_)

TARTAGLIA.

(_To_ BARAK.) A lot more good, believe me!
You have, if I may say so, a rascal's face; and
I can tell you I don't like it.

(_Exit._)

BRIGELLA.

Permit me, your Royal Highness, to execute
my commission. Have the goodness to follow
me to your apartments!

CALAF.

I am coming.

(_To_ BARAK.)

Friend, until we meet again,
Some better time, farewell.

BARAK.

Your humble servant.

BRIGELLA.

Come along! Come along! No more fooling.

(_Exit at the head of his guards, who march
in two lines, with_ CALAF _between them_.)

SCENE IV

BARAK, then SKIRINA.

BARAK.

(_Sees_ SKIRINA _coming from the Palace_.)

Who's there? Skirina? What! And in such haste?
Whence come you? Whither are you going?

SKIRINA.

Why,
For sheer delight because the unknown Prince
Had won the game; a little, too, because
I itched to hear how the proud tigress took it,
I ran to see Zelima in the harem.

BARAK.

Incautious woman! What is this you say?
I see. I hear you boasting: "Yes, just fancy,
The strange Prince spoke to us; my husband knows him...."
Is it not as I say?

SKIRINA.

Well, if it is,
What harm is there?

BARAK.

Confess it! You have told!

SKIRINA.

Well, yes! She asked me straightway for his name,
And, to be frank, I promised her...

BARAK (_angrily_).

Damnation!
The cat's out of the bag. Insensate woman!
Come hence! Away out of the town!

(TRUFFALDINO _appears with his eunuchs in
the background._)

Too late!
There come the eunuchs.

(_To_ SKIRINA.)

Fool of a woman, go!
Go home and hide thy folly!

(_To the eunuchs._)

Here I am!

SCENE V

TRUFFALDINO, EUNUCHS. _The foregoing._

TRUFFALDINO.

(_Aside._) You ass! (_Aloud._) Stop bleating
and shaking your tags, you old ram you! (_In a
kindly tone._) You're going to have a fine time
of it to-day, old boy.

BARAK.

I'm wanted in the harem. Good! let us go.

TRUFFALDINO.

Ass! you're going to have a fine time of it,
you old baa-baa. And I'll help you. Against
all the rules of etiquette and good breeding, I
condescend to introduce you alive into the harem.
Can you appreciate the height of your good fortune?
H'm! A vigorous old chap like you!
Inside the most holy seraglio? Baa! Baa! All
those pretty ladies? Baa! Baa! Eh! is that
nothing to you? Baa! Baa! (_More to the
public._) As a rule, we are very particular on
this point--absolutely rigorous. As a rule, n