The Love-Tiff | Page 3

sees you and talks to you,
at all times; and Valère, after all, who is the cause of your fear, seems
only to be allowed to approach her because she is compelled so to act.
ERAS. A lover is often buoyed up by false hope. He who is best
received is not always the most beloved. The affection a woman
displays is often but a veil to cover her passion for another. Valère has
lately shown too much tranquillity for a slighted lover; and the joy or
indifference he displays at those favours, which you suppose bestowed
upon me, embitters continually their greatest charms, causes this grief,
which you cannot understand, holds my happiness in suspense, and
makes it difficult for me to trust completely anything Lucile says to me.
I should feel delighted if I saw Valère animated by a little more
jealousy; his anxiety and impatience would then reassure my heart. Do
you as yourself think it possible for any one to see a rival caressed and
be as satisfied as he is; if you do not believe it, tell me, I conjure you, if
I have not a cause to be perplexed?
GR.-RE. Perhaps he has changed his inclination, upon finding that he
sighed in vain.
ERAS. When love has been frequently repelled it frees itself, and
wishes to flee from the object it was charmed with; nor does it break its
chain so quietly as to be able to continue at peace. When once we have
been fond of anyone who influenced our destiny we are never
afterwards indifferent in her presence; if our dislike does not increase
when we behold her our love is upon the point of returning again.
Believe me, however much a passion may be extinguished, a little
jealousy still dwells in our breast; no one can see, without feeling some
pang, the heart he has lost possessed by another.
GR.-RE. For my part, I do not understand so much philosophy. I
candidly believe what my eyes see, and am not such a mortal enemy to
myself as to become melancholy without any cause. Why should I try
to split hairs, and labour hard to find out reasons to be miserable? Shall
I alarm myself about castles in the air? Let Lent come before we keep it!

I think grief an uncomfortable thing; and, for my part, I never foster it
without good and just cause. I might frequently find a hundred
opportunities to become sad, but I do not want to see them. I run the
same risk in love as you do; I share in your bad or good luck. The
mistress cannot deceive you but the maid will do the same by me; yet I
carefully avoid thinking about it. I like to believe people when they say
"I love you." In order to be happy, I do not try to find out whether
Mascarille tears the hair out of his head or not. Let Marinette allow
herself to be kissed and caressed by Gros-René as much as he likes, and
let my charming rival laugh at it like a fool, I will laugh too as much as
I like, and follow his example; we shall then see who will laugh the
heartiest.
[Footnote: In several editions of Molière we find, instead of Gros-René
the name of Jodelet. The latest, and and if I might be permitted to say
so, the most careful editor of our author, Mons. E. Despois, thinks that
"Gros-René" ought to be mentioned here. The sense shows he is right.]
ERAS. That is like your talk.
GR.-RE. But here she comes.

SCENE II.--MARINETTE, ÉRASTE, GROS-RENÉ.
GR.-RE. Hist! Marinette.
MAR. Hallo! what are you doing there?
GR.-RE. Faith! do you ask? We were just talking about you.
MAR. Are you there too, sir? Upon my word you have made me trot
about like a flunkey for this hour past.
ERAS. How so?
MAR. I have walked ten miles to look for you, and give you my word
that...
ERAS. What?
MAR. That you were neither at church, in the fashionable walk, at
home, nor in the market-place.
GR.-RE. You may swear to that.
ERAS. But pray, tell me who sent you?
MAR. One, in good truth, who bears you no great ill-will; in a word,
my mistress.
ERAS. Ah! dear Marinette, do your words really express what she feels?
Do not hide some ominous secret from me. I should not dislike you for

this. For Heaven's sake tell me if your charming mistress does not
merely pretend to love me?
MAR. Ha! ha! ha! What has put that funny notion into your head? Does
she not sufficiently show her inclination? What further security does
your love demand? What does it require?
GR.-RE. Unless Valère hangs himself, or