Amico abbiamo vinto!

English Libretto or Translation:

EIGHTH SCENE
Ferrando and Guglielmo

Recitative

FERRANDO
in high spirits
We've won, my boy!

GUGLIELMO
Two of a kind?

FERRANDO
A straight flush!
Fiordiligi is modesty incarnate.

GUGLIELMO
Not a crack?

FERRANDO
Not one: just wait
And listen to what happened.

GUGLIELMO
I'm listening: tell me.

FERRANDO
We went for a stroll
In the garden,
As we'd agreed:
I gave her my arm,
We chatted of nothing in particular;
At last we came to the subject of love.

GUGLIELMO
Go on.

FERRANDO
I feigned a stammer,
I pretended to weep,
I swore I'd die at her feet.

GUGLIELMO
Very clever, I grant.
And she?

FERRANDO
At first she laughed,
Joked and teased me.

GUGLIELMO
And then?

FERRANDO
Then she pretended
To melt a little.

GUGLIELMO
Oh, did she?

FERRANDO
Then the bomb exploded.
She was keeping herself pure as a dove
For her dear Guglielmo:
Haughtily she repulsed me,
Upbraided me, fled me,
Giving me evidence and proof
That she's a woman without equal.

GUGLIELMO
Good for you, good for me,
Good for my Penelope!
Let me embrace you
For your happy tidings,
My faithful Mercury!

FERRANDO
And my Dorabella,
How did she behave?
Oh, I haven't a doubt of her.
enthusiastically
I know so well
Her sensitive soul.

GUGLIELMO
Well, just between ourselves,
If you had a doubt
It might not be such a bad thing.

FERRANDO
What?

GUGLIELMO
Oh, don't take me seriously.
to himself
I'd like to gild the pill for him,

FERRANDO
Speak out! Did she perhaps
Fall for your flatteries?
Ah, if I could even suspect it!

GUGLIELMO
In this world
It's always wise to be a bit suspicious.

FERRANDO
Ye immortal gods! Speak out!
Don't roast me on a slow fire;
But no, you're making sport of me;
She loves me, adores me alone.

GUGLIELMO
Certainly! And so in proof
Of her love and devotion
She gave me this little picture.

FERRANDO
in a fury
My portrait! The traitress!
he makes to go

GUGLIELMO
Where are you going?

FERRANDO
To tear her heart from her wicked bosom
And avenge the betrayal of my love.

GUGLIELMO
Stop!

FERRANDO
with determination
No, let me go!

GUGLIELMO
Are you raving?
Would you ruin yourself
For a worthless woman?
to himself
I wouldn't want him
To commit some folly!

FERRANDO
Ye gods! All those promises,
And tears, and sighs, and vows
How could the inhuman creature
Forget them so soon?

GUGLIELMO
I'm sure I don't know.

FERRANDO
What should I do now?
To what course,
What plan apply myself?
Take pity on me, give me your counsel.

GUGLIELMO
My friend, I don't know
How to advise you.

FERRANDO
Cruel! Heartless
In a day! In a few hours!

GUGLIELMO
It's certainly something to wonder at.