Casina, or The Stratagem Defeated (846b-893_895b)

I’ll compliment her, as it were. A mist is not so soft as is— her breast.

A pretty little bosom, upon my faith. (CHALINUS gives him a thrust with his elbow, on which he roars out.) Woe to unfortunate me!

What’s the matter?

She struck me in the breast with her elbow.

Why then, pray, do you maul her about? But she does not do so to me, who touch her gently.

O me!

What’s the matter?

Prithee, how robust she is! she has almost laid me flat with her elbow.

She wishes, then, to go to bed[*].

Nay but, why don’t we be off?

My pretty, pretty little dear!

Having been well and handsomely entertained indoors, we’ve come out here in the street to see the wedding-sports.

I’d like to know how Chalinus gets on—the newly-married bride with her new-made husband.

Never, upon my faith, any day did I laugh so much, nor in the time that’s to come do I think I shall laugh more;

and no poet ever did con trive a more artful plot than this was skilfully contrived by us.

I’d now very much like the old fellow to come out, with his face well battered, than whom there is not a more wicked old man alive.

Not even him do I deem to be more wicked who finds the room for him. Now, Pardalisca, do you be guard here (pointing to the door of her house); that whoever comes out from here, you may have some sport with him.

I’ll do it with pleasure, and in my usual way.

Observe from here everything that’s going on indoors.

Prithee, get behind me.

You have liberty, too, to say freely and boldly to him anything you like.

Be quiet; your door makes a noise. (They hide themselves.)

Neither where to fly to, nor where to conceal myself, nor how to hide this disgrace, do I know; so much have my master and myself been supereminently disgraced at these nuptials of ours. I’m now so ashamed, and now so afraid, and so ridiculous are we both. But, a simpleton, I’m now doing what’s new to me: I’m ashamed at that which has never shamed me before. (To the AUDIENCE.) Lend me your attention, while I repeat my exploits; it’s worth your while to catch them with your ears;

so ridiculous to be heard, to be repeated, are these mishaps which I have met with in the house. [When straightway[*] I had led my new-made bride into the room, I fastened the bolt; but, however, the gloom there was just like the night. I placed, I propped things against the door; I struggled hard[*] that before the old fellow ⋯ with my bride.

Then I began to be slow in my proceedings, for I looked behind me every now and then, lest the old fellow should break in ⋯, a kiss, that provocative to lust, I asked of her first. She pushed back my hand, and allowed me not to give her a kiss in a quiet way.

But then the more anxious was I, the more desirous to assert my privilege with Casina, and I longed to do the old fellow out of that task. The door I blocked up, so that the old man might not over-power me. (from the house.)

Come now, you accost him. (Pointing to OLYMPIO.)

Where is your newly-made bride?

By heavens, I’m utterly undone; the thing’s all out.

It’s right, then, that you should relate the whole affair as it happened. What’s going on in-doors? How fares Casina? Is she quite obsequious to your will?