[The scene is the boudoir of young Countess Almaviva, the Rosina of the previous selection. She is seated alone, when her clever maid Susanna ushers in the young page Cherubino, just banished from the house because obnoxious to the jealous Count.] _Susanna_--Here's our young Captain, Madame. _Cherubino [timidly]_--The title is a sad reminder that--that I must leave this delightful home and the godmother who has been so kind-- _Susanna--And_ so beautiful! _Cherubino [sighing]_--Ah, yes! _Susanna [mocking his sigh]_--Ah, yes! Just look at his hypocritical eyelids! Madame, make him sing his new song. [_She gives it to him_.] Come now, my beautiful bluebird, sing away. _Countess_--Does the manuscript say who wrote this--song? _Susanna_--The blushes of guilt betray him. _Cherubino_--Madame, I--I--tremble so. _Susanna_--Ta, ta, ta, ta--! Come, modest author--since you are so commanded. Madame, I'll accompany him. _Countess [to Susanna]_--Take my guitar. _[Cherubino sings his ballad to the air of 'Malbrouck.' The Countess reads the words of it from his manuscript, with an occasional glance at him; he sometimes looks at her and sometimes lowers his eyes as he sings. Susanna, accompanying him, watches them both, laughing.]_ _Countess [folding the song]_--Enough, my boy. Thank you. It is very good--full of feeling-- _Susanna_--Ah! as for feeling--this is a young man who--well! _[Cherubino tries to stop her by catching hold of her dress. Susanna whispers to him]_--Ah, you good-for-nothing! I'm going to tell her. _[Aloud.]_ Well--Captain! We'll amuse ourselves by seeing how you look in one of my dresses! _Countess_--Susanna, how _can_ you go on so? _Susanna [going up to Cherubino and measuring herself with him]_--He's just the right height. Off with your coat. _[She draws it off.]_ _Countess_--But what if some one should come? _Susanna_--What if they do? We're doing no wrong. But I'll lock the door, just the same. _[Locks it.]_ I want to see him in a woman's head-dress! _Countess_--Well, you'll find my little cap in my dressing-room on the toilet table. _[Susanna gets the cap, and then, sitting down on a stool, she makes Cherubino kneel before her and arranges it on his hair.]_ _Susanna_--Goodness, isn't he a pretty girl? I'm jealous. Cherubino, you're altogether _too_ pretty. _Countess_--Undo his collar a little; that will give a more feminine air. [_Susanna loosens his collar so as to show his neck_.] Now push up his sleeves, so that the under ones show more. [_While Susanna rolls up Cherubino's sleeves, the Countess notices her lost ribbon around his wrist_.] What is that? My ribbon? _Susanna_--Ah! I'm very glad you've seen it, for I told him I should tell. I should certainly have taken it away from him if the Count hadn't come just then; for I am almost as strong as he is. _Countess [with surprise, unrolling the ribbon]_--There's blood on it!