Partito e alfin l'audace

English Libretto or Translation:

COUNT
to the Countess
At last that impudent fellow's gone;
Come nearer, my dear,

COUNTESS
As you wish.
Here I am, my lord.

FIGARO
What an obliging girl!
What an open?hearted bride!

COUNT
Give me your little hand.

COUNTESS
Here it is.

COUNT
My dearest?

FIGARO
His dearest?

COUNT
What slender fingers,
What delicate skin!
They pierce me through and through
And fill me with new ardour.

SUSANNA, COUNTESS and FIGARO
aside
His blind infatuation
Deludes his reason
And deceives all his senses.

COUNT
Besides your dowry, my dearest,
Take this jewel too,
Which a lover gives you
As token of his love.

He gives her a ring.

COUNTESS
Susanna owes everything
To her benefactor.

SUSANNA, COUNT and FIGARO
aside
Everything is going splendidly!
But the best is yet to come.

COUNTESS
to the Count
My lord, I see the glow
Of kindled torches.

COUNT
Come then, my Venus,
Let us conceal ourselves in here.

SUSANNA and FIGARO
aside
Foolish husbands,
Come and learn your lesson.

COUNTESS
In the dark, my lord?

COUNT
That's what I would have:
You know I'm not going there
In order to read.

FIGARO
aside
Now she's followed him,
I cannot doubt her deceit.

SUSANNA and COUNTESS
aside
The rogues are in the trap;
The play is going well.

Figaro passes; the Count disguises his voice.

COUNT
Who's there?

FIGARO
What's it to you?

COUNTESS
softly, to the Count
That's Figaro; I'm going.

COUNT
Go on: I'll rejoin you soon.

He retires among the trees; the Countess goes off to the right.

FIGARO
All is quiet and peaceful;
Fair Venus has gone in;
To take her with her lover Mars,
Like a modern Vulcan
I'll catch them in my net.

SUSANNA
disguising her voice
Hey, Figaro! Keep quiet!

FIGARO
Ah, that is the Countess ...
to Susanna
You came in time.
There you'll see for yourself
The Count and my bride;
You can touch them
With your own hand.

SUSANNA
forgetting to change her voice
Speak a little softer:
I shall not stir from here,
But I will be avenged.

FIGARO
aside
Susanna!
to Susanna
Be avenged?

SUSANNA
Yes.

FIGARO
How can you do this?

SUSANNA
aside
I'll trap the villain,
Then I'll know what to do.

FIGARO
aside
The vixen wants to trap me,
I'll lead her on.
with comic exaggeration
Ah, if my lady wishes it!

SUSANNA
Go on, don't waste words.

FIGARO
as above
Here I kneel at your feet
My heart full of fire.
Look at this spot,
And think how you were betrayed.

SUSANNA
aside
How my hand tingles
With impatience and fury!

FIGARO
aside
How my bosom heaves
With impatience and fire!

SUSANNA
altering her voice a little
Without any love?

FIGARO
Let my indignation be sufficient.
Let's waste no more time in vain;
Give me your hand ...

SUSANNA
Speaking in her own voice, and slapping his face
Take it, sir.

FIGARO
What a blow!

SUSANNA
And that too,
And that, and that as well.

FIGARO
Don't beat me so fast.

SUSANNA
Still slapping his face
And that, you rascal,
And that again.

FIGARO
How sweet these blows!
How happy is my love!

SUSANNA
That'll teach you, false one,
To play the seducer.