CHAPTER III.

“But Masetto, dear Masetto.”

“Get thee gone. What! thou wouldst caress me, thou false Zerlina!”

“But I love thee.”

“Then hast thou a marvellous queer way of showing it. Thou dost bemean me. Thou dost make fingers to point at me, and then, forsooth, thou dost say ‘I love thee.’ Pish! for pure modesty’s sake I cry ‘shame.’”

“But I love thee. He did deceive me. See, if thou lovest me not, thou dost kill me. Wherefore turnest thou from me? I love thee, I love thee.”

“Thou art encompassed with immodesty.”

“Beat me, beat me, thy Zerlina, here she stands, beat me; and I’ll kiss thy hands quite meekly. Beat me, beat me, but forgive me, for I love thee, dear Masetto.”

“Thou hast the power of the evil one to overthrow me. Truly, man is weak.”

“Beat me, beat me. Masetto, here’s the don.”

“Let him approach. I defy him.”

“I fain would hide myself.”

“And, marry, I fain thou shouldst not. Ho, ho--she fears I shall learn secrets; ho, ho, ho, thou art falsity. I will hide myself.”

“Nay, if he find thee, he will beat thee, as thou wattest not of.”

“Let him fear me, my arm is strong.”

“‘Tis hopeless to speak to him.” This she said softly.

“Speak loudly, untruthful woman, speak honestly loud. (I have mine ideas, yes, Masetto, I have mine ideas.)”

And he hid behind a tree.

Said the little woman to herself, “he hath a wry mind, Masetto;” and then she ran to hiding herself, as she saw the don approach, accompanied by several peasants.

He dismissed those people immediately, and then called out “Zerlina, come thou here.”

“So please you, let me go.”

“My angel, I love thee too well.”

“So please you, if thou art merciful, let me go.”

“Masetto, come thou here also.”

“My faith, he hath marked me,” said the rustic, and came forward sheepishly.

“Thy Zerlina is unhappy when thou art not near her, why dost leave her? come, be merry, I will go with you and be merry with you,” and he walked away between them, and entered his house with them.

Nor did he see three masked persons following him. Donna Anna, Donna Elvira, and Don Ottavio. They were following him, marking him, bringing home his guilt to him.

Suddenly Leporello passing a window of the house within, saw the masks and called out, “O rare, my master, here is fit company for thee, my master; here are ladies, and of a quality! What sayest thou, invite them in. Aye, marry, will I. Masks, list, fair masks; my master greets ye, and prays ye enter; ye shall find good entertainment.”

Still watching him, still tracing the crime to him, they entered the house of the murderer.