Note 5 — XVI TARTAGLIA
Reading edition
In the Collier de Perles, performed in 1672, Harlequin, who plays the part of a certain Marchese di Sbrofadel, having swallowed a medicine, imagines himself at the point of death. He summons a notary to make his will. The Doctor goes out and returns with Tartaglia, who plays the notary.
Tartaglia. Ser ... ser ... servant illustri ... tri ... tri ... trious.
Harlequin. This notary is from Tripoli.
Tartaglia (sits down, draws pen and paper and begins to write). L’an ... an ... an ... an....
Harlequin. Que l’on mène cet âne à l’écurie!...
Tartaglia. I ... i ... i ... io son ... son ... sono presto.
Harlequin. Va, bene! I leave this house to the Doctor.
The Doctor. But the house is mine!
Harlequin. I know, that is why I am leaving it to you: if it were not yours I should not leave it to you. I leave my cabinet to my cousin.
Tartaglia (writing). My ca ... ca ... ca....
Harlequin. Faites vite retirer ce notaire, il va salir tous les meubles.
Tartaglia. ... binet! à mon cou ... cou ...
Harlequin. I leave sixty-five acres of broadcloth to dress my family in mourning.
The Doctor. You are making a mistake. Cloth is not measured by the acre.
Harlequin. It seems to me that a man may measure his own property as best he pleases.
Tartaglia. Pou ... pou ... pou ... pour habiller ma famille en feuille.
Harlequin. Je laisse à Lallemand, mon valet de chambre....
Tartaglia. Un lavement à mon valet de chambre.
Harlequin. Lallemand! et non lavement.
Tartaglia (writing always under the dictation of Harlequin). Si si ... si ... si ... signor, il y a bien lavement ... ent ... ent ... ent.
Harlequin. Je laisse toutes mes vielles nippes à la fripière, ma voisine.
Tartaglia (repeating). Tou ... tou ... toutes mes vieilles tri ... tri ... tripes, à la tri ... tri ... tripière, ma voisine.
Harlequin. Ohimé! ce notaire-là n’en peut plus; il faudrait lui donner une médecine pour lui faire évacuer les paroles...! Je laisse vingt écus à mon cuisinier, à condition qu’il dépendra de mon frère cadet.
Tartaglia. Qu’il pend ... pendra mon frère cadet.
Harlequin. Enfin, je laisse au notaire ci-présent, une langue de pore pour mettre à la place de la sienne.
Tartaglia. Po ... po ... po ... porc toi-même!
Harlequin gives him a kick which sends him flying, together with his pens, paper, portfolio and ink-horns. Tartaglia gets up, his face covered with ink, and goes off in such a rage that he is unable to articulate intelligible sounds.