MAR. If I should tell her you are weak-minded enough to be jealous, she would immediately disown such a letter as this.
ERAS. I beseech you, conceal from her a momentary fear, for which I thought I had some slight foundation; or, if you do tell it her, say to her at the same time that I am ready to atone for my fit of madness with my life, and would die at her feet, if I have been capable of displeasing her.
MAR. Let us not talk of dying; this is no time for it.
ERAS. However, you have laid me under a great obligation; I intend shortly to acknowledge in a handsome manner the trouble so gentle and so lovely a messenger has taken.
MAR. That reminds me. Do you know where I looked for you just now?
ERAS. Well?
MAR. Quite near the market-place; you know where that is.
ERAS. Where did you say?
MAR. There in that shop where last month you generously and freely promised me a ring.
ERAS. Um! I understand you.
GR. RE. What a cunning jade!
ERAS. It is true; I have delayed too long to make good my promise to you, but
MAR. What I said, sir, was not because I wished you to make haste.
GR. RE. Oh, no!
ERAS. (Giving her his ring). Perhaps this ring may please you; accept it instead of the one I owe.
MAR. You are only jesting, sir; I should be ashamed to take it.
GR. RE. Poor shame-faced creature! Take it without more ado; only fools refuse what is offered them.
MAR. I will only accept it so that I may have something to remember you by.
ERAS. When may I return thanks to that lovely angel?
MAR. Endeavour to gain over her father.
ERAS. But if he rejects me, should I?
MAR. We will think about that when he does so! We will do our utmost for you: one way or another she must be yours; do your best, and we will do ours.
ERAS. Farewell! we shall know our fate to-day. (Éraste reads the letter again to himself).
MAR. (To Gros-René). Well, what shall we say of our love? You do not speak to me of it.
GR. RE. If such people as we wish to be married, the thing is soon done.
I will have you. Will you have me?
MAR. Gladly.
GR. RE. Shake hands, that is enough.
MAR. Farewell, Gros-René, my heart's delight.
GR. RE. Farewell, my star.
MAR. Farewell, fair fire-brand of my flame.
GR. RE. Farewell, dear comet, rainbow of my soul. (Exit Marinette). Heaven be praised, our affairs go on swimmingly. Albert is not a man to refuse you anything.
ERAS. Valère is coming here.
GR. RE. I pity the poor wretch, knowing what I do know.
SCENE III. ÉRASTE, VALÈRE, GROS-RENÉ
ERAS. Well, Valère?
VAL. Well, Éraste?
ERAS. How does your love prosper?
VAL. And how does yours?
ERAS. It grows stronger and stronger every day.
VAL. So does mine.
ERAS. For Lucile?
VAL. For her.
ERAS. Certainly, I must own, you are a pattern of uncommon constancy.
VAL. And your perseverance will be a rare example to posterity.
ERAS. As for me, I am not very fond of that austere kind of love which is satisfied with looks only; nor do I possess feelings lofty enough to endure ill-treatment with constancy. In one word, when I really love, I wish to be beloved again.
VAL. It is very natural, and I am of the same opinion. I would never do homage to the most perfect object by whom I could be smitten, if she did not return my passion.
ERAS. However, Lucile
VAL. Lucile does willingly everything my passion can desire.
ERAS. You are easily satisfied then.
VAL. Not so easily as you may think.
ERAS. I, however, may, without vanity, believe that I am in her favour.
VAL. And I know that I have a very good share of it.
ERAS. Do not deceive yourself; believe me.
VAL. Believe me, do not be too credulous, and take too much for granted.
ERAS. If I might show you a certain proof that her heartbut no, it would too much distress you.
VAL. If I might discover a secret to youbut it might grieve you, and so I will be discreet.
ERAS. You really urge me too far, and though much against my will, I see I must lower your presumption. Read that.
VAL. (After having read the letter). These are tender words.
ERAS. You know the handwriting?
VAL. Yes, it is Lucile's.
ERAS. Well! where is now your boasted certainty?
VAL. (Smiling and going away). Farewell, Éraste.
GR. RE. He is mad, surely. What reason has he to laugh?
ERAS. He certainly surprises me, and between ourselves I cannot imagine what the deuce of a mystery is hidden under this.
GR. RE. Here comes his servant, I think.
ERAS. Yes, it is he; let us play the hypocrite, to set him talking about his master's love.
SCENE IV. ÉRASTE, MASCARILLE, GROS-RENÉ
MASC. (Aside). No, I do not know a more wretched situation, than to have a young master, very much in love.
GR. RE. Good morning.
MASC. Good morning.
GR. RE. Where is Mascarille going just now? What is he doing? Is he coming back? Is he going away? Or does he intend to stay where he is?
MASC. No, I am not coming back, because I have not yet been where I am going; nor am I going, for I am stopped; nor do I design to stay, for this very moment I intend to be gone.
ERAS. You are very abrupt, Mascarille; gently.
MASC. Ha! Your servant, sir.
ERAS. You are in great haste to run away from us: what! do I frighten you?
MASC. You are too courteous to do that.
ERAS. Shake hands; all jealousy is now at an end between us; we will be friends; I have relinquished my love; henceforth you can have your own way to further your happiness.
MASC. Would to Heaven it were true!
ERAS. Gros-René knows that I have already another flame elsewhere.
GR. RE. Certainly; and I also give up Marinette to you.
MASC. Do not let us touch on that point; our rivalry is not likely to go to such a length. But is it certain, sir, that you are no longer in love, or do you jest?
ERAS. I have been informed that your master is but too fortunate in his amours; I should be a fool to pretend any longer to gain the same favours which that lady grants to him alone.
MASC. Certainly, you please me with this news. Though I was rather afraid of you, with regard to our plans, yet you do wisely to slip your neck out of the collar. You have done well to leave a house where you were only caressed for form's sake; I, knowing all that was going on, have many times pitied you, because you were allured by expectations, which could never be realized. It is a sin and a shame to deceive a gentleman! But how the deuce, after all, did you find out the trick? For when they plighted their faith to each other there were no witnesses but night, myself, and two others; and the tying of the knot, which satisfies the passion of our lovers, is thought to have been kept a secret till now.
ERAS. Ha! What do you say?
MASC. I say that I am amazed, sir, and cannot guess who told you, that under this mask, which deceives you and everybody else, a secret marriage unites their matchless love.
ERAS. You lie.
MASC. Sir, with all my heart.
ERAS. You are a rascal.
MASC. I acknowledge I am.
ERAS. And this impudence deserves a sound beating on the spot.
MASC. I am completely in your power,
ERAS. Ha! Gros-René.
GR. RE. Sir?
ERAS, I contradict a story, which I much fear is but too true. (ToMascarille). You wanted to run away.
MASC. Not in the least.
ERAS. What! Lucile is married to
MASC. No, sir, I was only joking.
ERAS. Hey! you were joking, you wretch?
MASC. No, I was not joking.
ERAS. Is it true then?
MASC. No, I do not say that.
ERAS. What do you say then?
MASC. Alas! I say nothing, for fear of saying something wrong.
ERAS. Tell me positively, whether you have spoken the truth, or deceived me.
MASC. Whatever you please. I do not come here to contradict you.
ERAS. (Drawing his sword). Will you tell me? Here is something that will loosen your tongue without more ado.
MASC. It will again be saying some foolish speech or other. I pray you, if you have no objection, let me quickly have a few stripes, and then allow me to scamper off.
ERAS. You shall suffer death, unless you tell me the whole truth without disguise.
MASC. Alas! I will tell it then; but perhaps, sir, I shall make you angry.
ERAS. Speak: but take great care what you are doing; nothing shall save you from my just anger, if you utter but one single falsehood in your narration.
MASC. I agree to it; break my legs, arms, do worse to me still, kill me, if I have deceived you in the smallest degree, in anything I have said.
ERAS. It is true then that they are married?
MASC. With regard to this, I can now clearly see that my tongue tripped; but, for all that, the business happened just as I told you. It was after five visits paid at night, and whilst you were made use of as a screen to conceal their proceedings, that they were united the day before yesterday. Lucile ever since tries still more to hide the great love she bears my master, and desires he will only consider whatever he may see, and whatever favours she may show you, as the results of her deep-laid scheme, in order to prevent the discovery of their secrets. If, notwithstanding my protestations, you doubt the truth of what I have told you, Gros-René may come some night along with me, and I will show him, as I stand and watch, that we shall be admitted into her house, after dark.
ERAS. Out of my sight, villain.
MASC. I shall be delighted to go; that is just what I want. (Exit).
SCENE V. ÉRASTE, GROS-RENÉ
ERAS. Well?
GR. RE. Well! Sir, we are both taken in if this fellow speaks the truth.
ERAS. Alas! The odious rascal has spoken the truth too well. All that he has said is very likely to have happened; Valère's behaviour, at the sight of this letter, denotes that there is a collusion between them, and that it is a screen to hide Lucile's love for him.
SCENE VI. ÉRASTE, MARINETTE, GROS-RENÉ
MAR. I come to tell you that this evening my mistress permits you to see her in the garden.
ERAS. How dare you address me, you hypocritical traitress? Get out of my sight, and tell your mistress not to trouble me any more with her letters; that is the regard, wretch, I have for them. (He tears the letter and goes out).
MAR. Tell me, Gros-René, what ails him?
GR. RE. Dare you again address me, iniquitous female, deceitful crocodile, whose base heart is worse than a satrap or a Lestrigon?
[Footnote: See Homer's Odyssey, X., v. 81-132.]
Go, go, carry your answer to your lovely mistress, and tell her short and sweet, that in spite of all her cunning, neither my master nor I are any longer fools, and that henceforth she and you may go to the devil together. (Exit).
MAR. My poor Marinette, are you quite awake? What demon are they possessed by? What? Is it thus they receive our favours? How shocked my mistress will be when she hears this!
* * * * *ACT II
SCENE I. ASCANIO, FROSINE
FROS. Thank Heaven! I am a girl who can keep a secret, Ascanio.
ASC. But is this place private enough for such a conversation? Let us take care that nobody surprises us, or that we be not overheard from some corner or other.
FROS. We should be much less safe within the house; here we can easily see anybody coming, and may speak in perfect safety.
ASC. Alas! how painful it is for me to begin my tale!
FROS. Sure, this must be an important secret then?
ASC. Too much so, since I even entrust it to you with reluctance; even you should not know it, if I could keep it concealed any longer.