The Village Coquette

The Village Coquette

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Title: The Village Coquette
Author: Riviere Dufresny
Release Date: March, 2005 [EBook #7798] [Yes, we are more than one
year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on May 16, 2003]
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THE VILLAGE COQUETTE OR THE SUPPOSED LOTTERY
By
RIVIERE DUFRESNY
Translated and Adapted by Frank J. Morlock C 1986

CHARACTERS: The Baron The Widow, his neighbor Argon, another
neighbor Girard Lucas, farmer Lisette, the coquette

ACT I
Girard (holding two letters and reading them) >From Paris. To
Monsieur Le Baron of Hamlet. Let's take care of this letter for him.
He's not at home. (putting the Baron's letter in his pocket, he opens the
other letter) And the other's for me, Girard. I dare to hope that the list
of winning lottery numbers is in this letter. Right, my cousin, the
master printer in Paris, favors the role I've taken. Love is my guide in
this roguery. With this false lottery list I am going to obtain Lucas'
daughter as my wife.
Widow (entering) I am waiting for Mr. Argon. Why hasn't he come?
Girard (reading the letter) >From Paris. "My dear cousin, before having

distributed the list of lottery winners, I've sent you a false list, as you
asked me to do, so you can have a big joke in your village. You can
make your rival believe that Farmer Lucas won the grand prize of one
hundred thousand francs." With this, I hope to obtain my Lisette. Lucas,
believing his fortune made, will cede me his lease on the farm. He's the
type to be caught in such a snare. At bottom, it's for his own good. By
making me his son-in-law, he can't lose. (to Widow) But, why are you
standing around dreaming?
Widow Because Mr. Argon is supposed to come find me.
Girard He'll be here soon. He's still in the chateau.
Widow I'm getting impatient.
Girard What for? You're not excited by a tender love. It's an old lover,
and you should wait without impatience, coldly.
Widow Shut up, Girard. Shut up. You know how I value him.
Girard To believe an old man is an old grey beard is no big crime. I
honor him more, being his collector. The collection is small and for you,
with all my heart, I wish I could pay him a one hundred thousand
francs of income.
Widow That would be too much for me, a former maid. That's what I
was when I was in Paris. But here I have a higher rank which I obtained
from my late husband, a head magistrate. Thus, I've been ennobled in
this village, a fine nobility at bottom and which is worth a good bit, a
nobility that one can take to Paris.
Girard Let's renew our discussion and talk of Lisette again. Because,
having so much power over her, being her neighbor, and a sort of
surrogate parent, you are working hard to turn her into a coquette,
instead of making her wiser.
Widow Language of Paris. That's what will make her perfect.
Girard Some perfection! Alas, you make her worse, when you come
here to refine her wit. You make her heart more false and more