________________________________________________
_ INTERLUDE III
[Talk by the way, while PIPPA is passing from the Turret to the Bishop's Brother's House, close to the Duomo S. Maria. Poor Girls sitting on the steps.]
1st Girl.
There goes a swallow to Venice--the stout seafarer!
Seeing those birds fly makes one wish for wings.
Let us all wish; you wish first! 2nd Girl.
I? This sunset
To finish.
3rd Girl.
That old--somebody I know,
Grayer and older than my grandfather, 5
To give me the same treat he gave last week--
Feeding me on his knee with fig-peckers,
Lampreys and red Breganze-wine, and mumbling
The while some folly about how well I fare,
Let sit and eat my supper quietly: 10
Since had he not himself been late this morning,
Detained at--never mind where--had he not--
"Eh, baggage, had I not!"--
2nd Girl.
How she can lie!
3rd Girl.
Look there--by the nails!
2nd Girl.
What makes your fingers red?
3rd Girl.
Dipping them into wine to write bad words with 15
On the bright table: how he laughed!
1st Girl.
My turn.
Spring's come and summer's coming. I would wear
A long loose gown, down to the feet and hands,
With plaits here, close about the throat, all day;
And all night lie, the cool long nights, in bed; 20
And have new milk to drink, apples to eat,
Deuzans and junetings, leather-coats--ah, I should say,
This is away in the fields--miles!
3rd Girl.
Say at once
You'd be at home--she'd always be at home!
Now comes the story of the farm among 25
The cherry orchards, and how April snowed
White blossoms on her as she ran. Why, fool,
They've rubbed the chalk-mark out, how tall you were,
Twisted your starling's neck, broken his cage,
Made a dunghill of your garden!
1st Girl.
They destroy 30
My garden since I left them? Well--perhaps
I would have done so--so I hope they have!
A fig-tree curled out of our cottage wall;
They called it mine, I have forgotten why,
It must have been there long ere I was born: 35
_Cric_--_cric_--I think I hear the wasps o'erhead
Pricking the papers strung to flutter there
And keep off birds in fruit-time--coarse long papers,
And the wasps eat them, prick them through and through.
3rd Girl.
How her mouth twitches! Where was I?--before 40
She broke in with her wishes and long gowns
And wasps--would I be such a fool!--Oh, here!
This is my way: I answer everyone
Who asks me why I make so much of him--
(If you say, "you love him"--straight "he'll not be gulled!") 45
"He that seduced me when I was a girl
Thus high--had eyes like yours, or hair like yours,
Brown, red, white"--as the case may be; that pleases!
See how that beetle burnishes in the path!
There sparkles he along the dust; and, there-- 50
Your journey to that maize-tuft spoiled at least!
1st Girl. When I was young, they said if you killed one
Of those sunshiny beetles, that his friend
Up there would shine no more that day nor next.
2nd Girl.
When you were young? Nor are you young, that's true. 55
How your plump arms, that were, have dropped away!
Why, I can span them. Cecco beats you still?
No matter, so you keep your curious hair.
I wish they'd find a way to dye our hair
Your color--any lighter tint, indeed, 60
Than black--the men say they are sick of black,
Black eyes, black hair!
4th Girl.
Sick of yours, like enough.
Do you pretend you ever tasted lampreys
And ortolans? Giovita, of the palace,
Engaged (but there 's no trusting him) to slice me 65
Polenta with a knife that had cut up
An ortolan.
2nd Girl.
Why, there! Is not that Pippa
We are to talk to, under the window--quick!--
Where the lights are?
1st Girl.
That she? No, or she would sing,
For the Intendant said--
3rd Girl.
Oh, you sing first! 70
Then, if she listens and comes close--I'll tell you--
Sing that song the young English noble made,
Who took you for the purest of the pure,
And meant to leave the world for you--what fun!
2nd Girl [_sings_].
_You'll love me yet!--and I can tarry_ 75
_Your love's protracted growing:_
_June reared that bunch of flowers you carry,_
_From seeds of April's sowing._
_I plant a heartful now: some seed_
_At least is sure to strike_ 80
_And yield--what you'll not pluck indeed,_
_Not love, but, may be, like._
_You'll look at least on love's remains,_
_A grave's one violet:_
_Your look?--that pays a thousand pains._ 85
_What's death? You'll love me yet!_
3rd Girl [_to_ PIPPA, _who approaches._] Oh, you may
come closer--we shall not eat you! Why, you seem the
very person that the great rich handsome Englishman has
fallen so violently in love with. I'll tell you all about it.90
FOOTNOTES:
LINES:
6. _The same treat._ The feast of the girl is made up of fig-peckers (birds that feed on figs), lampreys (eel-like fish esteemed a delicacy), and red wine from Breganze, a town noted for its wines.
17. _Spring's come_, etc. These girls are well differentiated. The "first girl" is set apart from the others by her superior refinement, by her longing for her country home, and by her unhappiness with Cecco. The "third girl" seems to be the leader in the plan against Pippa.
22. _Deuzans_, etc. Varieties of apples.
64. _Ortolans._ Birds about the size of larks, and an expensive delicacy.
66. _Polenta._ A coarse corn-meal pudding.
89. _Great rich handsome Englishman._ Bluphocks, who has been hired by the Intendant to lure Pippa into evil courses. _
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