Signora Fantastici (A Dramatic Proverb)

by Madame de Staël

SIGNORA FANTASTICI:
Pass to this side. You, Captain Rodolphe, will never quit my daughter.

RODOLPHE: No, surely, Signora: she's my Armida. If I go to Italy with her I will still be Rinaldo, right?

SIGNORA FANTASTICI: Yes, without a doubt. Nevertheless, once in a while you'll lend yourself to the role of Sacripant. You must be versatile in social troupes.

MADAME DE KRIEGSCHENMAHL:
Husband, what's going to become of us? Our children are leaving us.
We'll remain alone with each other. How sad that is.

MR. DE KRIEGSCHENMAHL: Madame de Kriegschenmahl—what will we say to each other when we are alone?

MADAME DE KRIEGSCHENMAHL:
What we've already said, my dear spouse.

MR. DE KRIEGSCHENMAHL: Ah, I don't know that much. Let's try to appease Signora Fantastici. (to The Signora) Madame, don't carry off my two sons, the consolation of my old age.

SIGNORA FANTASTICI:
That's fair. You must be an excellent father.

MR. DE KRIEGSCHENMAHL:
Ah. She's beginning to listen to reason.

SIGNORA FANTASTICI:
Yes. A father in a play.