Count—–­ You are quite right.  I shall simply force the door myself.  I am going for tools.

Countess—­Sir, if your conduct were prompted by love, I’d forgive your jealousy for the sake of the motive.  But its cause is only your vanity.

Count—­Love or vanity, Madame, I mean to know who is in that room!  And to guard against any tricks, I am going to lock the door to your maid’s room.  You, Madame, will kindly come with me, and without any noise, if you please. [He leads her away.] As for the Susanna in the dressing-room, she will please wait a few minutes.

Countess [going out with him]—­Sir, I assure you—­

Susanna [coming out from behind the bed and running to the dressing-room]—­Cherubino!  Open quick!  It’s Susanna. [Cherubino hurries out of the dressing-room.] Escape—­you haven’t a minute to lose!

Cherubino—­Where can I go?

Susanna—­I don’t know, I don’t know at all! but do go somewhere!

Cherubino [running to the window, then coming back]—­The window isn’t so very high.

Susanna [frightened and holding him back]—­He’ll kill himself!

Cherubino—­Ah, Susie, I’d rather jump into a gulf than put the Countess in danger. [He snatches a kiss, then runs to the window, hesitates, and finally jumps down into the garden.]

Susanna—­Ah! [She falls fainting into an arm-chair.  Recovering slowly, she rises, and seeing Cherubino running through the garden she comes forward panting.] He’s far away already! ...  Little scamp! as nimble as he is handsome! [She next runs to the dressing-room.] Now, Count Almaviva, knock as hard as you like, break down the door.  Plague take me if I answer you. [Goes into the dressing-room and shuts the door.]

[Count and Countess return.]

Count—­Now, Madame, consider well before you drive me to extremes.

Countess—­I—­I beg of you—!

Count [preparing to burst open the door]—­You can’t cajole me now.

Countess [throwing herself on her knees]—­Then I will open it!  Here is the key.

Count—­So it is not Susanna?

Countess—­No, but it’s no one who should offend you.

Count—­If it’s a man I kill him!  Unworthy wife!  You wish to stay shut up in your room—­you shall stay in it long enough, I promise you. Now I understand the note—­my suspicions are justified!

Countess—­Will you listen to me one minute?

Count—­Who is in that room?

Countess—­Your page.

Count—­Cherubino!  The little scoundrel!—­just let me catch him!  I don’t wonder you were so agitated.

Countess—­I—­I assure you we were only planning an innocent joke.