The Pretentious Young Ladies | Page 9

the princes of the royal blood could remain at the petit lever and _coucher_, which was the time between the king putting on either a day or night shirt, and the time he went to bed or was fully dressed. The highest person of rank always claimed the right of handing to the king his shirt.]

SCENE IX.--MAROTTE, MASCARILLE.
MAR. Sir, my mistresses will come immediately.
MASC. Let them not hurry themselves; I am very comfortable here, and can wait.
MAR. Here they come.

SCENE X.--MADELON, CATHOS, MASCARILLE, ALMANZOR.
MASC. (_After having bowed to them_). Ladies, no doubt you will be surprised at the boldness of my visit, but your reputation has drawn this disagreeable affair upon you; merit has for me such potent charms, that I run everywhere after it.
MAD. If you pursue merit you should not come to us.
CAT. If you find merit amongst us, you must have brought it hither yourself.
MASC. Ah! I protest against these words. When fame mentioned your deserts it spoke the truth, and you are going to make _pic_, _repic_, and capot. all the gallants from Paris.
[Footnote: Dryden, in his _Sir Martin Mar-all_ (Act i. sc. i), makes Sir Martin say: "If I go to picquet...he will picque and repicque, and capot me twenty times together" I believe that these terms in Moli��re's and Dryden's times had a different meaning from what they have now.]
MAD. Your complaisance goes a little too far in the liberality of its praises, and my cousin and I must take care not to give too much credit to your sweet adulation.
CAT. My dear, we should call for chairs.
MAD. Almanzor!
ALM. Madam.
MAD. Convey to us hither, instantly, the conveniences of conversation.
MASC. But am I safe here? (Exit Almanzor.)
CAT. What is it you fear?
MASC. Some larceny of my heart; some massacre of liberty. I behold here a pair of eyes that seem to be very naughty boys, that insult liberty, and use a heart most barbarously. Why the deuce do they put themselves on their guard, in order to kill any one who comes near them? Upon my word! I mistrust them; I shall either scamper away, or expect very good security that they do me no mischief.
MAD. My dear, what a charming facetiousness he has!
CAT. I see, indeed, he is an Amilcar.
[Footnote: Amilcar is one of the heroes of the novel _Cl��lie_, who wishes to be thought sprightly.]
MAD. Fear nothing, our eyes have no wicked designs, and your heart may rest in peace, fully assured of their innocence.
CAT. But, pray, Sir, be not inexorable to the easy chair, which, for this last quarter of an hour, has held out its arms towards you; yield to its desire of embracing you.
MASC. (_After having combed himself, and, adjusted the rolls of his stockings_). Well, ladies, and what do you think of Paris?
[Footnote: It was at that time the custom for men of rank to comb their hair or periwigs in public.]
[Footnote: The rolls (_canons_) were large round pieces of linen, often adorned with lace or ribbons, and which were fastened below the breeches, just under the knee.]
MAD. Alas! what can we think of it? It would be the very antipodes of reason not to confess that Paris is the grand cabinet of marvels, the centre of good taste, wit, and gallantry.
MASC. As for me, I maintain that, out of Paris, there is no salvation for the polite world.
CAT. Most assuredly.
MASC. Paris is somewhat muddy; but then we have sedan chairs.
MAD. To be sure; a sedan chair is a wonderful protection against the insults of mud and bad weather.
MASC. I am sure you receive many visits. What great wit belongs to your company?
MAD. Alas! we are not yet known, but we are in the way of being so; for a lady of our acquaintance has promised us to bring all the gentlemen who have written for the Miscellanies of Select Poetry.
[Footnote: Moli��re probably alludes to a Miscellany of Select Poetry, published in 1653, by de Sercy, under the title of _Po��sies choisies de M. M. Corneille Benserade, de Scud��ry, Boisrobert, Sarrazin, Desmarets, Baraud, Saint-Laurent, Colletet. Lamesnardiere, Montreuil, Viguier, Chevreau, Malleville, Tristan, Testu, Maucroy, de Prade, Girard et de L'Age_. A great number of such miscellanies appeared in France, and in England also, about that time.]
CAT. And certain others, whom, we have been told, are likewise the sovereign arbiters of all that is handsome.
MASC. I can manage this for you better than any one; they all visit me; and I may say that I never rise without having half-a-dozen wits at my levee.
MAD. Good Heavens! you will place us under the greatest obligation if you will do us the kindness; for, in short, we must make the acquaintance of all those gentlemen if we wish to belong to the fashion. They are the persons who can make or unmake a