BER. I do not take upon myself, brother, to fight against physic; and every one at their own risk and peril may believe what he likes. What I say is only between ourselves; and I should have liked, in order to deliver you from the error into which you have fallen, and in order to amuse you, to take you to see some of Molière’s comedies on this subject. ARG. Your Molière is a fine impertinent fellow with his comedies! I think it mightily pleasant of him to go and take off honest people like the doctors. BER. It is not the doctors themselves that he takes off, but the absurdity of medicine. ARG. It becomes him well, truly, to control the faculty! He’s a nice simpleton, and a nice impertinent fellow to laugh at consultations and prescriptions, to attack the body of physicians, and to bring on his stage such venerable people as those gentlemen. BER. What would you have him bring there but the different professions of men? Princes and kings are brought there every day, and they are of as good a stock as your physicians. ARG. No, by all the devils! if I were a physician, I would be revenged of his impertinence, and when he falls ill, I would let him die without relief. In vain would he beg and pray. I would not prescribe for him the least little bleeding, the least little injection, and I would tell him, “Die, die, like a dog; it will teach you to laugh at us doctors.” BER. You are terribly angry with him. ARG. Yes, he is an ill-advised fellow, and if the doctors are wise, they will do what I say. BER. He will be wiser than the doctors, for he will not go and ask their help. ARG. So much the worse for him, if he has not recourse to their remedies. BER. He has his reasons for not wishing to have anything to do with them; he is certain that only strong and robust constitutions can bear their remedies in addition to the illness, and he has only just enough strength for his sickness. ARG. What absurd reasons. Here, brother, don’t speak to me anymore about that man; for it makes me savage, and you will give me his complaint. BER. I will willingly cease, brother; and, to change the subject, allow me to tell you that, because your daughter shows a slight repugnance to the match you propose, it is no reason why you should shut her up in a convent. In your choice of a son-in-law you should not blindly follow the anger which masters you. We should in such a matter yield a little to the inclinations of a daughter, since it is for all her life, and the whole happiness of her married life depends on it. SCENE IV.—MR. FLEURANT, ARGAN, BÉRALDE. ARG. Ah! brother, with your leave. BER. Eh? What are you going to do? ARG. To take this little clyster; it will soon be done. BER. Are you joking? Can you not spend one moment without clysters or physic? Put it off to another time, and be quiet. ARG. Mr. Fleurant, let it be for to-night or to-morrow morning.