Oh soft night, oh night of love, Smile on our bliss serene, All the stars that shine above Surround the heaven's queen! Time it flies without return, Forgetting our tenderness! Far from thee I'll ever burn, In lonely strait and stress. Passioned zephyrs Waft your caresses, Passioned zephyrs Soft are your kisses. O soft night, oh night of love, Smile on our bliss serene; All the stars that shine above Surround the heaven's queen. (Giulietta and Nicklausse enter.) HOFFMAN. For me, by Jove, that is not what's enchanting! At the feet of the beauty who gives us joy Does pleasure sigh? No, with laughing mouth no sorrows 'ere descanting. BACCHIC SONG. Friends... love tender with terror, Error! Love in noise and wine! Divine That a burning desire Your heart enflames In the fevers of pleasure Consume your soul! Transports of love, Last a day To the devil he who weeps For two soft eyes, To us the better bliss Of joyous cries! Let's live a day In heaven. THE CHORUS. To the devil whoever weeps For two soft eyes! To us the better bliss Of joyous song We'll live a day In Heaven! HOFFMAN. The sky lends you its brightness, Beauty, But you hide in hearts of steel, Hell! Bliss of paradise Where love meets, Oaths, cursed spirits, Dreams of life! Oh chastity, Oh purity, Lies! THE CHORUS. To the devil those who weep, etc., etc. SCHLEMIL (entering). I see all is joy. Congratulations, madame. GUILIETTA. What! Why, I've wept for you three whole days. PITICHINACCIO. Good. SCHLEMIL (to Pitichinaccio). Microbe! PITICHINACCIO. Hola! GIULIETTA. Calm yourselves! We have a strange poet among us. (Presenting) Hoffman! SCHLEMIL (with bad grace). Monsieur! HOFFMAN. Monsieur! GIULIETTA (to Schlemil). Smile on us, I beg, And come take your place At pharaoh! THE CHORUS. Bravo! To pharaoh! (Giulietta after having invited all to follow her, goes toward door. Hoffman offers his hand to Giulietta. Schlemil comes between.) SCHLEMIL (taking Giulietta's hand). By heavens! GIULETTA. To the game, gentlemen, to the game! THE CHORUS. To the game, the game! (All go out except Hoffman and Nicklausse.) NICKLAUSSE. One word! I have two horses saddled. At the first dream That Hoffman permits himself, I carry him off. HOFFMAN. And what dream ever could be born By such realities? Does one love a courtezan? NICKLAUSSE. Yet this Schlemil... HOFFMAN. I am not Schlemil. NICKLAUSSE. Take care, the devil is clever. DAPERTUTTO (appears at back). HOFFMAN. Were it so, If he makes me love her, may he damn me, Come! NICKLAUSSE. Let us go. (They go out.) DAPERTUTTO (alone). Yes!... to fight you. The eyes of Giulietta are a sure weapon, It needed that Schlemil fail, Faith of captain and soldier, You'll do like him. I will that Giulietta shall use sorcery on you. (Drawing from his finger a ring with a big sparkling diamond.)