GILDA
Father!


RIGOLETTO
Oh, God! My Gilda!
Sirs, she is all

The family I have ... Don't be afraid now,
My angel child
To the courtiers

It was only a joke wasn't it?
I, though I wept before, now laugh.
To Gilda

Why do you still weep?

GILDA

The shame, father!

RIGOLETTO

Good God! What do you mean?

GILDA

To you alone I confess...

RIGOLETTO

To the courtiers
Off with u, all of you!
And if you're Duke should dare approach,

Tell him not to enter, tell him I am here.

BORSA, MARULLO, CEPRANO, CHORUS

(With children and with madmen,
Pretence is often best.
We'll leave, but still keep watch

To see what he may do.)

[They go out through the center and shut the door.]


RIGOLETTO
Speak... we are alone.


GILDA
(O Heaven, give me courage!)


Each holy day, in church,
As I prayed to God,

A fatally handsome young man
Stood where I could see him...
Though our lips were silent,

Our hearts spoke through our eyes.
Furtively, only last night he came
To meet me for the first time.

I am a student and poor,"
He said so tenderly,
And with passionate fervour

Told me of his love.
He went... my heart was rapt
In the sweetest dreams,

When suddenly the men broke in
Who carried me away;
They brought me here by force,

Cruelly afraid.

RIGOLETTO

(Ah! I asked infamy, O God,
Only for myself,
So that she might be raised

As high as I had fallen.
Ah, beside the gallows
One must raise an altar!

But all is now lost,
The altar is cast down!)
Weep, my child, and let your tears

Fall upon my breast.

GILDA

Father, an angel speaks through you
And consoles me.

RIGOLETTO
When I have finished what I must do here,

We can leave this house of doom.

GILDA
Yes.


RIGOLETTO
(A single day has changed everything!)

[Preceded by an usher, Count Monterone enters between two halberdiers and crosses the back of the room.]


USHER
Open up: Monterone is to go to the dungeon.

MONTERONE
Halting before the Duke's portrait

Since my curse has been in vain,
And neither steel nor thunderbolt has struck
Your breast, you will live on, o Duke, in happiness.


RIGOLETTO

No, old man, you're wrong ... you shall be avenged.
Passionately addressing the portrait
Yes, revenge, terrible revenge is all that my heart desires.
The hour of your punishment hastens on,
That hour which will be your last.
Like a thunderbolt from the hand of God,
The jester's revenge shall strike you down.


GILDA
O my father, what a fierce joy
Flashes in your eyes!
Forgive him: and then we too may hear
The voice of pardon from Heaven.
Forgive him!


RIGOLETTO
Revenge! Revenge! No! No!

GILDA
[He betrayed me, yet I love him; great God,
I ask for pity on this faithless man!


RIGOLETTO
Like a thunderbolt, etc.

GILDA
Forgive him, etc.