"Michele, aren't you tired of watching the sunset?" "." "is it so spectacular?" " Certainly" "Smoke no longer comes from your pipe" "Have they finished yet?" "." " Shall I go and see?" "No, I'll go" "They've worked so hard" "They've cleared the hold, so it can be loaded again tomorrow" "We should reward them for their work with a good drink" "You think of everything, sweetheart!" "Bring them something to drink" "They've almost finished." "This will give them strength" "My wine will satisfy their thirst and restore them" "And what about me?" " You?" "What do you mean?" "I've given up wine, but just because my pipe is finished it doesn't mean my passion is finished" "Give me a kiss, my love" "It's stifling here I thought so. I've got what you want." "Try this wine" "Hurry up, Talpa. lt's time to eat" "Don't you hurry me." "This sack is breaking my back" "Luigi, another round" "Boys, here's your next round." "Come here and have a drink" "Wine will give you the energy to finish" "How you go on!" "Wine for everyone!" "We drink to wish you good health" "Raise your glasses." "Cheers!" "May you have as much happiness as the wine gives us pleasure" "Have another one - l never refuse" "Here's the organ grinder, just in time I drown all my sorrows in this wine." "Here's to the master!" "Thanks!" "My only pleasure is here, at the bottom of the glass" "Professor, come here!" "Now you'll hear a real artist I only understand one kind of music - music for dancing" "I'm at your service, and a good dancer I'll keep you to your word" "You look as though you're cleaning the floor" "You trod on my foot" "Here's the master" "What are you thinking?" "Do we leave next week?" "We'll see" "Talpa and Tinca will stay with us?" "Luigi will stay too" "Yesterday you didn't think so I think so today" "Why?" "I don't want him to starve to death" "He always manages" "Yes, he manages." "That's why he never finishes anything" "Nobody can ever tell whether he's done well or badly with you" "Those who work survive" "It's evening already." "What a red sunset for September!" "The sun looks like a large orange as it sinks into the Seine" "Look, there's Frugola" "She's searching for her husband" "He drinks too much" "Don't you know she's jealous?" "My husband, you're in a bad mood." "What's wrong?" "Why do you stare at me?" "Who wants my latest song?" "I've never made a fuss" "You don't beat me" "You want me to?" " l'd prefer it to your silences I'd rather be bruised all over" "'He who has lived for love will die for love'" "That's the story of Mimi" "At least tell me what's the matter" "Nothing" "I'm happy when we're in Paris" "Yes, I know" "'But her lover does not return, and the hours of the day stop beating...'" "'...and so does the heart of Mimi'" "Good evening, young lovers!" "Good evening, Frugola" " Has my husband finished work?" "This morning he was in such pain he could hardly move" "He makes his own punishment" "But I've cured him" "I rubbed his back with rum" "Giorgetta, look at this jewelled comb" "If you want it, I'll give it to you lt's the best thing I've found today" "That's why they call you 'Frugal'" "You rummage everywhere to fill your sack" "If only you knew what strange things are collected in this sack!" "Here's a feather for you" "Lace, velvet, rags, and evidence of a thousand loves, joys and torments" "I collect from both the rich and the poor" "What's in that bag?" "A heart of beef for Corporal my tabby cat with the strange eye" "What a privileged fellow!" " He deserves to be" "He's the most beautiful cat, and my best romance" "He keeps me company when Talpa is out" "We have a love affair without spite, without jealousy" "Shall I tell you his philosophy?" "Purr, purr!" "Better to be the master of a hovel than a servant in a palace" "Purr, purr!" "Better to live on two slices of heart than destroy one's own with love" "Here's my old lady!" "What were you talking about?" "." "I was telling Giorgetta about the cat" "Luigi, tomorrow we load iron." "Can you give us a hand?" "I'll come, sir" "Good-night everyone" "You're in a hurry!" " Hurrying to get drunk?" "If I were your wife..." " What would you do?" "I'd beat you till you stopped spending all night in the tavern" "Wine is good for me I drown rebellious thoughts in it" "If I drink, I don't think." "Because if I think, I don't laugh" "You're right, it's better not to think" "Just bow your head and bend your back" "Life has no other value for us, and every joy becomes a penance" "Put the sack on your back, and your head to the ground" "If you look up, beware of the lash" "Bread is earned with sweat, and time for love must be stolen" "Stolen with anguish and fear which obscure the most divine joy" "Everything is fought for, stolen" "The day is already dark in the morning" "You're right, it's better not to think" "Just bow your head and bend your back" "Follow my example - drink!" "I won't say more." "See you tomorrow, boys" "Let's go too. I'm dead tired" "When will we be able to buy a cottage, where we can rest?" "." "You're obsessed with the country!" "I dream about a little house, with a small garden beside it" "Four walls around it, and two pine trees for shade" "My old man rests in the sun, Corporal lies at my feet" "Waiting like that for death the remedy of all ills" "My dream is different I was born in the suburbs, and only the air of Paris excites me" "I wish that Michele would give up this exhausting, vagrant life I wouldn't have to live down there, between the bed and the cooker" "You should see how I used to live!" "Where did you live?" " Don't you know?" "Belleville. I was born there too" "Like me, he has Belleville in his blood" "One can never be free of it" "Belleville is our native country, and our world" "We can't live on water, we need to tread the pavements" "A house, friends, meetings, gossip..." "Everyone knows everyone else, and everyone is in the family ln the morning, you go to work" "In the evening, you return with company" "Shops ablaze with light, carriages passing each other..." "You walk together on Sunday in the Bois de Boulogne" "Dancing out of doors, love affairs... lt's difficult to say what it is, this feeling, this strange nostalgia" "He who leaves it wants to return, and he who returns never leaves it again" "There in the heart of Paris it calls with a thousand happy voices" "I understand." "Life here is different" "Luigi, come and eat with us?" "I have to stay and talk to the boss" "In that case, see you tomorrow" "Good-night, old friends" "I dream about a little house, with a small garden beside it" "Four walls around it, and two pine trees for shade" "My old man rests in the sun, Corporal lies at my feet" "Be careful." "He might appear at any moment" "Keep your distance" "Then why increase my torment?" "." "What's the point of calling me?" "I tremble to remember last night, and your passionate kisses" "You know what was in those kisses" "Yes, my darling, but be quiet!" "What foolish fear has seized you?" "If he discovers, it's death I'd rather die than see you tied to this fate" "If only we could be alone, far away" "Together for ever" " And in love for ever" "Say you'll never leave me" "Haven't you gone yet?" "." " Sir, I was waiting to talk to you" "Thank you for having kept me, but I must ask you, if you can to take me to Rouen, and leave me ashore" "Rouen?" "Are you mad?" "There's nothing but misery there, you'd be worse off" "Very well, I'll stay with you" "Where are you going?" " To prepare the lights" "Good-night, sir" "Why did you ask to be left at Rouen?" "Because I can't share you with him" " You're right, it's torture I'm a captive, and I feel these chains more strongly than you" "You're right, it's torture, anguish, punishment" "But when you hold me, the reward is even greater" "Together we seem to steal what we can from life" "The desire is more intense" "And joy is spoilt by anguish and fear" "An anxious embrace..." "Stifled cries, unfinished kisses..." "Vows and promises" " To be alone together" "Alone, and far away" "All alone, far away from the world" "Promise you'll come back later" " Yes, an hour from now" "Like last night, I'll leave the gangplank down I'm the one who always takes it up" "Are your shoes soled with rope?" "You'll give the same signal?" "A lighted match." "How that tiny flame flickered in my hand!" "It was as though the flame of our love would set fire to a star" "I want your mouth, and your caresses" "Then you also feel that foolish desire" "Foolish jealousy!" "I want to hold you close to me as though you're mine I don't want to suffer any longer because someone else touches you" "I want to keep everyone away from your divine body I swear to you I would not fear to draw my knife and with drops of blood make a ring for you" "How difficult it is to be happy!" "Why aren't you in bed?" "And you?" " Not yet" "I think you were right to keep him" " Who?" "Perhaps I've made a mistake." "There's only enough work for two men" "Get rid of Tinca." "He's always drinking" "He drinks to drown his sorrows, because his wife is a tramp" "He drinks so he doesn't kill her" "These stories don't interest me" "Why don't you love me any more?" "You're wrong, I love you." "You're kind, honest." "Let's go to sleep" "You don't sleep" " You know why I don't sleep I can't breathe in there" "The nights are cooler now" "Last year there were three of us in there, with our baby in the cradle" "Our baby?" "Be quiet!" "You reached out and rocked him gently" "Then you fell asleep on my arm" "Michele, I beg you not to say more" "On evenings like this, when the breeze stirred I wrapped you in my cloak, as though in an embrace" "I felt your dark head on my shoulders" "I felt your mouth close to mine" "I was so happy" "It's not like that now" "My age seems to be an insult to your youth" "I'm tired." "Let's go" "But you can't sleep, you know it" "Why do you say that?" "." "I don't know, but I do know that you haven't slept for a long time" "Come close to me" "Don't you remember other nights, other skies and other moons?" "Why have you closed your heart?" "." "Don't you remember the hours when this boat carried us across the water?" "Don't remember. lt's melancholy" "Return to me, be mine again" "You loved me, and kissed me ardently" "Stay close to me. lt's a lovely night" "What do you want?" "." "We're older" "I'm not the same, and you've changed" "You're suspicious." "What are you thinking?" "I don't even know myself" "Good-night. I'm exhausted I'll join you soon" "Slut!" "The moon is spying on us." "Until tomorrow, darling..." "There she is." "Not undressed, not asleep" "What's she waiting for?" "Who?" "Perhaps for me to sleep" "Who has changed her?" "What shadow has come between us?" "Who has led her astray?" "Talpa?" "He's too old" "Tinca perhaps?" "No, I don't think so." "He drinks" "Luigi?" "No, this evening he asked to leave me at Rouen" "Who is it?" "." "If only I could see in the dark and catch him with my hands I'd shout at him, 'lt's you'" "Your angry face smiled at my pain" "Share these chains with me" "Join your fate with mine, together into the deep" "There is peace in death" "Who are you looking for?" "Your lover?" "It's not true" " You're lying." "Confess!" "You'll not escape me, scoundrel!" "You wanted to go to Rouen?" "You'll go there dead, in the river" "Confess that you love her" "Wretch!" "If you confess, I'll let you go" "Yes..." "I love her" " Repeat it!" "I'm frightened, Michele" "So I was right." "You're not sleeping I'm full of remorse for making you suffer" "It's nothing." "Just your nerves!" "That's it." "You're right" "Tell me you forgive me" "Don't you want me closer?" "Where?" "Inside my cloak?" "Yes, close to you" "You used to say to me:" "'Everyone wears a cloak...'" "'...that sometimes hides happiness, sometimes sadness'" "Sometimes a crime" "Come inside my cloak" "Hail Mary, pray for those who sin..." "and in the hour of our dying" "Sisters in humility, you were late for service" "So was Sister Angelica, but she has done penance" "But you, sisters, have sinned foolishly, and have lost a day of celebration" "I have sinned, and ask for severe punishment" "The more heavy the punishment, the more I shall give thanks" "Those late for prayers must kneel and kiss the ground" "You shall say twenty times a prayer for the oppressed and afflicted and for those who live in mortal sin" "Christ my Lord, Beloved Bridegroom, I wish only to please Thee now and in the hour of my dying" "Sister Lucilla, to work." "Retire and observe silence lt's because this evening she laughed and made others laugh in the choir" "Sister Osmina, in chapel you were hiding two scarlet roses in your sleeves lt's not true" "Sister, go to your cell." "Hurry up." "Our Lady is watching" "Sovereign Lady, pray for her" "Now, sisters in joy, to please the Lord, and for love of Him before returning more happily to work, you may have some recreation" "Sisters, I want to show you a sunbeam that has entered the cloister" "Look where it falls, on the grass" "The three evenings of the golden fountain are beginning" "It is May, and the lovely smile of Our Lady comes with that ray" "Queen of Mercy, we thank Thee" "Sister, may I ask permission to speak?" "Always to praise things that are holy and beautiful" "What act of Our Lady's grace makes the sisters happy?" "A shining sign of God's goodness" "On three evenings a year, when we come out of chapel God allows us to see the sun falling on the fountain, turning it to gold" "And the other evenings?" "We come out either too early, when the sun is high or too late, when the sun has set" "Another year has passed" "And we have lost a sister" "Sisters, when the fountain begins to glow and turn golden shall we take a pail of golden water to the grave of Sister Bianca Rosa?" "Our sister resting there would like that" "Desires are the flowers of the living" "They do not flower in the land of the dead" "The Blessed Virgin helps us, and freely anticipates a desire and before a desire can flower the Mother of mothers has granted it" "Death is a beautiful life" "We may not have desires" " But if they are pure, why not?" "." "Have you never had a desire?" " No, I haven't" "Yes, I confess it" "My sweet Lord, You know that I was a shepherdess" "I have not seen a lamb for five years" "Lord, does it anger You if I say that I desire to see a little one and nurse it, touch its cold nose, and hear it bleat?" "." "If it is a sin, I shall offer the Miserere" "Forgive me, Lord." "Thou art the Lamb of God" "I have a desire too" " Sister, we already know your desires" "A tasty mouthful, a juicy fruit!" "Gluttony is a deadly sin." "She's greedy" "Sister Angelica, what about you?" "Have you any desires?" "No, my sister" "May Jesus forgive her, she's told a lie" "We know she has a great desire to hear news of her family" "She's been in the convent for at least seven years, but has heard nothing" "She seems resigned, but she's tormented" "She was very rich in the world, so Mother Abbess says" "She was a princess, made to take the veil as a punishment" "Holy Mary be praised, for evermore!" "A good collection this evening, Sister Housekeeper" "A skin of oil" "Some hazel-nuts" " A basket of walnuts" "Good with salt and bread!" "Flour, and a cheese which still drips milk - as delicious as a pasta" "A bag of lentils, some eggs, butter, and that's all" "A good collection this evening, Sister Housekeeper" "For you, greedy sister!" "A stem of red-currants." "Help yourselves, sisters!" "Who has come to visit us this evening?" " No one." "Why?" "A splendid carriage has stopped outside" "What did you say, sister?" "A splendid carriage?" "It belongs to the nobility, and must be waiting for someone visiting the convent" "Perhaps the parlour bell will ring soon" "Tell me about the carriage." "Did it have a coat-of-arms in ivory?" "Was it upholstered inside, with blue silk and silver embroidery?" "I don't know." "All I saw was a splendid coach" "She's turned pale." "She's upset." "She hopes it's her family" "There's a visitor in the parlour" "Who is it for?" "If only it were for me!" "My mother bringing white doves..." "my cousin with lavender seed" "Blessed Mother, read my heart and smile at the Saviour for me" "Beloved sister, we pray to the Star of Heaven that the visitor is for you" "Thank you, dear sister" "Mother Superior, tell me, who is it?" "." "I've waited seven years, for a word, a letter l've offered everything to the Virgin, in full expiation" "Then offer Her also the anxiety that now disturbs you" "Lord, give her eternal rest" "May eternal light shine upon her, and may she rest in peace" "Mother, I am calm and obedient" "Your aunt, the Princess, has come to see you" "In the parlour, say what obedience and necessity require" "Every word is heard by the Virgin" "The Virgin shall hear me" "Prince Gualtiero, your father, and Princess Clara, your mother when they died twenty years ago made me guardian of their children and all the family estate" "I had to divide it as I thought fit, and with full justice" "I have done this." "Here is the document" "Examine it, and sign it" "I stand before you after seven years." "Let this holy place inspire you" "This is a place of clemency, compassion" "And repentance" "I must tell you the reason why I arrived at this division" "Your sister, Anna Viola is to be married" "Married?" "My little sister Anna Viola?" "Seven years have passed." "My little blonde sister is to be married" "Little sister, may you be happy" "Who is she marrying?" "One whose love overcame the disgrace which you brought to our good name" "Sister of my mother, you're inexorable" " What do you mean?" "inexorable?" "You dare to mention your mother's name in this against me?" "I often pray in the evening in our chapel" "In the silence of my prayers, my spirit seems to leave me and join your mother's spirit, in secret, ethereal communication" "How painful it is to hear the dead mourn and weep!" "When the mystical ecstasy passes I have only one word for you:" "Atone!" "Offer my justice to the Virgin" "I have offered everything to the Virgin" "But there is something I cannot offer to the sweet Mother of all mothers" "I cannot promise to forget my son" "The baby who was torn away from me, whom I saw and kissed only once" "My baby!" "This is the word for which I've been praying, for seven years" "Tell me about him." "How is my son?" "What does he look like?" "What colour are his eyes?" "Why are you silent?" "." "Another moment of this silence and you'll be damned for eternity" "The Virgin hears us and will judge you" "Two years ago, he became fatally ill" "Everything was done to save him" "He's dead?" "Without your mother, child, you died" "Without my kisses, your lips grew pale and cold" "And you closed your beautiful eyes" "Unable to touch me, you folded your hands in a cross" "And you died without knowing how much your mother loved you" "Now that you are an angel in Heaven, you can see your mother" "You can come down from the sky and flutter around me" "I feel you here, kissing me" "Tell me when I shall be able to see you" "When shall I be able to kiss you?" "Sweet end to all my sorrows, when shall I meet you in Heaven?" "When can I die?" "Pretty child, speak to your mother with the twinkling of a star" "Sister, the Virgin has heard your prayer" "The Virgin has given you Her grace" "Her grace has descended from Heaven and shines all around me" "Sisters, I am happy" "They are singing in Heaven already" "Let us praise the Holy Virgin" "Her grace has descended from Heaven" "Sister Angelica was always good at making things from flowers" "These friendly flowers hide drops of poison in their hearts" "I took so much care with them, and now they will repay me" "Through you, my flowers, I shall die" "Farewell, dear sisters, I leave you for ever" "My son has called me." "In a ray of starlight, I saw his smile" "He said, 'Mother, come to Paradise'" "Farewell, little chapel, where l prayed so often" "You received kindly both my prayers and my tears" "Blessed grace has descended" "I die for him, and I'll see him again in Heaven" "I am damned I have taken my own life" "I die in mortal sin" "Madonna, save me!" "For the love of my son, I've lost my reason" "Don't let me die in damnation" "Give me a sign of grace" "Madonna, save me!" "A mother implores..." "Poor Buoso!" "Poor cousin!" "Poor uncle!" "Poor brother-in-law!" "I'll cry for days and days" "For days?" "Months!" "For months?" "Years!" "For the rest of my life!" "Take the boy away!" "Buoso, we'll mourn your death all our lives" "What?" "." "is it true?" "They say so in Signa" "What do they say in Signa?" "They say that..." "Marco, did you hear what they're saying in Signa?" "May we all know what the devil they're saying in Signa?" "There were rumours... whispers..." "last night at Cisti, the baker's 'lf Buoso croaks, there'll be bread from Heaven for the monks!" "'" "'My paunch will be as big as a house' 'ln his will, Buoso left everything to a monastery'" "Who says so?" "Speak first, Simone, you're the oldest" "And you were Mayor of Fucecchio" "What do you think?" "If the will is in the hands of a notary..." "Who knows?" "Perhaps it's a disaster for us" "But if it has been left in this room, it's a disaster for the monks" "Lauretta, my darling, let's put our hopes in uncle's will" "We're saved." "Here's the last will and testament of Buoso Donati" "Aunt, I was the one who found it" "As a reward, tell me if my dear uncle has left me well provided for lf we're all about to be rich, on such a happy day as this will you give me consent to marry Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi's daughter?" "My legacy would seem even sweeter if I could marry her on May Day" "Yes, we'll talk about it I could marry her on May Day" "Can't you see we're on tenterhooks?" "If all goes as we hope, marry whoever you like, even the devil's daughter" "My uncle was so fond of me, he must have left my pockets full" "Run to Gianni Schicchi, and tell him to come here with Lauretta" "Rinuccio, Buoso's nephew wants him" "Here are two pennies for you." "Buy some biscuits" "'To my cousins, Zita and Simone'" "He must have all the candles." "They must burn right down" "Enjoy them, poor Buoso!" "If only he's left me this house, and the mills at Signa, and the mule... lt was true." "We'll see the monks grow fat at the expense of the Donati" "All those lovely florins ending up in the friars' cassocks" "Depriving us of our inheritance, while the brothers wallow in plenty I'll have to ration my drinking at Signa.... ...while the monks drink wine from our vines" "They'll be so bursting with food that they'll have to enlarge their habits" "My happiness will be stolen by the Order of Santa Reparata" "Open the larders of the monasteries, and sharpen your teeth, brothers" "Smack your lips, here's fine produce!" "For you, poor friars, fat thrushes spiced quails, larks, geese tender young capons..." "Your fat, red faces will laugh at us:" "'Look, there's a Donati!" "'" "Laugh, brothers, at the expense of the Donati!" "Who'd have said we'd really cry when Buoso died?" "Can we change it?" "." "Get round it?" "." "Alter it?" "." "Simone..." "You're the oldest" "And you were Mayor of Fucecchio" "Only one person can advise us" " Who?" "I don't want to hear another word about Gianni Schicchi and his daughter" "He's coming here" " Who?" "Who sent for him?" " l did, because I hoped... lt's hardly the moment to have Gianni Schicchi under our feet" "You must obey only your father" "A Donati marrying the daughter of a peasant!" "A man who came to Florence from the country!" "And married into a family of upstarts!" "I don't want him here" "You're mistaken." "He's clever." "He knows all the tricks." "He's a joker" "Who can think of a new jest?" "." "It's always Gianni Schicchi" "His cunning eyes light up his strange face with laughter overshadowed by that big nose, which looks like a tower upside-down" "He comes from the country?" "So what?" "." "Enough of these petty prejudices!" "Florence is like a flowering tree which grows in the Piazza dei Signori" "But its roots draw new strength from the fertile valleys" "Florence blossoms, and strong palaces and slender towers rise to the stars" "The Arno sings as it kisses the Piazza Santa Croce, before hurrying to its mouth" "Its song is so sweet that all the streams join in as a chorus" "So let those versed in arts and sciences join in making Florence richer" "Welcome Arnolfo from the Val d'Elsa to build his beautiful tower" "Welcome Giotto from the Mugello woods, and Medici the bold merchant" "Enough of these mean, petty prejudices!" "Long live the newcomers, and Gianni Schicchi!" "Here he is" "How wretched they look!" "Buoso Donati must surely be better!" "He's dead." "Why the tears?" "They act better than a jester!" "I understand the pain of such a loss." "I'm distressed for you" "The loss is really enormous" "Never mind, these things happen ln this world, if you lose one thing you find another" "You've lost Buoso, but there's the inheritance" "Certainly, for the monks!" " You're disinherited?" "Yes, and that's why I'm telling you and your daughter to be off I won't give my nephew to a girl without a dowry" "But I love her - l don't care a damn!" "The old bitch!" "For a dowry, she would sacrifice my daughter and her nephew" "You old miser!" "Stingy!" "Grasping!" "Mean!" "You swore to be true" " You swore to love me" "Dry your eyes, Lauretta." "Have a little pride!" "Let's get out of here." "You'd be marrying a family of beggars" "Wait a moment instead of everyone shouting, let Schicchi look at the will" "Try to save us." "You can't fail to think of a fantastic idea, a scheme, a solution" "For these people?" "Never!" "My darling father, I love Rinuccio, he's handsome I want to go to the Porta Rossa to buy the ring" "I really mean it, and if I can't love him I'll go to the Ponte Vecchio, and throw myself into the Arno" "I'm tormented with anguish." "I wish I could die" "Papa, have pity, have pity!" "Papa, have pity, have pity!" "Give me the will" "Nothing to be done" "Farewell, sweet hopes." "We'll not be married on May Day" "Nothing to be done" "Farewell, sweet hopes, your last rays have faded" "However..." " Perhaps we'll marry on May Day" "Lauretta, go out onto the balcony, and feed crumbs to the little bird" "Alone!" "Who knows that Buoso is dead?" " Nobody" "Good." "Nobody must know yet" " No one shall" "What about the servants?" " After he got worse, no one came in" "Take the body and the candles out of this room" "Women, make the bed" "Obey me!" "Who could that be?" "Master Spinelloccio, the doctor" "Don't let him in." "Tell him Buoso is better, and resting" "Good morning." "He's better" "He's fully recovered?" " Certainly" "The miracles of modern science!" "Let's see him" " No, he's resting" "I want to rest. I'm nearly asleep." "Could you call again this evening?" "Yes, Master Buoso." "But are you better?" "I'm born again from the dead." "See you this evening" "Even his voice sounds better." "None of my patients has ever died" "No credit to me, but to the Bolognese school of medicine" "Was my voice like Buoso's?" " Exactly" "Victory!" "Don't you understand?" " No" "What blockheads!" "You run to the notary, saying:" "'Master Notary, quickly'" "'Come to Buoso Donati." "He's worse, and he wants to make his will'" "'Bring the parchment with you, and hurry, or you'll be too late'" "The notary arrives" "He enters, and the room is dark" "He can just see the shape of Buoso on the bed" "A night-cap on his head, a piece of linen under his chin" "Between night-cap and linen, a nose that looks like Buoso's but is really mine, because I shall be Buoso Donati" "Schicchi, with another voice, will pretend to be Buoso Donati dictating his last will and testament" "This mad idea, arising from my fantasy, is good enough to challenge eternity" "What a good joke to play on the monks!" "It's so good to have loving relatives!" "Let's think for a moment about how we're going to divide the money" "Equal shares" "For me, the farms at Fucecchio" "For me, the farms at Figline" "For me, those at Prato" "For us, the land at Empoli" "For me, Quintole" "There would also be the mule, this house, and the mills at Signa" "They're the best things" "I understand." "Because I'm the oldest and was Mayor of Fucecchio, you want me to have them." "Thank you!" "If you're old, bad luck!" "Listen to the Mayor!" "He'd like the whole legacy" "So much for loving relatives!" "They already know." "The bell tolls for Buoso's death" "Father, what shall I do?" "The bird doesn't want any more to eat" "Give it a drink" "The captain's black servant has died in an accident" "May he rest in peace!" "The mule, the house, the mills I suggest we leave to Schicchi's sense of honesty and justice" "As you wish." "Give me the clothes" "Here's the night-cap lf you leave me the mule, this house and the mills, I'll give you 30 florins" "If you leave me the mule, this house and the mills, I'll give you 100 florins" "If you leave me the mule, this house and the mills, I'll stuff you with florins" "If you leave me the mule, this house and the mills, I'll smother you with florins" "If you leave me the mule, this house and the mills, I'll give you 1000 florins" "Hurry, little boy, you must go to bed." "If all goes well, we'll give you a biscuit" "I'll serve you well." "I want to make you happy" "Gianni Schicchi is our saviour." "Just like Buoso." "Perfect!" "To bed!" "First a warning." "Be careful!" "You know the law?" "'Anyone who impersonates for the sake of a will or legacy...'" "'...he and his accomplices shall have a hand cut off, and be exiled'" "Remember that." "If we were found out..." "You see Florence?" "Goodbye Florence, heavenly sky" "I wave goodbye with this stump, to wander abroad like a Ghibelline" "Here's the notary" "Good morning, Master Buoso" "You're here?" "Thank you" "Master Amantio, and Pinellino the cobbler" "Thank you, Guccio the dyer" "You're so kind to come and witness my will" "Poor Buoso, I've always made his shoes." "Seeing him like this makes me cry" "I wanted to make my will with my own hand" "But paralysis prevents me, so I wanted a notary - a proper one" "Master Buoso, thank you." "So you're suffering from paralysis!" "That's enough!" "The witnesses have seen him" "We can begin." "But what about the relatives?" "They may be present" "Annulling, revoking, and making null and void all former wills" "How prudent!" "By the way, the funeral - may it be delayed as long as possible!" "is it to be rich, extravagant, expensive?" "No, nothing much" "It shouldn't cost more than two florins" "Poor uncle, how modest!" "How generous, honourable!" "I leave the brothers of Santa Reparata, five lire" "Well done!" "We must remember the needy" "Doesn't it seem rather little?" "If you leave too much to the Church, people say: 'lt was stolen money'" "Clear thinking!" "The money in cash I leave to my relatives in equal shares" "To Simone, the estates at Fucecchio." "To Zita, the farms at Figline" "To Betto, the fields of Prato." "To Nella and Gherado, those at Empoli" "To Ciesca and Marco, that at Quintole" "Now the mule, the house, the mills I leave the mule, worth 300 florins, and the best mule in Tuscany to my friend Gianni Schicchi" "'He bequeaths the mule to his devoted friend, Gianni Schicchi'" "Why does Schicchi want that mule?" "Be quiet, Simone." "I know what Gianni Schicchi wants" "I leave my house in Florence to my devoted friend, Gianni Schicchi" "That's enough!" "To hell with Gianni Schicchi!" "Goodbye Florence!" "Don't disturb a man making his will!" "Master Amantio, I'll leave things as I please l've decided my will, and that's how it shall be" "My relatives may shout, but I'm calm, and I shall sing" "What a man!" "The mills at Signa!" "The mills at Signa (goodbye Florence) I leave to my devoted friend, Gianni Schicchi" "Zita, from your own purse, give 20 florins to the witnesses and 100 to the notary" "No farewells." "Go now" "What a man!" "What a loss!" "Thief!" "Scoundrel!" "Get out of my house!" "Lauretta, we'll stay here for ever" "Look, Florence is golden, Fiesole is beautiful!" "In Fiesole you swore to love me - l asked you for our first kiss" "In the far distance, Florence looked like Paradise" "Tell me, gentlemen, if you think Buoso's money could have been better spent?" "." "For this bizarre trick, they chased me to Hell - never mind!" "But with apologies to the great Dante, if you were amused this evening allow me to plead:" "'Extenuating circumstances'"