The Impostures of Scapin | Page 5

SCA. (_aside_). We shall see about that.
ARG. (_thinking himself alone_). And as for that rascal Silvestre, I will
cudgel him soundly.
SIL. (to SCAPIN). I should have been very much astonished if he had
forgotten me.
ARG. (seeing SILVESTRE). Ah, ah! here you are, most wise governor
of a family, fine director of young people!
SCA. Sir, I am delighted to see you back.
ARG. Good morning, Scapin. (To SILVESTRE) You have really
followed my orders in a fine manner, and my son has behaved
splendidly.
SCA. You are quite well, I see.
ARG. Pretty well. (To SILVESTRE) You don't say a word, you rascal!
SCA. Have you had a pleasant journey?
ARG. Yes, yes, very good. Leave me alone a little to scold this villain!
SCA. You want to scold?
ARG. Yes, I wish to scold.
SCA. But whom, Sir?
ARG. (Pointing to SILVESTRE). This scoundrel!
SCA. Why?
ARG. Have you not heard what has taken place during my absence?
SCA. Yes, I have heard some trifling thing.
ARG. How! Some trifling thing! Such an action as this?
SCA. You are about right.
ARG. Such a daring thing to do!
SCA. That's quite true.
ARG. To marry without his father's consent!
SCA. Yes, there is something to be said against it, but my opinion is
that you should make no fuss about it.
ARG. This is your opinion, but not mine; and I will make as much fuss
as I please. What! do you not think that I have every reason to be
angry?
SCA. Quite so. I was angry myself when I first heard it; and I so far felt
interested in your behalf that I rated your son well. Just ask him the fine
sermons I gave him, and how I lectured him about the little respect he

showed his father, whose very footsteps he ought to kiss. You could not
yourself talk better to him. But what of that? I submitted to reason, and
considered that, after all, he had done nothing so dreadful.
ARG. What are you telling me? He has done nothing so dreadful?
When he goes and marries straight off a perfect stranger?
SCA. What can one do? he was urged to it by his destiny.
ARG. Oh, oh! You give me there a fine reason. One has nothing better
to do now than to commit the greatest crime imaginable--to cheat, steal,
and murder--and give for an excuse that we were urged to it by destiny.
SCA. Ah me! You take my words too much like a philosopher. I mean
to say that he was fatally engaged in this affair.
ARG. And why did he engage in it?
SCA. Do you expect him to be as wise as you are? Can you put an old
head on young shoulders, and expect young people to have all the
prudence necessary to do nothing but what is reasonable? Just look at
our Léandre, who, in spite of all my lessons, has done even worse than
that. I should like to know whether you yourself were not young once,
and have not played as many pranks as others? I have heard say that
you were a sad fellow in your time, that you played the gallant among
the most gallant of those days, and that you never gave in until you had
gained your point.
ARG. It is true, I grant it; but I always confined myself to gallantry,
and never went so far as to do what he has done.
SCA. But what was he to do? He sees a young person who wishes him
well; for he inherits it from you that all women love him. He thinks her
charming, goes to see her, makes love to her, sighs as lovers sigh, and
does the passionate swain. She yields to his pressing visits; he pushes
his fortune. But her relations catch him with her, and oblige him to
marry her by main force.
SIL. (_aside_). What a clever cheat!
SCA. Would you have him suffer them to murder him? It is still better
to be married than to be dead.
ARG. I was not told that the thing had happened in that way.
SCA. (showing SILVESTRE). Ask him, if you like; he will tell you the
same thing.
ARG. (to SILVESTRE). Was he married against his wish?
SIL. Yes, Sir.

SCA. Do you think I would tell you an untruth?
ARG. Then he should have gone at once to a lawyer to protest against
the violence.
SCA. It is the very thing he would not do.
ARG. It would have made it easier for me to break off the marriage.
SCA. Break off the marriage?
ARG. Yes
SCA. You will not break it off.
ARG. I shall not break it off?
SCA. No.
ARG. What!