, it’s not him then.

TRUFFALDINO exits and re-enters. He flirts with SMERALDINA before exiting again.

[Aside] Non capisco. [I don’t get it.]

TRUFFALDINO re-enters.

TRUFFALDINO: Did you see him?

SMERALDINA: Who?

TRUFFALDINO: The man who is in love with your beauty.

SMERALDINA: I only saw you. Do you have the hots for me? Is it you?