The Forfeiture | Page 5

you dressed this way?
FRONTIN: You will never guess, I bet.
VALERE: Whose clothes are you wearing? It's one of mine, I believe.
FRONTIN: Could well be, cause it's none of mine.
VALERE: And my wig.
FRONTIN: Good. Have I bought it. I found this under my hand, quite
ready. And your most handsome lace, and largest jewel.
VALERE: I've seen you do crazy things before, but nothing touching
such insolence.
FRONTIN: It's come right on time, sir, this opulence.
VALERE: Scoundrel, you've picked a bad time to joke.
FRONTIN: I picked my time just right, I dare to boast. To know how to
manage times for a master.
VALERE: To dare appear like this!
FRONTIN: Sir, till now, I've been careful to conceal my scoundrel like
and insolent traits. That's why you hired me! Only working first on my
own affairs, I have taken care to hide my 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.