Tartuffe | Page 6

to instruct us too; He comes with rolling eyes to preach at us, And throws away our ribbons, rouge, and patches. The wretch, the other day, tore up a kerchief That he had found, pressed in the /Golden Legend/, Calling it a horrid crime for us to mingle The devil's finery with holy things.
[Footnote 1: Referring to the rebellion called La Fronde, during the minority of Louis XIV.]
[Footnote 2: Moliere's note, inserted in the text of all the old editions. It is a curious illustration of the desire for uniformity and dignity of style in dramatic verse of the seventeenth century, that Moliere feels called on to apologize for a touch of realism like this. Indeed, these lines were even omitted when the play was given.]

SCENE III ELMIRE, MARIANE, DAMIS, CLEANTE, DORINE
ELMIRE (to Cleante) You're very lucky to have missed the speech She gave us at the door. I see my husband Is home again. He hasn't seen me yet, So I'll go up and wait till he comes in.
CLEANTE And I, to save time, will await him here; I'll merely say good-morning, and be gone.

SCENE IV CLEANTE, DAMIS, DORINE
DAMIS I wish you'd say a word to him about My sister's marriage; I suspect Tartuffe Opposes it, and puts my father up To all these wretched shifts. You know, besides, How nearly I'm concerned in it myself; If love unites my sister and Valere, I love his sister too; and if this marriage Were to . . .
DORINE He's coming.

SCENE V ORGON, CLEANTE, DORINE
ORGON Ah! Good morning, brother.
CLEANTE I was just going, but am glad to greet you. Things are not far advanced yet, in the country?
ORGON Dorine . . .
(To Cleante) Just wait a bit, please, brother-in-law. Let me allay my first anxiety By asking news about the family.
(To Dorine) Has everything gone well these last two days? What's happening? And how is everybody?
DORINE Madam had fever, and a splitting headache Day before yesterday, all day and evening.
ORGON And how about Tartuffe?
DORINE Tartuffe? He's well; He's mighty well; stout, fat, fair, rosy-lipped.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE At evening she had nausea And could't touch a single thing for supper, Her headache still was so severe.
ORGON And how About Tartuffe?
DORINE He supped alone, before her, And unctuously ate up two partridges, As well as half a leg o' mutton, deviled.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE All night she couldn't get a wink Of sleep, the fever racked her so; and we Had to sit up with her till daylight.
ORGON How About Tartuffe?
DORINE Gently inclined to slumber, He left the table, went into his room, Got himself straight into a good warm bed, And slept quite undisturbed until next morning.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE At last she let us all persuade her, And got up courage to be bled; and then She was relieved at once.
ORGON And how about Tartuffe?
DORINE He plucked up courage properly, Bravely entrenched his soul against all evils, And to replace the blood that she had lost, He drank at breakfast four huge draughts of wine.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE So now they both are doing well; And I'll go straightway and inform my mistress How pleased you are at her recovery.

SCENE VI ORGON, CLEANTE
CLEANTE Brother, she ridicules you to your face; And I, though I don't want to make you angry, Must tell you candidly that she's quite right. Was such infatuation ever heard of? And can a man to-day have charms to make you Forget all else, relieve his poverty, Give him a home, and then . . . ?
ORGON Stop there, good brother, You do not know the man you're speaking of.
CLEANTE Since you will have it so, I do not know him; But after all, to tell what sort of man He is . . .
ORGON Dear brother, you'd be charmed to know him; Your raptures over him would have no end. He is a man . . . who . . . ah! . . . in fact . . .a man Whoever does his will, knows perfect peace, And counts the whole world else, as so much dung. His converse has transformed me quite; he weans My heart from every friendship, teaches me To have no love for anything on earth; And I could see my brother, children, mother, And wife, all die, and never care--a snap.
CLEANTE Your feelings are humane, I must say, brother!
ORGON Ah! If you'd seen him, as I saw him first, You would have loved him just as much as I. He came to church each day, with contrite mien, Kneeled, on both knees, right opposite my place, And drew the eyes of all the congregation, To watch the fervour of his prayers to heaven; With deep-drawn sighs and great ejaculations, He humbly kissed the earth at every moment; And when I left the church, he