The Servant of Two Masters

SMERALDINA. Dear mistress, what would you do? All men are cruel, more or less. They demand absolute fidelity from us, and on the slightest suspicion, they torment us, abuse us, and like as not see us to our graves. But you’ve got to marry one or other of them

Nonsense, that’s typical of women, you’re making it up.

e were all like you, we certainly would. As my old mother used to say: it’s the men that cause the shame, and the women get the blame. People say women are unfaithful, but with men it’s one infidelity after another. Women get talked about, but nobody says a word about men. We get criticised, and you get away with murder. And d’you know why? Because it’s men who make the laws. If it was women, it’d be a different story. If I was in charge, I’d make every unfaithful man carry a tree branch – and all the towns would look like forests! (Goes out.)

(Does so, swallows it also

Chews on the bread a few moments, inadvertently swallows it.) Oh, damn! It’s gone down

The other one gave me ten, but I’m not telling him that. I should’ve made it gold, not silver, but that’s not bad. As for that other one, the baby-faced young gentleman from Turin, a bit simple if you ask me – well, he’s nowhere to be seen now. I’ll just leave him to run around the town, and I’ll go to the Post for my new master.

RUFFALDINO. No, sir, to tell the truth, I haven’t.

FLORINDO. You don’t have a master?

TRUFFALDINO. I’m as you see me, sir – masterless. (Aside.) Well, my master isn’t here, so it’s not as if I’m lying!

PORTER. I couldn’t do any more, sir. I’m just not cut out for portering.

If I do that, I won’t be able to achieve anything. Signor Pantalone will insist on taking me under his wing, I’ll be watched constantly – they’ll tell me I can’t do this, can’t do that, it’s not ladylike, and so on. I’ll have no freedom. Just help me, please – I promise you it won’t be for long, something’s bound to happen soon.

you and I go over our accounts. As you know, that’s one of the two reasons I’m here in Venice.

PANTALONE. I think you’ll find everything in order, sir, if you care to inspect the books. I have your money ready for you, and we can settle up at your leisure.