He first brings Rodolpho into the bed-room of Catarina, then brings the jealous Tisbe there to look at them, and finally contrives that the Tyrant himself should find out his wife's little innocent love affair--for innocent she declares it is. Fortunately, during this unaccountable reunion in the chamber of Madame, la Tisbe discovers that her mother the ballad-singer's crucifix is in the possession of her rival Catarina; whereupon she not only decides upon resigning her claim upon the heart of Signor Rodolpho in her favour, but determines upon saving her life from the fury of her jealous husband, who has communicated to the Tisbe, as we have seen above, his intention of killing his wife, because "il faut toujours qu'un Malipieri haïsse quelqu'un." Fortunately, again, it happens that the Tisbe has communicated to her lover the Tyrant, in a former conversation, the remarkable fact that another lover still had once upon a time made her a present of two phials--one black, the other white--one containing poison, the other a narcotic. After he has discovered Catarina's innocent weakness for Rodolpho, he informs the Tisbe that the time is come for him to kill his lady, and that he intends to do it by cutting her head off privately. The Tisbe tells him that this is a bad plan, and that poison would do much better. "ANGELO. "Oui! Le poison vaudrait mieux. Mais il faudrait un poison rapide, et, _vous ne me croirez pas_, je n'en ai pas ici. "LA TISBE. "J'en ai, moi. "ANGELO. "Où? "LA TISBE. "Chez moi. "ANGELO. "Quel poison? "LA TISBE. "Le poison Malispine, _vous savez_: cette boîte que m'a envoyée le primicier de Saint Marc." * * * * * After this satisfactory explanation, Angelo accepts her offer, and she trots away home and brings him the phial containing the narcotic. The absurdity of the scene that takes place when Angelo and the Tisbe are endeavouring to persuade Catarina to consent to be killed is such, that nothing but transcribing the whole can give you an idea of it: but it is too long for this. Believe me, we were not the only part of the audience that laughed at this scene _à gorge déployée_. Angelo begins by asking if she is ready. "CATARINA. "Prête à quoi? "ANGELO. "A mourir. "CATARINA. "... Mourir! Non, je ne suis pas prête. Je ne suis pas prête. Je ne suis pas prête _du tout_, monsieur! "ANGELO. "Combien de temps vous faut-il pour vous préparer? "CATARINA. "Oh! je ne sais pas--beaucoup de temps!" Angelo tells her she shall have an hour, and then leaves her alone: upon which she draws aside a curtain and discovers a block and an axe. She is naturally exceedingly shocked at this spectacle; her soliloquy is sublime! "CATARINA (_replacing the curtain_). "Derrière moi! c'est derrière moi. Ah! vous voyez bien que ce n'est pas un rêve, et que c'est bien réel ce qui passe ici, puisque _voilà des choses là derrière le rideau_!" * * * * *