Little Zerlina was a little country maiden, as happy as the sun was
bright, and as fond of Masetto as the bee of sweet flowers.
As for Masetto, he loved Zerlina as honest natives do love, with his
whole heart, and he thought nobody equal to Zerlina.
And that day was come when Zerlina and Masetto were to be nobody’s
business, and more, and were to be all in all to each other for life;
they were going to be married.
The country folk were blythe and happy, and full of the wedding,
chatting, laughing, and wishing the bride and bridegroom happy, when a
grand Don, accompanied by his servant, for he walked behind, caused the
prattle to die away into silence.
“I’faith, pretty creatures! a marriage, good friends? Nay, go on with
your sports--go on.”
“Yes, good my lord, and I am the bride.”
“A lovely bride! And who’s the bridegroom?”
“So please you, at your service, here, I call myself Masetto.”
“Spoken bravely!”
“O rare! he hath the build of a husband, hath he not?”
Here the little bride, who was a little vain, and who rather plumed
herself upon talking to a grandee, said, “Masetto hath an excellent
heart.”
“And also have I, so we should be friends; and, prythee, what do they
call thee?”
“Zerlina, so please you.”
“And so please you, _I_ call myself Masetto.”
For truth to tell, the little rustic was growing jealous.
“And you two are to be married. Well, well; I do offer you my
protection, aye, and my house. Leporello, show these good people to my
house, give them what they will; and for the bridegroom, he is the guest
of honor, Leporello--pay, if thou valuest whole bones, excellent
attention to the bridegroom.”
“I seize thee, master, I seize thee.” Thus the man, speaking softly to
the master. Then the man said to the lucky bridegroom: “So please you,
walk by me. And all you rustics, follow heartily.”
“But, good sir, Zerlina must come with me.”
“‘Tis not etiquette that thou shouldst be bound to her side. Good
friend, come walk by me. The Senor himself will care for her right
heartily. So please thee, walk walk.”
“Oh! be not afraid, Masetto, the senor will guard me.”
“But!--but!--”
“Verily, friend Masetto, thou art little better than a curmudgeon. Walk,
I say, walk.”
“Dost thou not breathe more lightly, Zerlina?”
“Wherefore, Senor?”
“That the clown hath gone.”
“Nay--he hath my love!”
“A king should have thy love; those pretty lips, those eyes, those
little fingers, were not made for clowns.”
“Nay--but I love him!”
“And I love _thee_. A poor home, and a poor husband--is this thy lot?
See away there, ’tis my house, ’tis my palace. I love thee, I love thee.
Wilt thou be my wife, Zerlina?”
“Wife, Senor, _thy_ wife?”
“Choose between us, Masetto or Don Juan.”
“I--I, then, a great lady. Yet, Masetto.”
“Come my love, come, my love.”
But the don started and turned pale, for as he made a step forward with
the simple little Zerlina, there was standing Donna Elvira.
“Thou seest,” he said rapidly, before she could speak, “I am but toying
with her simplicity, I mean no harm.”
“No harm, Don Juan, thou art destruction.”
“Nay, believe her not, charming Zerlina, ’tis a poor forlorn creature,
who followeth me because I cannot love her. Well, if she will not quit
me, I will her;” and lightly he ran away.
She pitied him, did the donna, nay she still loved him somewhat; but for
all that, she warned Zerlina of him and went away with that simple
little maiden, hand in hand.
Barely had they left the spot, than Don Juan was upon it again, for he
had determined upon keeping the little village maiden in view. But
barely had he returned to the spot than he was accosted by one whom he
would fain have not seen, Don Ottavio, the cavalier of Donna Anna.
The don was not easily abashed, so he came lightly to Ottavio’s side,
but he thought to himself that this was one of his unlucky days.
“This meeting is fortunate, Don Juan, if thou hast a generous heart.”
“I hope for thy sake and mine own, that I have.”
“For we have need of thy friendship.”
“I breathe again,” thought the don, who, brave as he was, had trembled
in meeting the injured lady, Donna Anna. “Command me,” he said aloud,
“my arms are thine, if ’tis a question of arms. But Donna Anna, why
these tears?”
“Do not hear him,” said a voice; and the three turning, saw Donna
Elvira, who had determined to keep Juan in view; “do not hear him, he
hath destroyed me.”
“Pardon her Ottavio, and you, Donna Anna, she is a poor deranged lady;
leave her to me.”
“Do not believe him!”
“Poor lady! You see!”
“Do not believe him!”
Donna Anna and Ottavio seemed puzzled by this meeting. The lady seemed
sane, and yet Don Juan was a man of probity, said all the world.
He bade her be still; but she called out more loudly than before, that
he was her destroyer; and as she changed color, and struck her foot upon
the ground, Ottavio and Anna shook their heads as though deploring her.
Whereon, the poor lady seeing their error, turned from them, and walked
away quickly.
The don took advantage of this incident to rid himself of the terrible
company of Ottavio and Anna, and so saying that for her dear sake he
would follow her, he fled away; not marking the terrified start that
Donna Anna gave as he turned from her.
“Dear Anna, how pale thou art! What has happened?”
“I dare not say, and yet I dare not be silent.”
“Speak! speak!”
“As I live--as I live, Ottavio, Don Juan killed my father.”
“What sayest thou?”
“I am sure; I am sure. The tones of the last words he spoke--the very
words themselves. Ottavio, as I live he killed my father; ’twas he who
entered my room; whom I held, whom I followed, who turned and killed my
father! I ask of thee that vengeance that is just, Ottavio. Be but sure,
and then act; thy arm shall be strengthened to thy work by my love--by
the memory of my bleeding father! Come, come!”
Barely had the couple left the spot, than Leporello and his master were
upon it.
“If I fly him not, the foul fiend will have me!”
“Well my little Leporello? All well?”
“No, little Don Juan; on the other side, all ill.”
“Wherefore ill?”
“Wherefore? marry, because ’tis. Have I taken them all to thy house? Yes
have I. Have I spoken lies and flattery in thy service, that I am lost
for ever? Yes have I. Have I beguiled Masetto till he is a very fool?
The tempter knoweth that I have. The men I have set drinking, the women
idem (as the lawyers have it), when, who cometh, if not my little
Zerlina? And who with our little Zerlina, if not Madame Elvira, who
prythee? She should be laid, master; she should be laid like a vexed
spirit. And she hath abused me; my faith! hath she abused me--hath she
laid about her uncivilly touching me!”
“And what saidst thou?”
“Marry, the best thing I could say ... nothing. But when she hath worn
herself silent, and when she is, if I may thus say it, so to speak,
melting in tears, I take me her hand, direct her to the street, and
there do I most gingerly leave her.”
“Then, she being gone, I may be there. Now, my Leporello, wine, wine;
bring us plenty of wine, for ’tis the persuader which smoothens my road
wonderfully.”
And, taking the factotum by the arm, he pushed him along before him.