French drama -- 17th century -- Translations into English; Molière, 1622-1673 -- Translations into English
1ST SWISS. Vat do you zere all by self.
MR. POUR. I am waiting for my servants, gentlemen.
2ND SWISS. You pe prooty, missy?
MR. POUR. Gently, sirs.
1ST SWISS. Missy, vill you come and amuse you on de market-place? Ve
will make you zee one little hanging fery prooty.
MR. POUR. I am much obliged to you.
2ND SWISS. It is a Limossin chentleman vat will hung pe fery prootily
at a great gallow.
MR. POUR. I am not desirous to see it.
1ST SWISS. You hafe one much funny prest....
MR. POUR. Ah! this is too much! and such odious things are not said
to a woman of my position.
2ND SWISS. You go avay.
1ST SWISS. Me vill let not you.
2ND SWISS. Put I vill, I tell ye. (_Both lay hold of_ MR. DE
POURCEAUGNAC _roughly._)
1ST SWISS. I vill not let you.
2ND SWISS. You hafe told one fery mooch lie.
1ST SWISS. You hafe told one lie yourself.
MR. POUR. Help! help! police!
SCENE IV.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, THREE POLICE OFFICERS, TWO SWISS.
OFF. What is it? what is the meaning of this violence? and what are
you doing to this lady? Be off at once, unless you wish to be put in
prison.
1ST SWISS. Goot, you gone, you vill not hafe her.
2ND SWISS. Goot, you gone too, you vill not hafe her also.
SCENE V.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, THREE POLICE OFFICERS.
MR. POUR. I am much obliged to you, Sir, for saving me from those
insolent fellows.
OFF. Oh! oh! This is a face which is deucedly like that which was
described to me.
MR. POUR. It is not I, I assure you.
OFF. Oh! oh! what does this mean?
MR. POUR. I don't know.
OFF. What is it, then, that makes you say that?
MR. POUR. Nothing.
OFF. This manner of speaking is somewhat ambiguous, and you are my
prisoner.
MR. POUR. O, Sir, I pray!
OFF. No, no; to judge by your appearance and your manner of speaking,
you must be that Mr. de Pourceaugnac we are looking for, although you
are disguised in this manner, and you must come to prison at once.
MR. POUR. Alas!
SCENE VI.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, SBRIGANI, THREE POLICE OFFICERS.
SBRI. (_to_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC). Heavens! what does this mean?
MR. POUR. They have discovered who I am.
OFF. Yes, yes; I am delighted about it.
SBRI. (_to the_ OFFICER). Ah, Sir! for my sake! do not take him to
prison; you know that we have been friends a long while.
OFF. I cannot help it.
SBRI. You are a man to hear reason. Is there no way of adjusting this
matter with the help of a few pistoles?
OFF. (_to his subordinates_). Go farther back.
SCENE VII.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, SBRIGANI, A POLICE OFFICER.
SBRI. (_to_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC). You must give him some money for him
to let you go. Be quick.
MR. POUR. (_giving some money to_ SBRIGANI). Ah! cursed place.
SBRI. Here, Sir.
OFF. How much is there?
SBRI. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.
OFF. No; I have express orders.
SBRI. (_to the_ OFFICER, _who is going_). Pray wait. (_To_ MR. DE
POURCEAUGNAC) Be quick, give him as much again.
MR. POUR. But ...
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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