Scene 1—The following summer,

[A field or meadow near Fiori. As the curtain rises voices are heard
off-stage singing a bridal song.]

SONG: Strew we flowers on their pathway!
Bride and bride-groom, go you sweetly.
There are roses on your pathway.
Bride and bride-groom, go you sweetly.
Sweetly live together.

[Enter Viola, Lilina, Lela, Arianna and Claudia, laden with
garlands, flowering boughs and baskets of flowers. They met
Anselmo coming from another direction, also bearing flowers.]

VIO. How beautiful, Anselmo! Where did you find them?

ANS. Close by the brook.

LIL. You gathered all there were?

ANS. Not by one hundredth part.

LEL. Nay, is it true?
We must have more of them!

ARI. And are they fragrant
As well?

ANS. Ay, by my heart, they are so sweet
I near to fainted climbing the bank with them.

[The ladies cluster about Anselmo and smell the flowers.]

LIL. Oh!

VIO. Ah!

CLA. How drowsily sweet!

LEL. Oh, sweet!

ARI. What fragrance!

[Enter Laura and Giovanna, followed by Carlotta and Raffaele.]

LAU. La, by my lung! I am as out of breath
As a babe new-born! Whew! Let me catch the air!

[She drops her flowers and seats herself beside them.]

CAR. [to the younger ladies and Anselmo, by way of greeting.]
How hot the sun is getting.

ANS. 'Tis nigh noon, I think.

GIO. 'Tis noon.

CLA. We must be starting back.

LAU. Not till I get my breath.

RAF. Come,—I will fan you. [He fans her with a branch,]

LAU. Tis good—'tis very good—oh, peace—oh, slumber—
Oh, all good things! You are a proper youth.
You are a zephyr. I would have you fan me
Till you fall dead.

CAR. I tell you when it comes
To gathering flowers, much is to be said
For spreading sheets on the grass,—it gives you less
The backache.

LAU. Nobly uttered, my sweet bird.

GIO. Yet brides must have bouquets.

CAR. And sit at home,
Nursing complexions, whilst I gather them,

LIL. [Running to Carlotta, along, with Lela and Viola, and throwing her
arms about her.]
Nay, out upon you now, Carlotta! Cease now
To grumble so,—'tis such a pretty day!

VIO. And weddings mean a ball!

LEL. And one may dance all night
At weddings!

LIL. Till one needs must dance to bed,
Because one cannot walk there!

GIO. And one eats
Such excellent food!

ANS. And drinks such excellent wine!

CLA. And seldom will you see a bride and bridegroom
More beautiful and gracious, or whom garlands
Do more become.

GIO. 'Tis so,—upon my sword!—
Which I neglected to bring with me—'tis so,
Upon Anselmo's sword!

CAR. Nay, look you, Laura!
You must not fall asleep! [to Raffaele] Have done, you devil!
Is it a poppy that you have there? [to Laura] Look you,
We must be starting back! [Laura rouses, then falls back again.]

LAU. Ay, that we must.

ARI. Where are the others?

ANS. Scattered all about.
I will call to them. Hola! You fauns and dryads!
Where are you?

VOICES. Here! Here! Is it time to go?

ANS. Come this way! We are starting back!

VOICES. We are coming!
We'll come in a moment! I cannot bear to leave
This place!

GIO. [As they enter] A thousand greetings, Clara!
Lucia, a thousand greetings! How now, Luigi!
I know you, man, despite this soft disguise!
You are no flower-girl!

LUI. I am a draught-horse,
That's what I am, for four unyielding women!
Were I a flower-girl, I'd sell the lot
For a bit of bread and meat—I am so hungry
I could eat a butterfly!

CAR. What ho. Francesca!
I have not seen you since the sun came up!

FRA. This is not I,—I shall not be myself
Till it goes down!

LEL. Oh, la, what lovely lilies!

FRA. Be tender with them—I risked my life to get them!

LIL. Where were they?

FRA. Troth, I do not know. I think
They were in a dragon's mouth.

LAU. [Suddenly waking] Well, are we going? [All laugh.]

LUI. No one is going that cannot go afoot.
I have enough to carry!

LAU. Nay; take me too!
I am a little thing. What does it matter—
One flower more?

LUI. You are a thousand flowers,
Sweet Laura,—you are a meadow full of them—
I'll bring a wagon for you.

CAR. Come. Come home.

[In the meantime the stage has been filling with girls and men
bearing flowers, a multitude of people, in groups and couples,
humming the song very softly. As Carlotta speaks several more
people take up the song, then finally the whole crowd. They move
off slowly, singing.]

SONG. "Strew we flowers on their pathway," etc.