Tosca e buon falco

English Libretto or Translation:

SCARPIA
Tosca is a good falcon!
Surely by this time
My hounds have fallen on their double prey!
And tomorrow's dawn will see
Angelotti on the scaffold
And the fine Mario hanging from a noose.
rings a bell. Enter Sciarrone
Is Tosca in the palace?

SCIARRONE
A chamberlain has just gone
To look for her.

SCARPIA
points towards the window
Open the window. It is late.
The sound of an orchestra is heard from the lower floor, where Maria Carolina, the Queen of Naples, is giving a party in honour of Melas.
The Diva is still missing from the concert.
And they strum gavottes.
to Sciarrone
Wait for Tosca at the entrance:
Tell her I shall expect her
After the concert ...
Or better ...
rises and goes to write a note
Give her this note.
exit Sciarrone. Scarpia resumes his seat at the table
She will come for love of her Mario!
And for love of Mario she will yield
To my pleasure. Such is the profound misery
Of profound love ... For myself the violent conquest
Has stronger relish than the soft surrender.
I take no delight in sighs or vows
Exchanged at misty lunar dawn.
I know not how to draw
Harmony from guitars, or horoscopes
From flowers, nor am I apt at dalliance,
Or cooing like the turtle dove. I crave.
I pursue the craved thing, sate myself and cast it by,
And seek new bait. God made diverse beauties
As he made diverse wines, and of these
God-like works I mean to taste my full.