Madama Butterfly - Atto III

Watch out! She believes it
and I was a prophet then!
Deaf to advice,
disregarding doubts, scorned
in stubborn waiting
she gathered her heart.

Pinkerton
Yes, all at once
I see my mistake
and feel that from this torment
I will never have respite,
I will never have it, no!

Sharpless
Go: she will learn the sad truth alone.

Pinkerton
(sweetly with regret)
Farewell, flowery refuge,
of joy and love.
I will always see her gentle face
with excruciating anguish.

Sharpless
But now that sincere foreboding is already there.

Pinkerton
Farewell, flowery refuge,

Sharpless
Didn't I tell you? Do you remember?
and I was a prophet then.

Pinkerton
can't stand your misery,
ah, I can't stand your misery.
I flee, I flee: I am vile!
Farewell, I can't stand your misery,
ah! I am vile, ah! I am vile!

Sharpless
Go, she will learn the sad truth.

(Pinkerton shakes hands with the Consul, quickly exits from the back: Sharpless sadly shakes his head.)

(Suzuki comes from the garden followed by Kate who stops at the foot of the terrace.)

Kate
(gently to Suzuki)
Will you tell her?

Suzuki
(answers with head down, without breaking her rigidity)
I promise.

Kate
And will you advise her to trust me?

Suzuki
I promise.

Kate
I will treat him like a son.

Suzuki
I believe you. But I must be alone with her.
In the great hour... alone!
She will cry so much!
she will cry so much!

Butterfly
(distant voice from the room on the left, calling)
Suzuki!
(closer) Suzuki!
Where are you? Suzuki!
(appears at the half-open door; Kate, to avoid being seen, moves away into the garden)

Suzuki
I'm here... I was praying
and tidying up. No...
(she rushes to prevent Butterfly from entering)
no, no, no, no, don't come down...

(Butterfly enters hastily, disentangling herself from Suzuki who tries in vain to hold her back.)

Suzuki (shouting)
no, no, no.

Butterfly
(walking around the room with great agitation, but jubilant)
He's here, he's here... where is he hiding?
he's here, he's here...
(seeing Sharpless)
Here is the Consul.
(astonished, looking for Pinkerton)
and where? where?
(after looking everywhere, in every corner, in the small alcove and behind the screen, dismayed she looks around)
He's not here!

(Sees Kate in the garden and stares fixedly at Sharpless)

Butterfly (to Sharpless)
That woman?
What does she want from me?
No one speaks...

(Suzuki silently cries.)

Butterfly (surprised)
Why are you crying?

(Sharpless approaches Butterfly to speak to her; she fears understanding and becomes as small as a frightened child.)

Butterfly
No: don't tell me anything, nothing...
I might drop dead on the spot...
(with affectionate and childish kindness to Suzuki)
You, Suzuki, who are so good, don't cry!
and you love me so much,
just say yes, no, softly: Is he alive?

Suzuki
Yes.
(as if struck by a mortal blow: stiff)
Butterfly
But he doesn't come anymore.
They told you!

(Suzuki is silent)

Butterfly
(irritated by Suzuki's silence)
Wasp! I want you to answer.

Suzuki
Never again.

Butterfly (coldly)
But did he come yesterday?
(she understood, looks at Kate, almost fascinated)
Ah! that woman
scares me so much! so much!

Sharpless
She is the innocent cause of all your misfortune.
Forgive her.

Butterfly (understanding, shouts:)
Ah! she's his wife!
(with a calm voice)
Everything is dead for me!
everything is over! Ah!

Sharpless
Courage.

Butterfly
They want to take everything from me!
(desperate) my son!

Sharpless
Do it for his good, the sacrifice...

Butterfly (desperate)
Ah! sad mother! sad mother!
To abandon my son!
(remains motionless)
(calmly) So be it!
I must obey him!

Kate
(approaching timidly to the terrace, without entering the room)
Can you forgive me, Butterfly?

Butterfly
Under the great bridge of heaven
there is no woman happier than you.
Always be so; don't be sad for me.

Kate
(to Sharpless, who has approached her)
Poor little one!

Sharpless (very moved)
It's an immense pity!

Kate
And will she give up the child?

Butterfly
(who has heard, says solemnly and emphasizing the words:)
I can give him
if he comes to look for him.
(with intention, but with great simplicity)
In half an hour climb the hill.

(Suzuki accompanies Kate and Sharpless who leave from the back. Butterfly falls to the ground, crying; Suzuki rushes to help her.)

Suzuki
(putting a hand on Butterfly's heart)
Like a trapped fly
the little heart beats its wings!

(Butterfly gradually regains her composure: seeing that it is daylight, she frees herself from Suzuki, and says to her:)

Butterfly
There is too much light outside,
and too much spring.
Close it.

(Suzuki goes to close the shoji, so that the room remains almost completely dark.)

(Suzuki returns to Butterfly.)

Butterfly
Where is the child?

Suzuki
Playing... Should I call him?

Butterfly (anxiously)
Let him play, let him play.
Go keep him company.

Suzuki (crying)
I'll stay with you.

Butterfly
(resolutely, clapping her hands loudly)
Go, go. I command you.
(Makes Suzuki get up, who cries desperately, and pushes her out of the left door.)

(Butterfly kneels in front of the Buddha statue.)

(Butterfly remains motionless, absorbed in painful thought, Suzuki's sobs are still heard, gradually fading away.)

(Butterfly has a spasm.)

(Butterfly goes to the cabinet and takes the white veil, which she throws through the screen, then takes the knife, which closed in a lacquer case, hangs on the wall near the Buddha statue.)

(she religiously kisses the blade, holding it with her hands by the tip and the handle)

Butterfly
(reading the words engraved on it in a low voice)