Signor Past. Questo signore spiegherò—

Interp. Oui—me interpret.—Nous avons les lettres de recommendation pour Monsieur Dangle de—

Mrs. Dang. Upon my word, sir, I don’t understand you.

Signor Past. La Contessa Rondeau è nostra padrona.

3 Signora Past. Si, padre, et Miladi Fugue.

Interp. O!—me interpret.—Madame, ils disent—in English —Qu’ils ont l’honneur d’être protégés de ces dames.—You understand?

Mrs. Dang. No, sir,—no understand!

Enter Dangle and Sneer.

Interp. Ah, voici, Monsieur Dangle!

All Italians. Ah! Signor Dangle!

Mrs. Dang. Mr. Dangle, here are two very civil gentlemen trying to make themselves understood, and I don’t know which is the interpreter.

Dang. Eh, bien!

[The Interpreter and Signor Pasticcio here speak at the same time.]

Interp. Monsieur Dangle, le grand bruit de vos talens pour la critique, et de votre intérêt avec messieurs les directeurs à tous les théâtres—

Signor Past. Vosignoria siete si famoso par la vostra conoscenza, e vostra interessa colla le direttore da—

Dang. Egad, I think the interpreter is the hardest to be understood of the two!

Sneer. Why, I thought, Dangle, you had been an admirable linguist!

Dang. So I am, if they would not talk so damned fast.

Sneer. Well, I’ll explain that—the less time we lose in hearing them the better—for that, I suppose, is what they are brought here for.

[Speaks to Signor Pasticcio—they sing trios, &c., Dangle beating out of time.]

Enter Servant and whispers Dangle.

Dang. Show him up.—[Exit Servant.] Bravo! admirable! bravissimo! admirablissimo!—Ah! Sneer! where will you find voices such as these in England?

Sneer. Not easily.

Dang. But Puff is coming.—Signor and little signoras obligatissimo!—Sposa Signora Danglena—Mrs. Dangle, shall I beg you to offer them some refreshments, and take their address in the next room.

[Exit Mrs. Dangle with Signor Pasticcio, Signore Pasticcio, Musicians, and Interpreter, ceremoniously.