Alas! what have I heard! The report then was true that her husband was the ugliest of all his sex. Even if your faithless lips had never sworn me more than a thousand times eternal love, the disgust you should have felt at such a base and shameful choice might have sufficiently secured me against the loss of your affection... But this great insult, and the fatigues of a pretty long journey, produce all at once such a violent effect upon me, that I feel faint, and can hardly bear up under it. SCENE XI.--LELIO, SGANARELLE'S WIFE. SGAN.'S WIFE. In spite of me, my wretch... (_Seeing Lelio_). Good lack! what ails you? I perceive, sir, you are ready to faint away. LEL. It is an illness that has attacked me quite suddenly. SGAN'S WIFE. I am afraid you shall faint; step in here, and stay until you are better. LEL. For a moment or two I will accept of your kindness. SCENE XII.--SGANARELLE, A RELATIVE OF SGANARELLE'S WIFE. REL. I commend a husband's anxiety in such a case, but you take fright a little too hastily. All that you have told me against her, kinsman, does not prove her guilty. It is a delicate subject, and no one should ever be accused of such a crime unless it can be fully proved. SGAN. That is to say, unless you see it. REL. Too much haste leads us to commit mistakes. Who can tell how this picture came into her hands, and, after all, whether she knows the man? Seek a little more information, and if it proves to be as you suspect, I shall be one of the first to punish her offence. SCENE XIII.--SGANARELLE, _alone_. Nothing could be said fairer; it is really the best way to proceed cautiously. Perhaps I have dreamt of horns without any cause, and the perspiration has covered my brow rather prematurely. My dishonour is not at all proved by that portrait which frightened me so much. Let me endeavour then by care... SCENE XIV.--SGANARELLE, SGANARELLE'S WIFE, _standing at the door of her house, with_ LELIO. SGAN. (_Aside seeing them_). Ha! what do I see? Zounds! there can be no more question about the portrait, for upon my word here stands the very man, in _propria persona_. SGAN.'S WIFE. You hurry away too fast, sir; if you leave us so quickly, you may perhaps have a return of your illness. LEL. No, no, I thank you heartily for the kind assistance you have rendered me. SGAN. (_Aside_). The deceitful woman is to the last polite to him. (_Sganarelle's Wife goes into the house again_). SCENE XV.--SGANARELLE, LELIO. SGAN. He has seen me, let us hear what he can say to me. LEL. (_Aside_). Oh! my soul is moved! this sight inspires me with... but I ought to blame this unjust resentment, and only ascribe my sufferings to my merciless fate; yet I cannot help envying the success that has crowned his passion. (_Approaching Sganarelle_). O too happy mortal in having so beautiful a wife. SCENE XVI.--SGANARELLE, CELIA, _at her window, seeing Lelio go away_.