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GIU。 These handkerchiefs upon our eyes be good enough to
bind；
MAR。 And take good care that both of us are absolutely
blind；
BOTH。 Then turn us roundand we； with all convenient
despatch；
Will undertake to marry any two of you we catch！
ALL。 Viva！
They undertake to marry any two of usthem they catch！
（The Girls prepare to bind their eyes as directed。）
FIA。 （to Marco）。 Are you peeping？
Can you see me？
MAR。 Dark I'm keeping；
Dark and dreamy！
（Marco slyly lifts
bandage。）
VIT。 （to Giuseppe）。 If you're blinded
Truly； say so
GIU。 All right…minded
Players play so！
（slyly lifts bandage）。
FIA。 （detecting Marco）。 Conduct shady！
They are cheating！
Surely they de…
Serve a beating！
（replaces bandage）。
VIT。 （detecting Giuseppe）。 This too much is；
Maidens mocking
Conduct such is
Truly shocking！
（replaces bandage）。
ALL。 You can spy； sir！
Shut your eye； sir！
You may use it by and by； sir！
You can see； sir！
Don't tell me； sir！
That will donow let it be； sir！
CHORUS OF GIRLS。 My papa he keeps three horses；
Black； and white； and dapple grey； sir；
Turn three times； then take your courses；
Catch whichever girl you may； sir！
CHORUS OF MEN。 My papa； etc。
（Marco and Giuseppe turn round； as directed； and try to catch the
girls。 Business of blind…man's buff。 Eventually Marco catches
Gianetta； and Giuseppe catches Tessa。 The two girls try to
escape； but in vain。 The two men pass their hands over the
girls' faces to discover their identity。）
GIU。 I've at length achieved a capture！
（Guessing。） This is Tessa！ （removes bandage）。 Rapture；
rapture！
CHORUS。 Rapture； rapture！
MAR。 （guessing）。 To me Gianetta fate has granted！
（removes bandage）。
Just the very girl I wanted！
CHORUS。 Just the very girl he wanted！
GIU。 （politely to Mar。）。 If you'd rather change
TESS。 My goodness！
This indeed is simple rudeness。
MAR。 （politely to Giu。）。 I've no preference whatever
GIA。 Listen to him！ Well； I never！
（Each man kisses each girl。）
GIA。 Thank you； gallant gondolieri！
In a set and formal measure
It is scarcely necessary
To express our pleasure。
Each of us to prove a treasure；
Conjugal and monetary；
Gladly will devote our leisure；
Gay and gallant gondolieri。
Tra； la； la； la； la； la； etc。
TESS。 Gay and gallant gondolieri；
Take us both and hold us tightly；
You have luck extraordinary；
We might both have been unsightly！
If we judge your conduct rightly；
'Twas a choice involuntary；
Still we thank you most politely；
Gay and gallant gondolieri！
Tra； la； la； la； la； la； etc。
CHORUS OF Thank you； gallant gondolieri；
GIRLS。 In a set and formal measure；
It is scarcely necessary
To express our pleasure。
Each of us to prove a treasure
Gladly will devote our leisure；
Gay and gallant gondolieri！
Tra； la； la； la； la； la； etc。
ALL。 Fate in this has put his finger
Let us bow to Fate's decree；
Then no longer let us linger；
To the altar hurry we！
（They all dance off two and twoGianetta with Marco； Tessa with
Giuseppe。）
（Flourish。 A gondola arrives at the Piazzetta steps； from which
enter the Duke of Plaza…toro； the Duchess； their daughter
Casilda； and their attendant Luiz； who carries a drum。 All are
dressed in pompous but old and faded clothes。）
（Entrance of Duke； Duchess； Casilda； and Luiz。）
DUKE。 From the sunny Spanish shore；
The Duke of Plaza…Tor！
DUCH。 And His Grace's Duchess true
CAS。 And His Grace's daughter； too
LUIZ。 And His Grace's private drum
To Venetia's shores have come：
ALL。 If ever； ever； ever
They get back to Spain；
They will never； never； never
Cross the sea again
DUKE。 Neither that Grandee from the Spanish shore；
The noble Duke of Plaza…Tor'
DUCH。 Nor His Grace's Duchess； staunch and true
CAS。 You may add； His Grace's daughter； too
LUIZ。 Nor His Grace's own particular drum
To Venetia's shores will come：
ALL。 If ever； ever； ever
They get back to Spain；
They will never； never； never
Cross the sea again！
DUKE。 At last we have arrived at our destination。 This is
the Ducal Palace； and it is here that the Grand Inquisitor
resides。 As a Castilian hidalgo of ninety…five quarterings； I
regret that I am unable to pay my state visit on a horse。 As a
Castilian hidalgo of that description； I should have preferred to
ride through the streets of Venice； but owing； I presume； to an
unusually wet season； the streets are in such a condition that
equestrian exercise is impracticable。 No matter。 Where is our
suite？
LUIZ （coming forward）。 Your Grace； I am here。
DUCH。 Why do you not do yourself the honour to kneel when
you address His Grace？
DUKE。 My love； it is so small a matter！ （To Luiz。） Still；
you may as well do it。 （Luiz kneels。）
CAS。 The young man seems to entertain but an imperfect
appreciation of the respect due from a menial to a Castilian
hidalgo。
DUKE。 My child； you are hard upon our suite。
CAS。 Papa； I've no patience with the presumption of persons
in his plebeian position。 If he does not appreciate that
position； let him be whipped until he does。
DUKE。 Let us hope the omission was not intended as a
slight。 I should be much hurt if I thought it was。 So would he。
（To Luiz。） Where are the halberdiers who were to have had the
honour of meeting us here； that our visit to the Grand Inquisitor
might be made in becoming state？
LUIZ。 Your Grace； the halberdiers are mercenary people who
stipulated for a trifle on account。
DUKE。 How tiresome！ Well； let us hope the Grand Inquisitor
is a blind gentleman。 And the band who were to have had the
honour of escorting us？ I see no band！
LUIZ。 Your Grace； the band are sordid persons who required
to be paid in advance。
DUCH。 That's so like a band！
DUKE （annoyed）。 Insuperable difficulties meet me at every
turn！
DUCH。 But surely they know His Grace？
LUIZ。 Exactlythey know His Grace。
DUKE。 Well； let us hope that the Grand Inquisitor is a deaf
gentleman。 A cornet…a…piston would be something。 You do not
happen to possess the accomplishment of tootling like a
cornet…a…piston？
LUIZ。 Alas； no； Your Grace！ But I can imitate a farmyard。
DUKE （doubtfully）。 I don't see how that would help us。 I
don't see how we could bring it in。
CAS。 It would not help us in the least。 We are not a
parcel of graziers come to market； dolt！
（Luiz
rises。）
DUKE。 My love； our suite's feelings！ （To Luiz。） Be so
good as to ring the bell and inform the Grand Inquisitor that his
Grace the Duke of Plaza…Toro； Count Matadoro； Baron Picadoro
DUCH。 And suite
DUKE。 And suitehave arrived at Venice； and seek
CAS。 Desire
DUCH。 Demand！
DUKE。 And demand an audience。
LUIZ。 Your Grace has but to command。
DUKE （much moved）。 I felt sure of itI felt sure of it！
（Exit Luiz into Ducal Palace。） And now； my love（aside to
Duchess） Shall we tell her？ I think so（aloud to Casilda） And
now； my love； prepare for a magnificent surprise。 It is my
agreeable duty to reveal to you a secret which should make you
the happiest young lady in Venice！
CAS。 A secret？
DUCH。 A secret which； for State reasons；