Puccini, Giactmo Madama Butterfly. Liteetto. English & Italian ...

24
MADAM BUTTERFLY
(All the guests, including the Bonze, depart in great haste, going down the hillside and continning
to hurl threats and imprecations at Butterfly. By degrees the voices die away in
the distance. Butterfly, who has bt-en standing motionless and mute with her face buried
in her hands, bursts into childish trar*. Kvenin^ begins to draw iu gradually, then ii^ht
sets ;ii, serene and starlit)
PlNKERTON
(goes up to Butterfly and gently draws hei- iaiidu from her face)
no more !
Dearest, my dearest, weep
Let the frogs croak their loudest.
BUTTERFLY
(still hears the yells of her relations and holds her ears)
Hark how they yell.
PlNKERTON
(cheering her)
All your respected tribe,
And all the Bonzes in Japan,
Are not worth a tear
b rom those dear eyes of yours.
BUTTERFLY
(smiling with childlike pleasure)
Indeed ? I'll wetp no more
And now I'm scarcely grieved at their desertion,
So sweet ar your words of comfort
Which fall like gentle balm on my poor heart.
(stoops to kiss Pinkerton's hand)
PlNKERTON
(surprised at her action, gently stops her)
What's this ? -My hand ?
BUTTERFLY
They tell me
That abroad, where the people are more cultured,
This is a token of the highest honour.
PlNKERTON
(hears a subdued murmuring)
Who's murmuring in tt ere ?