"THE SUPPER OF THE PRANKS" "...I do not want to praise you." "I only want to enlighten you!" "For love is a sore contrast between the burning heart and the perverse mind." "It is not a suave breeze." "It's harsh fate." "When it is not revenge, is not death!" "Messer Malespini!" " Giannetto?" " Giannetto!" " But he's injured!" "Take him over there." "And you, sirs, I pray you, wait." "Chiaramantesi." " This is a prank of the brothers Chiaramantesi." " Who?" "Neri and Gabriello." "And the cause is that woman." " Ginevra?" "Yes, Ginevra, the one who was to come here with him tonight to present her songs and her allegories." "A beautiful woman!" "I managed to see her without Giannetto noticing." "A month ago this woman was but a servant in the house Chiaramantesi." "A servant?" " A servant!" "?" " Yes!" "The two brothers took her to Giannetto, and forced him to take her to this feast." "As an affront!" " As an affront." "To him, and to the honorable Messire Tornaquinci who cannot stand their abuses and their arrogance." "See?" "He comes to his senses." " Hush, sir Luca." "I had told you to watch over him!" " But, honorable sir, only an hour ago..." "Indeed, it is not even an hour since I left his home!" "The Chiaramantesi were out of Florence." "And how could I suppose ..." " Be quiet!" "Messer Tornaquinci..." " Stay calm." "Do not move." "Honorable messire, as you can see, I'm still alive." "But what has happened?" "I was coming with Ginevra to your palace, shortly after sunset..." "Why are you so troubled?" " I fear they follow us." "Neri and his brother?" "What more do they want from you?" " You!" "But they themselves brought me to you, to lead me to the feast of Sir Tornaquinci tonight!" "Back then you were a maidservant." "You were an insult to me." "Now you are a beautiful woman, liberated, and an insult for them, who had you at home and hadn't noticed you." "Do not worry." "I am sure that..." " That they'll assault us!" "But they won't dare, not in Florence!" " But you don't know!" "These two brothers were my persecutors ever since childhood." "They are joyfully strong, like lions." "I looked at them with wonder." "And when I was in awe of their strength, they seized me with their paws, their fangs, and tortured me." "The others told me:" "Be brave, be a man, rise up!" "They themselves, laughing, goaded me." "And soon as I lifted one finger..." "Chiaramantesi!" "My master, beware!" "The brothers Chiaramantesi." "Neri, look!" "They were warned!" "Hurry, let us catch them before they reach palace Tornaquinci!" "Messire, go!" "There they are, master, come here!" "Hey, come on!" "Where are they?" " They're vanished!" " But is not possible!" "Neri!" " What?" "I've seen them!" " Where?" " Over there!" " Come on!" "Sir, let's go." "Come into my house." "Here you will be safe, sir." "I am standing guard outside." "How you tremble!" "I tremble for you also." " But... here we are safe now." "Thou are so beautiful!" "But we cannot remain in the dark." "No!" "Come on." "Come on." "Thou are paler than the moon." "You too are pale." " But not for fear." "Not for fear, right?" "How beautiful she is!" "Beautiful dame!" "Who is it?" "Let me see you." "No, why?" "Leave her alone." "She's so beautiful." "You're right, she's beautiful." "And I bet he did not even touch you, right?" "Come on, answer." "Enough Neri!" "Don't touch her." "Don't touch her!" "I will no longer be insulted!" "What does he say?" " He resists." " You resist!" "You no longer want to be offended?" "You?" "You, by me, you've always been offended, in any place." "At any time." "For all the reasons I liked." "I can crush you." "Bury you in the ruins of your home." "I can set fire to your books, to your papers, to all that is yours." "As I like, and when I like." "You two, take him away!" "Away, away!" "Neri." " Wait a minute!" "Look, I want to give you a gift." "Pay attention!" "Look at her!" "You looked well?" "And now in the Arno!" "Let's wash the rascal!" "They shut me in the sack and they lowered me down, into the Arno water." "And they pulled me up." "And they dropped me down." "And then they pulled me up again!" "And finally, with the stylet, and always of course inside the sack, like a sad buffoon they branded me." "I see." "It will be good that you remain in my castle of Vetrana until your wounds are healed." "I don't want it known this horrible affront done to you, and to me also, who am your friend." "When you are healed, we will invite the brothers Chiaramantesi for a dinner of peace." "Of peace?" "Of peace, I said." "Of peace." "Arrange everything well." "My lord wants this dinner to be memorable." "The diners expect enjoyment." " I know the company." "Calandra." "Something is missing here." " No, sir!" "It is the nice one that the Magnificent wore days ago." "There, place it there." "Look, people!" "Hurry!" "And then let us free." "Did you bring the wine?" "Come on, quickly, hurry." "Come on." "You, you, go, go in the garden!" "And you, what are you waiting for?" "In the cellar, don't waste time!" "Messire Giannetto Malespini." "Here I am, knight!" "Healed." "My lord, all is ready." "As you can see." "For peace." "Since messire Tornaquinci wants it to be peace." "And, Ginevra?" "Neri now keeps her in a house near here for his pleasure." "All adorned like a slave." "And you do not suffer?" " I do not." "I laugh!" " You laugh!" "?" "Yes, I laugh." "I laugh because another woman I chose to love, far more beautiful and tempting." "Her name is..." "Revenge!" "Oh, I could paint her, so much I've dreamed her and lain with her in dream!" "I'd make her cheerful, sneering..." "grinning!" "And in full laughter would show the canine teeth and flashing eyes, green." "The elegant toga torn on one side would show the red scars of her torn flesh." "And I hear her speak..." "She would say..." "He who loves me... all women loves." "He who touches me all the joys touches!" "But to have me..." "If you want to have me, laugh." "Laugh!" "Laugh!" "Here it is, this brat!" "He's still alive!" "Look, Gabriello." "To seem a healthy man, how he's all groomed and cleaned up." "Sir..." "Sir, I greet you and thank you." "You, Giannetto, don't you rejoice?" "Watch!" "We've brought the woman of your heart." "Go!" "How ridiculous!" " Not at all!" "He seems ridiculous, and also silly, but is not." "Especially when, tenderly, he's simpering to beauty." "Go to her." "Go!" "Give her a kiss." "On the hand!" "That's even too much." "Take courage!" "Are you afraid of this too?" "I am their laughing stock, because I have so much desired you." "And even now that I was mauled, I forget everything and I desire you." "A little tight-lipped, huh, though!" "The honorable Messer Tornaquinci." "Welcome, sirs." "So then, sirs, let's conclude this peace." "Then, Sir, you've decided it is peace." "And peace it is!" "If you wanted war, it would be war:" "I don't fear anyone." "And I who cannot eat you up, I ask peace." "Your hand!" " My hand?" "Indeed, I want to embrace you!" " Oh no!" "That's too much!" "I'll hug him, rather!" " Why, me rather?" "Because if you are like your brother, and many horrible pranks you did me, you are in your heart unhappy." "And why?" "Because you too love Ginevra." "Almost as much as me!" " What did you say?" "!" "Gabriello." "Don't pay any attention to what he says." "You know he's half fool." "I said you love her!" " What do you care about him?" "But he doesn't dare, fearing you." " I wonder... if he doesn't deserve blows, many as a mare can carry!" " Rogue!" " Fool!" "Sirs, enough!" "Enough!" "Come on, quickly!" "Serve at the table!" "The new friend, at the head of the table." "The healed friend, in front of you." "You, next to him." "Gabriello, what's wrong?" "Why don't you sit down?" "No." "I cannot stay at this supper." "What's the matter?" " I must leave tonight." "How, sir, you leave us?" " Yes." "I am called to Pisa." "But if you leave, Neri will think that Giannetto is right." "Think about your skirts and frills, you weren't born for else, gossip!" "You forgot your origin, but I will change you!" " No, Neri, let her!" "Leave her alone." "What do you want to make of her?" "A saint?" "Brother..." "It's better, yes, that you go." " So you leave us, Gabriello." "Sir, forgive me." "I'm going away." "If it is really necessary, good voyage towards Pisa." "Gabriello..." "You leave with a grudge, and I don't want that." "Come here." "You know that I love you above all things in the world." "Look, I..." " No, no!" "It's better that I leave you alone with her, it's better." "Maybe I'll come back healed." "See you soon." "Brazen woman!" "You provoke him!" " Me?" "No!" "I'm not even looking at him!" "But if woman doesn't look,.." "sign is she sees deep down." "There!" "That beast is right." "Sirs, the viands are in order!" "What a beautiful duck!" "Great starter, this is!" "If you had invited Bandinello!" " Bandinello who?" "The one who tells so many nice love stories..." " That spoil your brain!" "Think about yours, already so intricate." "Is not true, Giannetto?" "Deluded he who wants to limit to his woman the fantasy, and the curiosity!" "But I don't limit it, I enchain it!" " Enchain a cloud, if you can!" "It's true!" "Because woman loves, seeing others love." "She relishes the fruits of her garden, when she hears a thief stealing them from the nearby garden." " Stealing..." "How exciting!" "And that is why, milady, you chose a thief." "A thief!" "?" "You say?" "Your Neri is a thief plain and simple." "Because, knowing that you were mine, immediately he stole you." "You are funnier than a wobbly bench." "Please!" "You make him angry!" " No!" "Him?" "He never becomes angry!" " No, I'm never angry." "But, look, now..." "I can no longer speak." "And if you allow me, I too will go away!" "You intend to insult me?" "I tell you to stay!" "You have no escape:" "be funny, or take the blows!" "Sir!" " I'm not saying it to you!" " To me he says, for he knows that I don't reply!" "And were I not a very vile man, you wouldn't dare." "I wouldn't dare?" " No." "And neither you'd have mauled another, like me that night!" "Listen, and mind what I say." "In all of Florence there is not a single man who scares me!" "Not even the Medici I fear, I say it loudly!" "Oh God!" "What's collapsing?" "What?" " What?" "The roof crumbles to the sound of so nice canard." "Canard?" "But if they were all like you, even if I weren't present, they'd tremble just at hearing my name!" " Even at my name, they tremble." "You'd better understand that cunning walks you on the sword's edge and mocks you, while strength..." "I stand on two bronze feet!" "And you dangle like a hanging cloth." "Cunning!" "I would see you try!" " And I you!" "I bet thou wouldn't go now in Ceccherino's tavern, in Vacchereccia, where is gathered the best youth of Florence, which you say you can fool as you like." "You won't need to touch them." "Just show up to them dressed in armour, and with a billhook on the shoulders." "They would all die of fear, were there even the Medici!" "Will you give your wager to Tornaquinci?" "Here is the gold!" " No, no!" "Too many people in Vacchereccia." "You've done him evil, Giannetto." "They're 10 florins." "I leave eating!" " Neri!" " Be quiet!" "The armour, you have it?" "The armour?" "As many as you want, in my castle." "But in this house ..." " Here are the florins." "And that one?" "That one is of Lorenzo the Magnificent." "You cannot touch." "No one has ever touched it." "If you want, though..." " Oh, if I want!" "Sir, thank you." "I think I'll enjoy it even more." "Yes, I'll wear this!" "And I'll feel like being in the skin of the Medici!" "Beautiful!" "Very nice indeed!" "Hurry." "Wait!" "It'll be tight." "You'd better take off the jacket." "It's true, it will be tight." "I'm stronger than the lord of Florence!" "So be sage as him!" "Instead I want to enjoy it like crazy!" "Thy florins will seem thousands." "You go away, go home, wait for me there." "I'll return late!" "Lapo will escort you." "What a way to interrupt the sweet conversing!" "But so soon you want to send her back?" "Gird well, gird!" "Lace up tight!" "I do not know what you men have." " Quickly!" "We bring you on our arms the sweet life," "Come on!" " And you, always distracted, you want to enjoy it only when we don't!" "Tighten vambraces and spaulders!" "It was so nice to end the evening at the table, and say jolly things, and a bit coarse." " Come on, go!" " I go, I go." "At home, women!" "At home, women!" "And men outside, with misfortune!" "At home!" "Go!" "Quick!" "Giannetto, thy idea has been delightful." "I fear that the by the great laughter, the steel may burst on my belly!" "Give me a drink." "Give a drink to all!" " Give a drink to all!" "Thou art so handsome!" "I much regret that far away is my dear brother." "But I shall raise so much noise tonight in Florence, that the rumour of my deeds will reach him." "Give me here!" "I drink!" "In spite of who has no debts." "I drink in spite of all billygoats, asses, and saints, only in agony!" "And he who doesn't drink with me, be seized by plague!" " I drink!" "The billhook!" " Here it is!" "Open up." "Open the door!" "Messire." "You possess gorgeous weapons!" "Stand back!" "Stand back!" "Passing is death!" "Passing is ruin!" "Passing is truth!" "Passing is the slaughter!" "He's in the web, Fazio!" "Take my horse and arrive before him in Vacchereccia." "Go!" "Calandra." "You collect his clothes and take them to my house, on the fly!" "And his cloak!" "Especially his cloak." "My lord..." "The prank has begun!" "Where's Ceccherino?" " There." "What is it?" "Neri Chiaramantesi has become crazy!" " Crazy?" "And comes here." " Chiaramantesi?" "Ceccherino!" " What is it?" "Neri Chiaramantesi became crazy!" "He's not one of my patrons, but I'm sorry anyway." "Are you quite sure?" " Absolutely!" "Have you heard?" "Messire Neri Chiaramantesi has become crazy!" "Who's crazy?" " Neri Chiaramantesi?" " Yes." " Serves him right!" "Cursed be he!" "Only a madman could commit his abuses." "Now he really is!" "Serves him right!" "Neri once on the street slapped me because I had not given way." "I'm glad!" "A bully, he was!" "As to you, sir Trinca..." "Your wife, huh?" "And now he's crazy!" " Are you happy?" " You'll drink to that, right?" "I will not lose also the wine's money." "It was due!" "Fair is fair." "Neri Chiaramantesi has gone crazy!" "I'm glad!" "And comes here!" "He's dressed in armour, comes screaming, has a huge billhook!" "He seeks your shop." "He seeks you!" " Me?" "Precisely me?" "Why me?" " You want reason from a fool?" "Madonna!" "But I've never seen him, never met him in my life!" "And wants to kill me?" "Not only you, but all those he will find in the shop, he says." "What?" " What did you say?" "And what can I do?" "I need to hide!" " No." "They're with me." "We'll let him in." "He will come screaming." "Then we'll jump on him, and tie him so that he can't harm anyone, and tomorrow morning..." " Are you sure he's crazy?" "He'll come now." "You'll see it." "Messire Fazio!" "He's here, he's here!" "He's crazy for real!" "This way!" "Cowards!" "Weaklings!" "Braggarts!" "Cowards?" "To whom, cowards?" " Dog!" " Sirs!" "He's crazy!" " All but crazy!" " Stay still!" "We'll await him as if we knew nothing, or else he gets scared, and doesn't enter." "Go, sirs, go!" "Weaklings!" "Braggarts!" "One by one I'll make you come out!" "And if you want to save your hide, you have to kiss me this foot tip!" "And then turn around, to get the rest." "Look at them!" "The most valiant youth of Florence, and not one that moves!" "Not one that moves!" " Do not move." "Don't you see how he's dressed?" "And his blabbering?" "He's just out of his mind, the wretch!" "Come, sirs, a bit of courage!" "But which arms taught you to wield, your master Grechetto?" "The pots!" "?" "Come on, out!" "No one comes forward?" "Oh, I'll defy you then!" "Come on, quickly!" "Tie him!" "Tie the crazy man!" "Crazy?" "Me!" "?" "Who said crazy?" "Who said..." "Fazio!" "Oh, Fazio!" "It's an ambush!" "Now I understand." "Lousy worm, you and your master." "Oh, I'm crazy, huh?" "And you want to grab me..." "You want to grab me... because I'm... crazy, huh!" "?" "Cowards!" "Mangy curs!" "Worms!" "Billygoats!" "Cursed be you!" "Damn bastards!" "Here!" "Take that!" "Cuckolds!" "There's no hurry." "We'll get him from hunger and fatigue." "You stay on guard here." "He can't escape anymore." "He's locked himself into the trap!" "It is done." "You can go." "Cinzia!" "Cinzia!" "Lapo, what is it?" " Cinzia, quick!" "O my Lady, what happened?" "Neri, the master, has become insane!" " Insane!" "?" "Yes, insane!" "Open up, quick!" "He meant to kill everybody!" "He broke the arm of Nostagio, the shop boy." "And those sirs, then, he ruined them!" "Go, hurry, hurry!" "Oh, my lady, rise up, run!" "I have terrible news to give you!" "Are you really sure?" " I tell you he's crazy." "They say so everywhere." "They locked him up in a tower." "Tonight, in Vacchereccia." "What do you want?" "Get rid of that man!" "Lapo, go away with God." "My lady is very modest." "Oh, my lady!" "Lady!" "The master is out of his mind!" " Nonsense!" "Close the door." "Tonight, in Vacchereccia, said Lapo, they all talk about it in Florence, they locked him in a tower." "He's a raving lunatic!" "You, you are crazy, not him." " I'm serious!" "It is not possible." " Why is not possible?" "But they keep him locked up!" "Another one, perhaps." "Not him." "He's in there in his bed." "That is, in ours." "My lady!" "You slept with a madman?" "With a madman?" "He was sane." "Indeed, I want to see if you woke him up." "It must be little since he fell asleep." "What!" "?" "You, sir?" "How are you here?" "Excuse me, lady, I am here." "Cinzia!" "But then, I, tonight..." "I slept with you?" "Simply forget it!" "I recommend you to sleep on it." "You have to explain!" "Cinzia has many chores to do." "Right?" "Actually, many chores, not really." " Cinzia, go!" "So, explain to me." "I thought I had explained very well." "What do you mean?" "I love thee." "But come!" "How can you not tremble at the thought that Neri may catch you?" "Oh, for Neri, I don't tremble." "He's well guarded." "And then, to come here, how did you do it?" "Poor Neri!" "I was so sorry seeing him in that state, that I thought to revive him a bit, by acting in his place." "In the house of Tornaquinci had remained his clothes, and inside, the house key." "I took it, and came here as he would." "I opened the door." "My legs were shaking." "You opened the door." "And I?" "Thou were there." "There?" "Sleeping." "I felt rising within, mixed, shivers of pleasure, and those of danger." "I opened also this door." "I entered." "Wait." "Here you are." "I was thus." "I saw you." "You looked like Neri, I recall." "I had his white cloak." "I saw it..." "I fell asleep again." "Thou had your arms bare." "And thy bosom." "This way!" "Ah, what a sensation!" "Coming down a wall of velvet, in a forbidden garden, pick the first fruit..." "No." "Immediately, I picked it not." "Thou were sleeping agitated and restless." "Perhaps in the sleep thou felt my yearning." "And I did not know." "But when thou woke... then..." "Then..." "What's going on this morning?" "What is it?" " Is here sir Malespini?" "Is he here?" "But this is Fazio!" "What is it?" "Sir Malespini." " Fazio!" "Messire,.." "save yourself." "Neri... freed himself." "He beat those who wanted to hold him, and fled." "Fled!" "?" " Oh God!" "Fled, and with the billhook." "If anyone approaches he cuts him in half." "Surely, he's coming here." "Run away, then!" "Cinzia!" "Open!" "Here he is, you hear?" "Quickly, sir." "Not by here, he may find you." "Come!" "There is another exit to the street." "Will you open the gate?" "Fazio!" "Clumsy little woman!" "Why do you yell?" " Oh, Madonna!" "He's crazy!" "Ruffled monkey!" "I'm crazy, huh?" "Whom did you talk to?" "But I seem thus crazy?" " No!" "As you wish." "Be good!" " Get out of the way, hen you are!" "Closed..." "Hey!" "Are you asleep?" "Wake up!" "I am weary, I want to lie down." " Holy Virgin, save me from the madman!" "Ah, damn woman!" "Even you think I'm crazy!" "Open!" "Be good, poor soul, and God save you!" "Open up, strumpet, or jot down the door!" "Open!" "Holy Virgin, save me from the madman!" "Where is the billhook?" "You will see if I'm crazy!" "Fazio!" "Cur!" "You came in good company." "And maybe you can tell me why this cloack..." "Well!" "The lunatics are twice as strong!" " Vile servant!" "Do not let him escape us!" "Cowards!" "Cur!" " Madman!" "Madman!" "Tie him strong!" "Tight!" "Tie him well." "That he does not escape you again!" " Ah, villain!" "Villain!" "Oh, you wicked!" "Oh, you ugly dog snout!" "Oh, my good Neri, what a pity seeing you crazy in your prime!" "I seem to go crazy for real!" "You heard?" "Keep him tight!" "I want him to be seen again by the woman of his heart." "Scoundrel!" " Open, Ginevra!" "Open!" "Come." "Come safely." "He's well tied." " Oh, my God, he's pitiful!" "Well, I'm there to comfort you." "Thou hast enjoyed her!" "Thou hast enjoyed her!" "Cursed!" "Take him away." "Go!" " Prepare thy coffin!" "Ugly Giannetto!" "Prepare thy coffin!" "Ugly Giannetto!" "Lisabetta?" "Lisabetta!" "Lisabetta?" "Yes, Ladomine, I come down." "Grandma..." "I have long awaited this moment!" "That is, thou art almost glad that Neri is crazy so thou can approach him?" "But do not thou fear to go down there, in the cellars of the Tornaquinci palace, where they locked him up?" "No, I do not fear." "He suffers and I must see him." "Goodbye, Grandma." "My child,.." "I feel that thy life is about to go out of the common track." "And thou shall have much pain!" "See, .." "when Neri was sane and happy, and I saw him pass with Ginevra from that window, and he, not looked at me ever..." "Lisabetta!" "Daughter,.." "if thou hast decided to go, go then." "Goodbye, Grandma." "I knock?" "You too here, Fiammetta?" " Yes." "Sir Giannetto called me." "He gathered all the victims of Neri!" " Not all." "And her?" "Yes... she too is one like us." "In short, distinguished doctors, Tornaquinci thinks that Neri is crazy." "Crazy?" " Crazy!" " Tornaquinci thinks that he's crazy?" "Well, then..." " If Tornaquinci thinks so..." "I think that we too must think so." "But I don't believe it!" "I cannot believe it!" "Bad!" " You must believe it!" "Maybe even possessed." "But I cannot believe it, because Tornaquinci.." "I mean, I cannot convince myself." "And yet, and yet Tornaquinci thinks..." " What does he think, Tornaquinci?" "Tell us, tell us!" " Tornaquinci is right!" " Tornaquinci is right!" "And what said Tornaquinci?" "He thinks he should be subjected to the remedy called "the confrontation"." "Quite right!" "Miraculous!" " Extremely subtle!" "And what would be a confrontation?" "The clash of contrasts often removes sanity, but at times also returns it." "We must give to the madman a strong emotion." "So, at times.." "Of course!" "One spirit casts out the other." "Demon casts out demon..." " And the madman heals!" "But, which confrontation could be applied to the patient?" "Neri, you know, loved immoderately women." "I've found three: those." "They were compromised by him and then left." "They're three remorses." "Great!" " Well!" " Bravo!" "And then some friends who will certainly impress him." "Like that man," "Trinca, to whom Neri took away the woman." "Then" " In this case" " We should" " Confront them" " With the fool!" " Oh, no, no!" "I wouldn't have the heart!" " We mustn't have a heart!" "Cruelty of physician, holy medicine!" " Holy!" "And then, if Tornaquinci wants it..." "You are..." " Trinca!" "The one to whom Neri, one day..." " Yes!" "Come.." " With us.." " Down below." "Neri betrayed thee also, pretty girl?" "Yes." "And he promised to marry me, and to give me a house." "But he gave it to Ginevra, more sly than us!" "Then soon thou shall see how reduced your handsome lover is." "And thee?" "Thou hate him too?" "Yes." "He betrayed us too,.. that wolf!" "But now we want to see him again." "To take revenge!" " Bastards!" "Cowards!" "Don't you hear me?" "Cursed be the name of all the Malespini!" "And of Tornaquinci!" "Scoundrels!" "Traitors!" "Untie me!" "Hey, thou, do not forget the remedy!" "Each scream, a stretch of rope!" "Neri." "My poor Neri, how goes it?" "And how long... thou want to mock me,.." "O mocked by who begot thee?" "!" "Let's start the confrontation." "Come closer, you!" "Trinca, come here." "There he is." "Take thy revenge." "There, he approaches him." "Let's hope the confrontation has a good outcome." "First of all:" "Art thou tied well?" "Apparently yes!" "Finally!" "I am the younger now." "I am the stronger now!" "And I can call thee cur." "Cur!" " Sheep!" "It seems that thou can reason a little." "Good." "Better!" "Thus thou will hear me." "You know in what state you are?" "Do you know?" "Worse than dead!" "A mockery of all!" "Even of me,.." "whom one day thou hast offended because thou were young and strong." "And now thou art crazy!" "Crazy?" "Galatea!" "Thou remember Galatea?" "My beloved." "She was beautiful, huh?" "I..." "I held her dear to me." "Hidden.." "so that the sun, with its rays, would not reveal her." "And one day..." "Remember that day?" "Back home at a different hour..." "Oh, that day!" "Had I been able to topple thee into the abyss that haunts the old people!" "The past!" "Oh, had I been able!" "Now,.." "I want thou to suffer a little." "A little..." "I have here a small dagger that was hers.." "I want thou to taste it, in remembrance!" " Cursed!" "How.." " Is proceeding.." " The confrontation?" "Bitingly!" "Bitingly!" "It pricks, thou feel it?" "Thou think I want to kill thee?" "No.." "No, really!" "Now that you're in this state, much greater, must be thy punishment." "I just want to.." "prick thee a little!" "I just want to see thy blood!" "No!" "Wait, cuckold!" "Ah, sheep!" "Cuckold, billy-goat!" "Varmint!" "Goat!" "Cursed be thee!" "He has truly the demons!" "It takes a sorcerer!" " Still a stretch of rope." " No!" "No!" " No!" "Stop with the rope!" "Indeed, come away." "Trinca, the confrontation is over." "And you, go call the women, and accompany them here." "Look, Neri.." "thou will no longer be considered crazy." "Thou shalt have no more the demon, if thou shalt be calm." "If thou will recognize the justice of the weak." "If thou agree to make peace." "Without rancor." "That which is given, it is rendered." "Never mind!" "Patience a little longer, Neri." "Let pass the women!" " Ah, thou worm!" "I too growled thus!" "And then came the blows!" "And it was for mockery." "We, instead,.." "all for thy own good." "Only for thy good!" "Oh, here they are!" "Look at him, your lover." "Console him!" "He's a little plucked, a little ruffled, but you who love him you will tidy him up." "If suffices one to comb a sane man, three shan't be many for a madman." "Neri!" "Neri!" "But then, he's really crazy!" "Why do not thou answer?" "Cursed!" "He tricked also me." "But what can you do?" "Ask him for reason, if he has it not?" "But when the reason was with him, he ruined me." "And promised to marry me!" "Have pity on him." "He lost his reason." "Now he's reduced to a poor animal that has lost its way to the sheepfold." "Thou still raise my anger, traitor!" "I, when I do not see him, I detest him." "But if I see him again, I love him even more!" "For me, I vow... that thou no longer may regain the use of reason!" "Thou art without mercy." "See thou how he suffers?" "See thou how the eye is dark and livid inside the orbit?" "And the fiery cheeks?" "But now, thou art well tied, and thou canst not hurt us!" "Ugly beast!" " No!" "Oh, dear!" "Has she hurt thee?" "But why thou defend him?" " Come away, Lisabetta." " Thou also love him?" "Come on." "Thou want not?" " No!" "She wants to be alone with him, silly girl!" "All right, I leave thee." "For me..." "I'm leaving too." "Come on, Fiammetta." "I don't know who keeps me from hitting him with my elbow!" "Alas!" "What a viper thou art, Fiammetta!" "Well then?" "I thank you, sir, for giving me this joy at least." "Of insulting him!" "Of insulting him..." "And he?" " He did not say a word." "And your companion?" "Messire Giannetto!" "Sir Tornaquinci awaits you at once in the salon of the oaks." " I'll come with you." "Oh, yes!" "And your companion, that mild girl, it is she who wanted to be alone with him?" "Yes, it was she." "Then, if you hear screaming, enter." "Before that angel has gouged out his eyes." "How I like thee, even so upset!" "If I had kissed thee, and kissed again.." "thou would be so.." "thou would be so upset?" "Because love is also madness!" "Thou art passed me near, as the torrent passes near the bank." "Passes and sees nothing." "But my companion, my old grandmother, who had an ill-fated love, taught me to hope!" "She looked at me while I slept, because I am ashamed of the lantern.." "She tells me I'm beautiful!" "She tells me I am pure gold, thou know?" "If were thou my lantern!" "What a beautiful dream!" "Who art thou?" "Lisabetta." "My name is Lisabetta." "Would thou be able to repeat my name?" "Oh, my name said from thy lips!" "And no one ever will teach it thee!" "I..." "I shall say thus thine, which I know so well, because I said it in countless ways." "Neri..." "Neri!" "Lisabetta." "One would say thou hast a sane mind." "My little girl,.." "Tell me!" "What can I do to make thee well understand that I'm not crazy!" "If thou were not, I would be terrified." "I told thee so many things..." "What can I do so thou knows I'm not crazy, tell me!" " But they all say yes." "Tell me, tell me!" "Tell me, I'll do anything." "Then.." "change the expression of thy eyes,.." "and look at me." "Look at me fixedly." "Come closer." "Look at me." "Don't thou see that I like thee?" "Is it not enough for thee?" "But thou think, that if I were really crazy," "I'd want to give thee a pure kiss, a chaste kiss?" "Come closer, therefore,.." "my beautiful spring flower," "I want to kiss thee." "But then,.." "thou art not crazy!" "Lisabetta..." "What have they done to thee?" "They tricked me!" "But why?" " Giannetto, the traitor!" "No!" "No, not so." "Why do thy eyes again become dark and bad-tempered?" "Because a great desire for revenge is hidden within me like a huge flame!" "If thou could give me a way to escape, to get revenge!" "I think, thou see, that in order to get rid of them, thou should be cunning like them." "Listen to me well..." "I thank you, you may go." "Messire Luca will report on my choice." "Know thou to break timely the link of the chain which could become deadly!" "Sir Giannetto, it is now time for you to make peace with Neri and with his brother." "My lord, I waited so long that Neri would accept the hand which I handed him, that he wouldn't treat me worse than the meanest of his servants!" "I was not asking much, but that he would deem me a man!" "Even before, I tried one last time to make peace." "He rejected me!" "I feel he wants to finish me off." "So I want..." "I want him to implore me, for pity!" "I want him to smile as you smile to a peer!" "Not with contempt." "I want him to humble himself, otherwise, he has no salvation!" "Because my knot of terror can strangle him desperately!" "Indeed, so various are the roads that lead a man to cruelty!" "Well!" "As you wish." "Those two... were always inhuman and ferocious with you." "I must support you." " Thank you, sir!" " But don't push too far beyond the game, and your risk." "But the risk, until he asks for peace, is all Neri's." "Because the more he talks and argues sanely, the more he is deemed crazy." "He has no escape!" "There he is, no more yelling!" "Perhaps he's convinced." "Well, Neri?" "Who art thou who approaches?" "An elephant with a tower on it?" "Thou art so big!" "Thou make me afraid!" "I am good, I'm good, good..." "You hear him, messire!" "Poor thing!" "What muddle is this?" "!" "So,.. - the experiment,.." " how did it turn out?" "Well?" "Excellently!" "You can see from the face." "It mellowed." "Look." "The cheeks are relaxed, and the eye is shy." "You think so?" "I am a Moor." "And she is white." "If she marries me, will be born a doctor coloured of chamomile." "Alas, how he's pitiful!" "Why keep him still tied, sir Giannetto?" "Messire Giannetto!" "My master!" "Messire Giannetto!" "Gabriello is back!" "He heard of Neri's folly and is sure that you're the author of all evil!" "Where did you see him?" "How do you know?" " Cinzia told me." "Just arrived he sought Ginevra." " Into the house?" "He talked to her?" "No, she didn't open fearing that he'd avenge his brother." "But he began to beg saying that he loved her too much to hurt her." "That he loved her too much to hurt her?" "And Ginevra?" "Did not open fearing he was lying." " He wasn't lying!" " So Gabriello, vowing that he would kill you in the worst way he could, went near your home, and waits." "Is pale with rage!" " At my home!" "Yes, going up and down the street in front of your home." " Ah, Gabriello!" "Thy cruelty is preparing thee an atrocious prank!" "I don't fear thy news for me, no!" "But for the two brothers!" "Wait here." "Girl, I know like thee, he's not crazy." "He's not crazy!" "Yet, look." "I'll untie the other strings and he'll be free." "But first listen to me." "Girl, he feigns, and I understand why." "He thinks that, being no longer furious, we cannot keep him tied." "No, I'm not feign..." "I'm not crying." "But a morsel has remained sideways in my throat:" "I have swallowed my anger." "Do not you see?" "He's crazy, crazy as before!" "But not furious." "Do not doubt, look." "If he's healed, and swears to leave me alone, I'll free him." "If he makes peace," "It will be prank against prank." "Neri!" "Neri!" "Thou hear me?" "Have mercy on me!" "Thou hast mocked me so much, that I wanted to show thee that even a weakling can become strong." "But now it's all over." "Talk to me, Neri!" "Advise him thou also!" "The cat is purring in the oven." "Light the fire, and tighten the door." "Better is rather that you untie him and entrust him to me." "Don't you see how your prank has reduced him?" " That's not true!" "That's not true, and thou know it!" "Neri!" "Neri!" "Let's make peace!" "Why thou hurt me?" "I am good." "I am so good." " Enough!" "Enough Neri!" "Do not insist!" "Do not insist!" "Who knows?" "Who knows, who will remain down, down at the bottom!" "Down down at the bottom,.." "there was a goldfish, watching." "It looked like a bloody flame!" "Neri, I am afraid." "Of thee as of me." "I apologize." "Do not feign anymore." "Peace!" "Let there be peace!" "The flames of blood are not extinguished even with water." "It takes live fire!" "You like the fire?" " Neri,.." "think over again." "I am resolved to everything, and a coward like me does not balk at anything!" "For the last time, I ask for peace!" "Give me, I pray thee,.." "a bunch of stars." "You take them thus, like flies!" "Then be it as thou wilt!" "Untie him!" "Untie the fool!" "I said to untie him, go!" "So, thou say that if Ginevra had opened, he would betray his brother." " Oh, he would!" "The love for the woman destroys every other love, master!" "And intoxicates the father so that kills his son, and the brother..." "But what do you want to do?" " Play!" " With death is not played." "Is not life a game with death?" "Fazio, I hold a thin thread, and I will make a knot that nobody will undo!" "But of course you won't go tonight to Ginevra?" " Yes, there I'll go!" "I'm hungry." "Come." "Art thou able to follow me?" "See?" "He follows me like a child." "Let me lead him to my house." "Lead him to thy house." "Neri!" "My poor Neri!" "Thou art thus crazy, huh?" "Poor Neri!" "It pains me so much that I dare not even believe it!" "Indeed, I want one last confirmation." "I am good..." "A pilgrim." "Listen!" "Tonight I will go in Ginevra's home at the usual time." "At one at night." "If thou art crazy, surely thou won't come." "If thou art not, there I will find death." "But I'll come." "Since I love Ginevra above all, and without her, life, what do I care?" "I play for broke." "But thou beware." "If thou still hast mind, use it well;" "sharpen it, and stretch it!" "Defend thyself!" "Here is the cloak, Neri." "I found this because..." "Neri!" "Neri!" "Neri..." "Neri!" "Neri..." "What is it?" "Oh, what a fright!" "What a fright that thou had left me!" "Look, I found it." "It's a bit old, but will go well." "How long till one at night?" "Why?" "Thou want to go there?" "No!" "No, promise me thou will not go!" " But yes, do not worry." "Take away the lantern, it bothers me." "Then you won't go, will you?" "Can I stay here?" "Lisabetta..." "No!" "Don't look at me so!" "And go inside to rest." "Those tortures have exhausted thee." "Thou also art tired." "Let us rest together." "Thou want?" "Thus." "Thus?" "Close to thee?" "Yes." "Close to me." "Thus." "Sleep now." "Neri..." "Neri..." "No!" "No!" "Neri!" "Neri!" "Neri!" "Men of Florence, it is one hour at night." "Men of Florence, it is one hour at night." "Men of Florence, it is one hour at night." "Men of Florence, it is one hour at night." "Men of Florence, it is one hour at night." "Cinzia, what was it?" "I thought I heard the door close, but down in the courtyard there was none." "I still live in fear that may return that wicked Gabriello." "And even if he returned?" "It's all closed." "I'm tired!" "And I'm not sleepy." "Messire Giannetto will arrive shortly." "Come." "Finish quickly to style my hair." "Eh, if I were you!" "I would like to jeer at all these lovers." "And Gabriello, I wouldn't want him to leave so angrily." " What are you saying?" "He should make peace with Giannetto." "As a prize, he'd have a bit of my love." "That is, of yours." "You do not know him, Gabriello." "He can be more ferocious than Neri." " Maybe." "But enough that, from the sheets where you are wrapped, you show one foot, one of your little white feet, with thin ivory fingers and glass nails..." "Cinzia, you speak to me in poetry!" " Not my words, lady." "They're certain sayings that tells me often one of your suitors, and tonight he'll pass in the street with his friends, and will sing May for you." "You'll leave the window open." "Let enter even the moon!" "It's me." "There's the madman!" "Oh, blessed Mother!" "Listen,.." "if thou just breathe again, look," "I'm so crazy that I'll slit thy throat." "Now go to thy room, go, hurry up." "Wait!" "Is there anybody home?" "Beware!" "If thou lie, it's over for thee." " No one." "Except me, poor woman." "And my lady who trembles, don't you see?" "Get out!" "Look Neri, it's not my fault." "I did not know!" "I was betrayed!" "I swear, I was betrayed!" "This bosom,.." "and these arms,.." "have clasped my worst enemy!" "No, for pity!" "I'm a woman, and thou know how much love I gave thee." "When Giannetto comes, where art thou?" "In there, waiting for him, or in thy bed, as with me, when I was thy master?" "In my bed." "The house is all out?" "The lantern is in place?" "As before." "As before." "Put the lantern in place,.." "and then go to bed." "Thou art beautiful!" "Thou art beautiful,.." "for dying in thy arms!" "What horror!" "I will not!" "I will not!" "Choose!" "Either him in thy arms, or both, one after the other!" "No!" "Go!" "Quickly!" "Or I stretch thee dead, on the bed." "Certainly,.." "he'll come with many armed men." "I will wait that he's quite sure that I'm not there." "Then, so vile is the dog, that he will want to take heart next to thee." "Thou beware of uttering word, and of complaining." "Hast thou heard?" "Thou listened!" "So, now thou know." "If thou happen to talk or make a gesture, implore God's mercy." "Now go to bed." "And do not rise, whatever happens." "Go!" "What art thou doing here?" " I take the lantern and put it in place." "As thou want." "Quickly!" "So then?" "# Returned is May," "# After long journey," "# The May." "# Spring has come, # that everyone falls in love." "# When night falls, # loves are interwoven," "# Because the thirsty hearts # all quenches May..." "# Has come the coolness," "Holy Virgin, help me!" "Holy Virgin, help me!" "Holy Virgin... help me!" "Shut up!" "# because the night is full # of stars always, in May." "Oh, thou are in the coffin!" "Giannettaccio!" "Thou hast taken your revenge too soon." "Today, another wanted to avenge you, and wanted to kill me." "But more than my death, he liked..." "Ginevra!" "So I told him:" "Well, I will teach thee the way to go up to her." "And so I lent him my cloak." "The other... who was he?" "Cannot thou guess, then?" "Speak..." "Speak!" "Gabriello!" "What hast thou said?" "Thou hast killed him!" "Thou killed him, and it was thy brother, Gabriello!" "No. .." "If thou art not crazy yet, go and see." "And retain thy sanity, if thou can!" "No!" "No!" "Gabriello!" "Gabriello!" "Let us flee, Master." "Let us flee." "Let us flee!" "You hear what you have done?" "Let us flee!" " No." "I am nailed to evil!" "O, Nature, at least let me cry, for the torment of not being able to feel the evil I committed!" "Gabriello..." "He'll kill me!" "Gabriello!" "Gabriello..." "Gabriello..." "G..." "Giannetto is dead." "I killed him." "Gabriello..." "Come on." "END" "English subs by edam17@KG August 2013"