Part 17 (2/2)

ORGON Your speech has not a single grain of sense.

I saw it, harkee, saw it, with these eyes I saw--d'ye know what saw means?--must I say it A hundred times, and din it in your ears?

MADAME PERNELLE My dear, appearances are oft deceiving, And seeing shouldn't always be believing.

ORGON I'll go mad.

MADAME PERNELLE False suspicions may delude, And good to evil oft is misconstrued.

ORGON Must I construe as Christian charity The wish to kiss my wife!

MADAME PERNELLE You must, at least, Have just foundation for accusing people, And wait until you see a thing for sure.

ORGON The devil! How could I see any surer?

Should I have waited till, before my eyes, He ... No, you'll make me say things quite improper.

MADAME PERNELLE In short, 'tis known too pure a zeal inflames him; And so, I cannot possibly conceive That he should try to do what's charged against him.

ORGON If you were not my mother, I should say Such things! ... I know not what, I'm so enraged!

DORINE (to Orgon) Fortune has paid you fair, to be so doubted; You flouted our report, now yours is flouted.

CLEANTE We're wasting time here in the merest trifling, Which we should rather use in taking measures To guard ourselves against the scoundrel's threats.

DAMIS You think his impudence could go far?

ELMIRE For one, I can't believe it possible; Why, his ingrat.i.tude would be too patent.

CLEANTE Don't trust to that; he'll find abundant warrant To give good colour to his acts against you; And for less cause than this, a strong cabal Can make one's life a labyrinth of troubles.

I tell you once again: armed as he is You never should have pushed him quite so far.

ORGON True; yet what could I do? The rascal's pride Made me lose all control of my resentment.

CLEANTE I wish with all my heart that some pretence Of peace could be patched up between you two

ELMIRE If I had known what weapons he was armed with, I never should have raised such an alarm, And my ...

ORGON (to Dorine, seeing Mr. Loyal come in) Who's coming now? Go quick, find out.

I'm in a fine state to receive a visit!

SCENE IV

ORGON, MADAME PERNELLE, ELMIRE, MARIANE, CLEANTE, DAMIS, DORINE, MR. LOYAL

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