Part 11 (1/2)

TARTUFFE He did hint some such thing; but truly, madam, That's not the happiness I'm yearning after; I see elsewhere the sweet compelling charms Of such a joy as fills my every wish.

ELMIRE You mean you cannot love terrestrial things.

TARTUFFE The heart within my bosom is not stone.

ELMIRE I well believe your sighs all tend to Heaven, And nothing here below can stay your thoughts.

TARTUFFE Love for the beauty of eternal things Cannot destroy our love for earthly beauty; Our mortal senses well may be entranced By perfect works that Heaven has fas.h.i.+oned here.

Its charms reflected s.h.i.+ne in such as you, And in yourself, its rarest miracles; It has displayed such marvels in your face, That eyes are dazed, and hearts are rapt away; I could not look on you, the perfect creature, Without admiring Nature's great Creator, And feeling all my heart inflamed with love For you, His fairest image of Himself.

At first I trembled lest this secret love Might be the Evil Spirit's artful snare; I even schooled my heart to flee your beauty, Thinking it was a bar to my salvation.

But soon, enlightened, O all lovely one, I saw how this my pa.s.sion may be blameless, How I may make it fit with modesty, And thus completely yield my heart to it.

'Tis I must own, a great presumption in me To dare make you the offer of my heart; My love hopes all things from your perfect goodness, And nothing from my own poor weak endeavour.

You are my hope, my stay, my peace of heart; On you depends my torment or my bliss; And by your doom of judgment, I shall be Blest, if you will; or d.a.m.ned, by your decree.

ELMIRE Your declaration's turned most gallantly; But truly, it is just a bit surprising.

You should have better armed your heart, methinks, And taken thought somewhat on such a matter.

A pious man like you, known everywhere ...

TARTUFFE Though pious, I am none the less a man; And when a man beholds your heavenly charms, The heart surrenders, and can think no more.

I know such words seem strange, coming from me; But, madam, I'm no angel, after all; If you condemn my frankly made avowal You only have your charming self to blame.

Soon as I saw your more than human beauty, You were thenceforth the sovereign of my soul; Sweetness ineffable was in your eyes, That took by storm my still resisting heart, And conquered everything, fasts, prayers, and tears, And turned my wors.h.i.+p wholly to yourself.

My looks, my sighs, have spoke a thousand times; Now, to express it all, my voice must speak.

If but you will look down with gracious favour Upon the sorrows of your worthless slave, If in your goodness you will give me comfort And condescend unto my nothingness, I'll ever pay you, O sweet miracle, An unexampled wors.h.i.+p and devotion.

Then too, with me your honour runs no risk; With me you need not fear a public scandal.

These court gallants, that women are so fond of, Are boastful of their acts, and vain in speech; They always brag in public of their progress; Soon as a favour's granted, they'll divulge it; Their tattling tongues, if you but trust to them, Will foul the altar where their hearts have wors.h.i.+pped.

But men like me are so discreet in love, That you may trust their lasting secrecy.

The care we take to guard our own good name May fully guarantee the one we love; So you may find, with hearts like ours sincere, Love without scandal, pleasure without fear.

ELMIRE I've heard you through--your speech is clear, at least.

But don't you fear that I may take a fancy To tell my husband of your gallant pa.s.sion, And that a prompt report of this affair May somewhat change the friends.h.i.+p which he bears you?

TARTUFFE I know that you're too good and generous, That you will pardon my temerity, Excuse, upon the score of human frailty, The violence of pa.s.sion that offends you, And not forget, when you consult your mirror, That I'm not blind, and man is made of flesh.

ELMIRE Some women might do otherwise, perhaps, But I am willing to employ discretion, And not repeat the matter to my husband; But in return, I'll ask one thing of you: That you urge forward, frankly and sincerely, The marriage of Valere to Mariane; That you give up the unjust influence By which you hope to win another's rights; And ...

SCENE IV

ELMIRE, DAMIS, TARTUFFE

DAMIS (coming out of the closet-room where he had been hiding) No, I say! This thing must be made public.

I was just there, and overheard it all; And Heaven's goodness must have brought me there On purpose to confound this scoundrel's pride And grant me means to take a signal vengeance On his hypocrisy and arrogance, And undeceive my father, showing up The rascal caught at making love to you.

ELMIRE No, no; it is enough if he reforms, Endeavouring to deserve the favour shown him.

And since I've promised, do not you belie me.