Lancet, and scizzors, and razor, and comb,
Your Figaro sells when he’s at home.
But when he’s _from_ home, his trade’s billets-doux,
Which he’ll carry for that man, or this man, or you.
La ran, la lera, la ran, la la.
How I am looked for--wherever I go,
On this side a belle--on that side a beau.
Where is my wig, you stupid pig,
Just take this packet, under your jacket
Figaro--Figaro--here, sir, here,
Figaro up--Figaro down,
Figaro, presto, all over town.
Oh yes; I’m as quick as lightning’s bright flash,
And what’s best of all, I earn plenty of cash.
Oh brave Figaro--bravo bravissimo,
Is there no better one--oh dear, dear me no.
La ran, la lera, la ran, la la.
This contented personage was rushing off to his shop when he went crash
up against the count himself. “Good master!”
“What--Figaro! Hush, be silent! I’m not known here.”
“Surely--surely--surely--Senor.”
It would be hardly within the bounds of possibility to believe that the
grand count actually set to work, then and there, in the dark, to tell
Figaro of his loves; but then it was Figaro--and the barber was a father
confessor in all affairs of the heart. The count stated that he had
fallen in love with a lady whom he took to be the daughter of an old
physician--and he, count as he was, called himself Lindoro, and was,
night and day, watching _that_ balcony.
“_That_ window! Senor--you are lucky.” Then the barber set him right.
Her name was Rosina--she was not the doctor’s daughter, but his
ward--and she hated him; and he was jealous of her--and she was
wretched, and he was wretched, and a very pretty house it was. As for
him, Figaro, in that said house he was everything--barber, hairdresser,
and surgeon too.
He was in the full tide of chatter when the count started. Barber knew,
without looking, that the window opened--and _she_ was in the balcony.
Rosina--lovely as the night--stood in the balcony, holding a letter in
her hand. She was wondering where somebody was.
Crack!--she had barely got into the balcony than the old doctor was
after her.
“A fine morning, child. What letter’s that?”
As she answered, she saw the proposed owner of the letter. “A
letter--no--a piece of music. Oh, dear, it has fallen into the
street--pray go and pick it up.”
He required no recommendation. He trundled his jealous old legs to the
street door, but the letter was delivered. He looked sharply about,
while the young lady deplored that the wind had carried it away.
“I’ll surely have that balcony walled up,” said the old doctor--“I
surely will.”
And he went in and barred the door.
As for the letter--opened and read by Figaro--it stated that the lady
had a laudible curiosity to know who and what was the serenader, and why
he came there--that she was touched by his attentions; that she was
wretched; that she hated her guardian; and that her name was Rosina.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account