Toréador, make ready! Toréador! Toréador! And think on her, on her, who all can see: On a dark eyed lady, And that love waits for thee, Toréador, Love waits, love waits for thee!]
While Escamillo is singing the refrain of this song he is about the most self-satisfied fellow one ever saw. He hasn't the slightest doubt about himself and neither has any sensible person a doubt about him; but Carmen is not a sensible person.
The bull-fighter has been trying the same trick upon Carmen that she tried upon José. She is not indifferent to his fascinations, but--well, there is trouble coming her way, Escamillo's way, José's way, everybody's way, but it is some comfort to know that they all more or less deserve it.
When Escamillo has finished singing of his greatness, he asks Carmen what she would think of him if he told her he loved her, and for once in a way she is quite truthful. She tells him she would think him a fool.
"You are not over-encouraging, my girl, but I can wait," he returns.
"I am sure there is no harm in waiting," she answers him.
Now Carmen's familiar friends, the smugglers, have an enterprise in hand, and it has been their habit to look to Carmen, Frasquita, and Mercedes for help in their smuggling. When they find an opportunity, they approach Carmen.
"Indeed! well, you won't get it," she declares.
"What's the matter now?" El Dancairo, chief of the smugglers, demands.
"If you particularly want to know--why, then, I am in love--for to-night only," she hastens to add, as the smugglers stare at her in disgust.
"Well, we wish you joy; but you'll show better sense to come along with us. If you wait here, your lover is likely not to come, and you'll lose the money in the bargain."
When any sly intrigue is weaving, Whether for thieving, Or for deceiving, You will do well if you provide, To have a woman on your side--
they sing--which shows what the smugglers think of their sisters and their cousins and their aunts.
When they insist upon knowing for whom Carmen is going to wait at the inn, she finally tells them she is waiting for José, and pretends to some very nice sentiments indeed, on his account; says he got her out of prison, has been locked up for her sake, and of course she must treat him nicely.