Chapter 7

(In Venice. A gallery, in festival attire, in a palace on the Grand Canal.)

(The guests of GIULIETTA are grouped about on cushions.)

Barcarole.

GIULIETTA AND NICKLAUSSE (in the wings).

Oh soft night, oh night of love, Smile on our bliss serene, All the stars that shine above Surround the heaven's queen! Time it flies without return, Forgetting our tenderness! Far from thee I'll ever burn, In lonely strait and stress. Passioned zephyrs Waft your caresses, Passioned zephyrs Soft are your kisses. O soft night, oh night of love, Smile on our bliss serene; All the stars that shine above Surround the heaven's queen.

(Giulietta and Nicklausse enter.)

HOFFMAN.

For me, by Jove, that is not what's enchanting! At the feet of the beauty who gives us joy Does pleasure sigh? No, with laughing mouth no sorrows 'ere descanting.

BACCHIC SONG.

Friends... love tender with terror, Error! Love in noise and wine! Divine That a burning desire Your heart enflames In the fevers of pleasure Consume your soul! Transports of love, Last a day To the devil he who weeps For two soft eyes, To us the better bliss Of joyous cries! Let's live a day In heaven.

THE CHORUS.

To the devil whoever weeps For two soft eyes! To us the better bliss Of joyous song We'll live a day In Heaven!

HOFFMAN.

The sky lends you its brightness, Beauty, But you hide in hearts of steel, Hell! Bliss of paradise Where love meets, Oaths, cursed spirits, Dreams of life! Oh chastity, Oh purity, Lies!

THE CHORUS.

To the devil those who weep, etc., etc.

SCHLEMIL (entering).

I see all is joy. Congratulations, madame.

GUILIETTA.

What! Why, I've wept for you three whole days.

PITICHINACCIO.

Good.

SCHLEMIL (to Pitichinaccio).

Microbe!

PITICHINACCIO.

Hola!

GIULIETTA.

Calm yourselves! We have a strange poet among us.

(Presenting) Hoffman!

SCHLEMIL (with bad grace).

Monsieur!

HOFFMAN.

Monsieur!

GIULIETTA (to Schlemil).

Smile on us, I beg, And come take your place At pharaoh!

THE CHORUS.

Bravo! To pharaoh!

(Giulietta after having invited all to follow her, goes toward door. Hoffman offers his hand to Giulietta. Schlemil comes between.)

SCHLEMIL (taking Giulietta's hand).

By heavens!

GIULETTA.

To the game, gentlemen, to the game!

THE CHORUS.

To the game, the game!

(All go out except Hoffman and Nicklausse.)

NICKLAUSSE.

One word! I have two horses saddled. At the first dream That Hoffman permits himself, I carry him off.

HOFFMAN.

And what dream ever could be born By such realities? Does one love a courtezan?

NICKLAUSSE.

Yet this Schlemil...

HOFFMAN. I am not Schlemil.

NICKLAUSSE.

Take care, the devil is clever.

DAPERTUTTO (appears at back).

HOFFMAN.

Were it so, If he makes me love her, may he damn me, Come!

NICKLAUSSE.

Let us go.

(They go out.)

DAPERTUTTO (alone).

Yes!... to fight you. The eyes of Giulietta are a sure weapon, It needed that Schlemil fail, Faith of captain and soldier, You'll do like him. I will that Giulietta shall use sorcery on you.

(Drawing from his finger a ring with a big sparkling diamond.)

Turn, turn, mirror, where the lark is caught, Sparkle diamond, fascinate, draw her... The lark or the woman To this conquering bait Comes with wing or with heart; One leaves her life, the other her soul. Turn, turn, mirror where the lark is caught. Sparkle, diamond, fascinate, attract her.

(Giulietta appears and advances fascinated toward the diamond that Dapertutto holds towards her.)

DAPERTUTTO (placing the ring on Giuliettas finger).

GIULIETTA.

What do you await from your servant?

DAPERTUTTO.

Good, you have divined At seducing hearts above all others wise, You have given me The shade of Schlemil! I vary My pleasures and I pray you To get for me to-day The reflection of Hoffman!

GIULIETTA.

What! his reflection.

DAPERTUTTO.

Yes. His reflection! You doubt The power of your eyes?

GIULIETTA.

No.

DAPERTUTTO.

Who knows. Your Hoffman dreams, perhaps better. (Severely) Yes, I was there, a while back, listening. (With irony) He defies you...

GIULIETTA.

Hoffman? 'tis well!... From this day I'll make him my plaything.

(Hoffman enters.)

DAPERTUTTO.

'Tis he!

(Dapertutto goes out. Hoffman intends to do the same.)

GIULIETTA (to Hoffman).

You leave me.

HOFFMAN (mockingly).

I have lost everything.

GIULIETTA.

What? you too... Ah, you do me wrong. Without pity, without mercy, Go!... Go!...

HOFFMAN.

Your tears betrayed you. Ah! I love you... even at the price of my life.

GIULIETTA.

Ah, unfortunate, but you do not know That an hour, a moment, may prove fatal? That my love will cost your life if you remain? That Schlemil, this night, may strike you in my arms? Listen to my prayer; My life is wholly yours. Everywhere I promise to accompany your steps.

HOFFMAN.

Ye gods with what bliss ye fire my heart? Like a concert divine your voice does move me; With a fire soft yet burning my being is devoured; Your glances in mine have spent their flame, Like radiant stars And I feel, my well beloved, Pass your perfumed breath On my lips and on my eyes.

GIULIETTA.

Yet, to-day, strengthen my courage By leaving me something of you!

HOFFMAN.

What do you mean?

GIULIETTA. Listen and don't laugh at me.

(She takes Hoffman in her arms and finds a mirror.)

What I want is your faithful image, To reproduce your features, your look, your visage, The reflection that I see above me bend.

HOFFMAN. My reflection? What folly!

GIULIETTA.

No! for it can detach itself From the polished glass And come quite whole in my heart to hide.

HOFFMAN.

In your heart?

GIULIETTA.

In my heart. 'Tis I who beg thee, Hoffman, give me my wish.

HOFFMAN.

My reflection?

GIULIETTA.

Your reflection. Yes, wisdom or folly, I await, I demand.

(Ensemble.)

HOFFMAN.

Ecstasy, unappeased bliss, Strange and soft terror, My reflection, my soul, my life To you, always to you!

GIULIETTA.

If your presence I lose, I would keep of you Your reflection, your soul, your life; Dear one, give them me.

GIULIETTA (suddenly).

Schlemil!

(Schlemil enters followed by Nicklausse, Dapertutto, Pittichinaccio and others.)

SCHLEMIL.

I was sure of it! Together! Come, gentlemen, come, 'Tis for Hoffman, it seems to me That we are abandoned.

(Ironic laughter.)

HOFFMAN.

Monsieur!

GIULIETTA (to Hoffman).

Silence!

(Aside) I love you, he has my key.

PITICHINACCIO (to Schlemil).

Let us kill him.

SCHLEMIL.

Patience!

DAPERTUTTO (to Hoffman).

How pale you are!

HOFFMAN.

Me!

DAPERTUTTO (showing him a mirror).

See rather.

HOFFMAN (amazed).

Heavens!

GIULIETTA.

Listen, gentlemen, Here come the gondolas, The hour of barcaroles And of farewells!

(Schlemil conducts the guests out. Giulietta goes away throwing a look at Hoffman. Dapertutto remains. Nicklausse goes toward Hoffman.)

NICKLAUSSE.

Are you coming?

HOFFMAN.

Not yet.

NICKLAUSSE.

Why? Very well. I understand, Good-by.

(Aside). But I'll watch over him.

(He goes out.)

SCHLEMIL.

What do you wait for?

HOFFMAN.

That you give me a certain key I've sworn to have.

SCHLEMIL.

You shall have this key, sir, only with my life.

HOFFMAN.

Then I shall have one and the other.

SCHLEMIL.

That remains to be seen. On guard!

DAPERTUTTO.

You have no sword (presenting his own). Take mine!

HOFFMAN.

Thank you.

CHORUS (in the wings).

Sweet night, oh night of love, Smile on our bliss serene When the stars that shine above Greet the heaven'ly Queen.

(Hoffman and Schlemil fight. Schlemil falls mortally wounded. Hoffman bends and takes the key from around his neck. He rushes to Giulietta's room. Giulietta appears in a gondola.)

HOFFMAN (coming back).

No one.

GIULIETTA (laughing).

Ha, ha, ha!

(Hoffmann is in a stupor looking at Giulietta.)

DAPERTUTTO (to Giulietta).

What will you do with him now?

GIULIETTA.

I'll turn him over to you.

PITICHINACCIO (entering the gondola)

Dear angel.

(Giulietta takes him in her arms.)

HOFFMAN (comprehending the infamy of Giulietta).

Vile wretch!

NICKLAUSSE.

Hoffman! Hoffman--the police!

(Nicklausse drags Hoffmann away. Giulietta and Pitichinaccia laugh.)