The Bores | Page 9

LA MONTAGNE.
ORPH. Your countenance seems to me anything but cheerful. Can it be
my presence, Éraste, which annoys you? What is the matter? What is
amiss? What makes you heave those sighs at my appearance?
ER. Alas! can you ask me, cruel one, what makes me so sad, and what
will kill me? Is it not malicious to feign ignorance of what you have
done to me? The gentleman whose conversation made you pass me just
now...
ORPH. (_Laughing_). Does that disturb you?
ER. Do, cruel one, anew insult my misfortune. Certainly, it ill becomes
you to jeer at my grief, and, by outraging my feelings, ungrateful
woman, to take advantage of my weakness for you.
ORPH. I really must laugh, and declare that you are very silly to
trouble yourself thus. The man of whom you speak, far from being able
to please me, is a bore of whom I have succeeded in ridding myself;
one of those troublesome and officious fools who will not suffer a lady
to be anywhere alone, but come up at once, with soft speech, offering
you a hand against which one rebels. I pretended to be going away, in
order to hide my intention, and he gave me his hand as far as my coach.
I soon got rid of him in that way, and returned by another gate to come
to you.
ER. Orphise, can I believe what you say? And is your heart really true
to me?
ORPH. You are most kind to speak thus, when I justify myself against
your frivolous complaints. I am still wonderfully simple, and my
foolish kindness...
ER. Ah! too severe beauty, do not be angry. Being under your sway, I
will implicitly believe whatever you are kind enough to tell me.

Deceive your hapless lover if you will; I shall respect you to the last
gasp. Abuse my love, refuse me yours, show me another lover
triumphant; yes, I will endure everything for your divine charms. I shall
die, but even then I will not complain.
ORPH. As such sentiments rule your heart, I shall know, on my side ...

SCENE IX.--ALCANDRE, ORPHISE, ÉRASTE, LA MONTAGNE.
ALC. (_To Orphise_). Marquis, one word. Madame, I pray you to
pardon me, if I am indiscreet in venturing, before you, to speak with
him privately. (_Exit Orphise_).

SCENE X.--ALCANDRE, ÉRASTE, LA MONTAGNE.
ALC. I have a difficulty, Marquis, in making my request; but a fellow
has just insulted me, and I earnestly wish, not to be behind-hand with
him, that you would at once go and carry him a challenge from me.
You know that in a like case I should joyfully repay you in the same
coin.
ER. (_After a brief silence_). I have no desire to boast, but I was a
soldier before I was a courtier. I served fourteen years, and I think I
may fairly refrain from such a step with propriety, not fearing that the
refusal of my sword can be imputed to cowardice. A duel puts one in an
awkward light, and our King is not the mere shadow of a monarch. He
knows how to make the highest in the state obey him, and I think that
he acts like a wise Prince. When he needs my service, I have courage
enough to perform it; but I have none to displease him. His commands
are a supreme law to me; seek some one else to disobey him. I speak to
you, Viscount, with entire frankness; in every other matter I am at your
service. Farewell.
[Footnote: During his long reign, Louis XIV. tried to put a stop to
duelling; and, though he did not wholly succeed, he prevented the
seconds from participating in the fight,--a custom very general before
his rule, and to which Éraste alludes in saying that he does not "fear
that the refusal of his (my) sword can be imputed to cowardice."]

SCENE XI.--ÉRASTE, LA MONTAGNE.
ER. To the deuce with these bores, fifty times over! Where, now, has

my beloved gone to?
LA M. I know not.
ER. Go and search everywhere till you find her. I shall await you in this
walk.

BALLET TO ACT I.
First Entry.
Players at Mall, crying out "Ware!" compel Éraste to draw back. After
the players at Mall have finished, Éraste returns to wait for Orphise.
Second Entry.
Inquisitive folk advance, turning round him to see who he is, and cause
him again to retire for a little while.
* * * * *

ACT II.
SCENE I.--ÉRASTE, alone.
Are the bores gone at last? I think they rain here on every side. The
more I flee from them, the more I light on them; and to add to my
uneasiness, I cannot find her whom