The Forfeiture | Page 5

traits with all necessary skill. You would have prevented me from acting as I have done. To deceive cleverly is virtue in a valet. You will have it that it's a vice in a master. I must tell you you are scrupulous to a fault. What I have done for you was done unknown to you.
VALERE: What have you done for me?
FRONTIN: It's a mere nothing. I'm working on marrying you to Isabelle.
VALERE: Frontin, my dear Frontin. You are working for me. In what way? How? Explain quickly!
FRONTIN: Let me explain first how I am to be rewarded. That's how I get to be zealous. If I get your Isabelle for you--
VALERE: Well?
FRONTIN: Lace, clothes, diamond. I won't return them. If the outfit is too short, too long, for better or for worse--I get it. As for the diamond. It's made for me.
VALERE: I will give you all.
FRONTIN: Listen to my story. With a little money, this brilliant outfit and finding a place at a card table and some winning cards, and ogling some of the old girls playing, with one especially, I got in deep. She has a sterile wit but babbles constantly. Always joking she is more crazy than funny. Do you recognize her, sir? She's your aunt.
VALERE: It's herself. Well, you are telling me you won money from my aunt at cards?
FRONTIN: A little. But I won more of her heart. She adores me.
VALERE: She loves you!
FRONTIN: Yes, sir. And better yet. She wants to marry me.
VALERE: Great.
FRONTIN: Your valet Frontin could become your uncle or uncle in law tomorrow.
VALERE: What! Seriously?
FRONTIN: The lady is serious. I have the looks to make an old woman amorous.
FRONTIN: Without doubt. But still, to marry you must know the man.
FRONTIN: She knows me extremely well. A month of card playing causes you to know a chap extremely well. Saying I'm from a land between Paris and Rome, I took a name; a name half-known there. As in taking those that have never been.
VALERE: What name?
FRONTIN: The Chevalier de Cique. Noble name She believes I'm from an ancient family.
VALERE: I cannot get over my astonishment.
FRONTIN: Good! But that's nothing yet; I have done even more.
VALERE: What?
FRONTIN: Seeing that fortune gave me one aunt, still there remained another--
VALERE: Well?
FRONTIN: A difficult, astonishing, a hazardous plan. In the same house I see them both. It's true, I know that since she became amorous, Araminte is ashamed, fearful of her sister. For more security against the other, I take a different name, character, arms, clothes. From a grave Senechal, I adopt the character, a composed air, grave tone, cold face, saying nothing like she does in a sententious tone, and like her a fastidious censor of marriage. My name as Senechal is Groux. I present myself. Similarity of character charms the prudish aunt. And in a word, sir, I succeeded.
VALERE: What's this? My other aunt?
FRONTIN: She's going to marry me, also.
VALERE: Singular fact. But from their benevolence how do you propose to extract--?
FRONTIN: From their extravagance I believe we will get some money for a forfeiture. But tell me how was their double forfeiture written?
VALERE: Here's how. You know their cruel tricks. I have been unable to get any restitution from them. The only thing they would agree to was that if they should marry, in order that I would not lose my claim to the inheritance, they would each give me 100,000 francs. However, they have sworn never to marry and they've kept their oath constantly so far. These forfeitures are under seal.
FRONTIN: Then that is how I'll get the money. But I intend-- Ah good, it's a lackey of mine.
(Enter Lackey)
LACKEY: Time passes, sir. To the notary and explain. Disguise yourself. All will be lost. (Frontin puts on a brown coat and a black wig)
FRONTIN: It's necessary that I first be Senechal Groux. Wait for me upstairs at Aunt Araminte's. She's getting ready to leave. There I can go without fear and instruct you in everything.
VALERE: I am going there.
FRONTIN: I will rejoin you.
(Exit Valere)
FRONTIN: (to Lackey) I thought I'd have two days time at least. But both of them taking the money to the notary are going to discover the trick. We'll have to speed up the affair.
(Exit Lackey, enter Belise)
FRONTIN: Good. The prude is leaving. By having imitated trait for trait her insipidity, her cold gravity, I pleased her. There's no other way to please this foolish woman except by echoing her vapid whims.------- Madame
BELISE: Ah, Senechal. What! You are here. I see you again.
FRONTIN: You see? As for me, I see you again, too.
BELISE: Once more I see the happiness of an unfeeling woman.
FRONTIN: I see again the happiness of a fire-proof man.
BELISE: Who looks with frigidity on the most charming of men.
FRONTIN: Who views with disdain the most