Perde 2
[Textpart 8]
Oho! Now, faith,at last I’ve got into the right track.
CHALINUS
It’s himself that’s dying for Casina. I’ve caught the fellows.
470
STALINO
Even now, by my troth, am I longing to embrace her; even now to be kissing her.
OLYMPIO
Do let her be brought out first from the house. Why the plague are you in such a hurry?
OLYMPIO
But I don’t think that this can possibly be managed to-day.
STALINO
It can, if, indeed, you think that you can possibly receive your freedom to-morrow.
CHALINUS
Why, really, I must make still better use here of my ears; now, in one thicket, I shall be cleverly catching two boars.
475
STALINO
At the house of this friend and neighbour of mine there’s a place provided; I have confided to him all my amorousness: he said that he would find me a room.
OLYMPIO
What will his wife do? Where will she be?
480
STALINO
I’ve cleverly contrived that: my wife will invite her here, to her own house, to the wedding; to be here with her, to help her, to sleep with her. I have requested it, and my wife has said that she will do so. She’ll be sleeping here: I’ll take care her husband is away from home.
480
You shall take your wife home into the country; that country shall be this house, for a period, until I’ve had my marriage with Casina. Hence,before daylight, you shall afterwards take her home to-morrow.Isn’t it very skilfully managed?
485
CHALINUS
Only do proceed; contrive away. By my troth, to your own mischance are you so clever.
STALINO
Do you know what you must do now?
490
STALINO
Take this purse. Be off and buy some provisions: make haste. But I want it nicely done: delicate eatables, just as she herself is a delicate bit.
490
STALINO
Buy some cuttle-fish, mussels, calamaries, barley-fishBarley-fish: Hordeias. This was the name of some fish now unknown; for want of a better name, and to express the pun contained in the original, it has been called barley-fish in the translation, as Chalinus puns on its resemblance to hordeum, barley..
CHALINUS
Aye, wheaten fish, if you know what you’re about.
