Orgon. So I must interpret charitably His desire to cuckold me? Madame Pernelle. Don't you see That to accuse a man you need just cause, And until you're quite sure, you ought to pause. Orgon. To be more certain, what would you advise? Should I have waited until before my eyes He had . . . You'll make me say something quite lewd. Madame Pernelle. I'm sure that a holy zeal has imbued His soul, and I can't begin to believe That he would be willing to cheat or deceive. Orgon. Leave me . . . I'm now so angry that if you Were not my mother, I'm not sure what I'd do. Dorine [to Orgon]. This is fair payment, sir, for what we received. You wouldn't believe us; now you're not believed. Cleante. We are wasting time on foolish pleasures That would be better spent in active measures. We should not ignore this swindler's threats. Damis. What! Does his boldness have no boundaries yet? Elmire. For myself, I don't believe it's possible; His ingratitude would be too visible. Cleante [to Orgon]. Don't put your faith in that. He will find ways To gild with reason all the things he says; And with less than this the people in power Have forced their foes to cringe and cower. I tell you again: well-armed as they are, You should never have pushed him quite so far. Orgon. True, but what could I do? Facing that bastard, I felt resentment that I never mastered. Cleante. I deeply desire to arrange between you Some shadow of peace, however untrue. Elmire. If I had known that he possessed such arms, I would never have set off these alarms, And my . . . Orgon [to Dorine, seeing Monsieur Loyal enter]. What does this man want? Go and see. I don't wish to have anyone meet with me! SCENE IV Monsieur Loyal, Madame Pernelle, Orgon, Damis, Mariane, Dorine, Elmire, Cleante