"Oh, come now--do you think you can frighten me? I will be a slave to no woman's whim, Santuzza. Go about your business. I shall attend to mine without your help. No, I will listen to you no longer," he cried, becoming angrier as she spoke, and pushing her away from him, as Lola, in the street near the square could be heard singing.
Santuzza and Turiddu both paused and listened. She was singing of Turiddu. She was calling him her "King of Roses." And then, while the two were standing uncertain what to do, Lola entered the square and spied them.
"Hello," she called loftily, looking at Santuzza. "Have you seen Alfio, Turiddu?"
"No, I have only just now come into the square."
"Oh, perhaps you have come to church," she persisted impertinently.
"I--I stopped to tell Santuzza--" he hardly knew what to say.
"I stopped to see Turiddu," Santuzza interrupted earnestly. "I stopped to say that the good Lord beholds all our deeds."
"No--those who go to mass must have a clear conscience. Which of us here has that?"
"Really I know nothing about you," Lola answered; "as for mine--it is clear!" Turiddu foreseeing trouble between them interrupted hastily.
"Oh, stay with Santuzza--and her conscience! do!"
"Yes, Turiddu--I warn you!" At that Lola laughed and went into the church.
"Now what have you done? By your folly, angered Lola. I am done with you!" Turiddu exclaimed, throwing off Santuzza, who held him back while she spoke. He became so enraged that he treated her brutally; and in trying to rid himself of her he threw her down upon the stones, and then ran into the church. When she got upon her feet again she was furious with anger.
"Now I will punish him for all his faithlessness," she sobbed, and she no sooner took this resolve than fate seemed to give her the means of carrying it out, for at that moment Alfio came back into the square.
"Oh, neighbour Alfio! God himself must have sent you here!"
"It is almost over, but I must tell you--Lola is gone to it with Turiddu."
"What do you mean by that?" Alfio demanded, regarding her in wonder.
"I mean that while you are about your business Turiddu remains here, and your wife finds in him a way to pass the time. She does not love you."
"If you are not telling me the truth," Alfio said, with anguish, "I'll certainly kill you."