656
MADAME BUTTERFLY
sweets heart, so now I goin' back to my own country and here's moaney—an' don' worry 'bout me—I come back w'en 'Robins nes' again!'" Ha-ha! Tha's w'en he come back—w'en robins nes' again.
(She sways her head triumphantly from side to side, fanning herself.)
Suzuki. (Not impressed.) Yaes, I did n't
like ways he said it—like those . . .
(She imitates a flippant gesture of farewell.)
Madame Butterfly. (Laughing.) Aha, that's 'Merican way sayin' good-bye to girl. Yaes, he come back w'en robins nes' again. Shu'h! Shu'h! (She claps her hands with delight. Suzuki, with a look of unbelief starts to go.) Sa-ey! Why no "shu'h" on you face for? Such a fools! (Looking towards the window.) O look! Suzuki—a robins. The firs' these Spring! Go, see if he's stay for nes'.
Suzuki. (Looking.) It is a robins, Cho-Cho-San!
Madame Butterfly. (Running to the window.) O! O!
Suzuki. But he's fly away.
Madame Butterfly. O! How they are slow this year! Sa-ey, see if you don' fin' one tha's more in-dus-trial an' domestics.
Suzuki. (Looking out.) There are none yet.
Madame Butterfly. But soon they nes' now. Suzuki, w'en we see that ship comin' in—sa-ey—then we goin' put flowers aevery where, an' if it's night, we goin' hang up mos' one thousan' lanterns—eh-ha?
Suzuki. No got moaney for thousan'.
Madame Butterfly. Wael, twenty, mebby; an' sa-ey, w'en we see him comin' quick up path—(imitates) so—so—so—(lifts her kimono and strides in a masculine fashion) to look for liddle wive—me—me jus' goin' hide behind shoji (making two holes with her wet finger in the low paper shoji and peeking through) an' watch an' make believe me gone 'way; leave liddle note—sayin': "Goon-bye, sayonara. Butterfly." . . . Now he come in. . . . (Hides.) Ah! An' then he get angery! An' he say all kinds of 'Merican languages—debbils—hells! But before he get too angery, me run out an' flew aroun' his neck! (She illustrates with Suzuki, who is carried away and embraces her with fervor.) Sa-ey! You no flew roun' his neck—jus' me. (They laugh in each other's arms.) Then he'll sit down an' sing tha's liddle 'Merican song—O, how he'11 laugh. . . . (She sings as though not understanding a word of it.)
"I call her the belle of Japan—of Japan
Her name it is O Cho-Cho-San, Cho-Cho-San!
Such tenderness lies in her soft almond eyes,
I tell you, she's just 'ichi ban.'"
(Laughs.) Then I'll dance like w'en I was Geisha girl.
(She dances as Sharpless, the American consul, appears in the doorway, followed by the Nakodo.)
Nakodo. This is the house, your Excellency.
Sharpless. (Removing his clogs outside.) You may wait.
(Nakodo bows and Sharpless enters.)
I beg pardon. . . .
(Madame Butterfly still dancing, begins the song again. Sharpless goes to the door and knocks to attract her attention.)
Madame Butterfly. Ah!
(Suzuki, bowing low, leaves the room.)
Sharpless. This is Madame Cho-Cho-San?
Madame Butterfly. No, I am Mrs. Lef-ten-ant B. F. Pik-ker-ton.
Sharpless. I see. . . . Pardon my interruption. . . . I am Mr. Sharpless, the American consul.
Madame Butterfly. (Once more salaaming to the ground, drawing in her breath between her teeth to express pleasure.) O, your honorable excellency, goon night,—no, not night yaet: aexcuse me, I'm liddle raddle',—I mean goon mornin', goon evenin'. Welcome to 'Merican house, mos' welcome to 'Merican girl! (Pointing to herself. They both bow.) Be seat. (Sharpless sits on a cushion on the, floor, and Madame Butterfly sits at a little distance. There is a slight pause.) How are those health? You sleepin' good? How are that honorable ancestors—are they well? And those parens'? That grandmother—how are she?
Sharpless. Thanks. They're all doing well, I hope.
Madame Butterfly. (She claps her hands; Suzuki enters and puts the little stand between them and leaves the room.) Accept pipe, your excellency. O, I for-
