Part 15 (1/2)

The sleep of a diamond. It is only sleeping, then. You are wise, Mancini.

MANCINI

Do you know what blood flows in the veins of an Italian woman? The blood of Hannibal and Corsini--of a Borgia--and of a dirty Lombardi peasant--and of a Moor. Oh! an Italian woman is not of a lower race, with only peasants and gypsies behind her. All possibilities, all forms are included in her, as in our marvelous sculpture. Do you understand that, you fool? Strike here--out springs a washerwoman, or a cheap street girl whom you want to throw out, because she is sloppy and has a screechy voice. Strike there--but carefully and gently, for there stands a queen, a G.o.ddess, the Venus of the Capitol, who sings like a Stradivarius and makes you cry, idiot! An Italian woman--

HE

You're quite a poet, Mancini! But what will the Baron make of her?

MANCINI

What? What? Make of _her_? A baroness, you fool! What are you laughing at? I don't get you? But I am happy that this lovesick beast is neither a duke nor a prince--or she would be a princess and I--what would become of me? A year after the wedding they would not let me even into the kitchen [_laughing_] not even into the kitchen! I, Count Mancini, and she a--a simple--

HE

[_Jumping up_]: What did you say? You are not her father, Mancini?

MANCINI

Tss--the devil--I am so nervous to-day! Heavens, who do you think I am?

”Her father?” Of course [_tries to laugh_] how silly you are--haven't you noticed the family resemblance? Just look, the nose, the eyes--[_Suddenly sighs deeply._] Ah, HE! How unhappy I am! Think of it.

Here I am, a gentleman, nearly beaten in my struggle to keep up the honour of my name, of an old house, while there in the parquet--there sits that beast, an elephant with the eyes of a spider ... and he looks at Consuelo ... and....

HE

Yes, yes, he has the motionless stare of a spider--you're right!

MANCINI

Just what I say--a spider! But I must, I shall compel him to marry her.

You'll see--[_Walking excitedly up and down, playing with his cane._]

You'll see! All my life I've been getting ready for this battle. [_He continues to walk up and down. Silence. Outside, great stillness._]

HE

[_Listening_]: Why is it so quiet out there? What a strange silence.

MANCINI

[_Disgusted_]: I don't know. Out there it is quiet--but here [_touching his forehead with his cane_] here is storm, whirlwind. [_Bends over the clown._] HE, shall I tell you a strange thing--an unusual trick of nature? [_Laughs, and looks very important._] For three centuries the Counts Mancini have had no children! [_Laughs._]

HE

Then how were you born?

MANCINI

s.h.!.+ Silence! That is the secret of our sainted mothers! Ha-ha! We are too ancient a stock--too exquisitely refined to trouble ourselves with such things--matters in which a peasant is more competent than ourselves. [_Enter an usher._] What do you want? The manager is on the stage.