Produced by Delphine Lettau, Charles Franks and the people at DP THE LEARNED WOMEN (LES FEMMES SAVANTES) BY MOLIÈRE TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE. _WITH SHORT INTRODUCTIONS AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_ BY CHARLES HERON WALL The comedy of 'Les Femmes Savantes' was acted on March 11, 1692 (see vol. i. p. 153). Molière acted the part of Chrysale. PERSONS REPRESENTED CHRYSALE, _an honest bourgeois_ PHILAMINTE, _wife to_ CHRYSALE ARMANDE & HENRIETTE, _their daughters_ ARISTE, _brother to_ CHRYSALE BÉLISE, _his sister_ CLITANDRE, _lover to_ HENRIETTE TRISSOTIN, _a wit_ VADIUS, _a learned man_ MARTINE, _a kitchen-maid_ LÉPINE, _servant to_ CHRYSALE JULIEN, _servant to_ VADIUS A NOTARY. THE LEARNED WOMEN. ACT I. SCENE I.--ARMANDE, HENRIETTE. ARM. What! Sister, you will give up the sweet and enchanting title of maiden? You can entertain thoughts of marrying! This vulgar wish can enter your head! HEN. Yes, sister. ARM. Ah! Who can bear that "yes"? Can anyone hear it without feelings of disgust? HEN. What is there in marriage which can oblige you, sister, to.... ARM. Ah! Fie! HEN. What? ARM. Fie! I tell you. Can you not conceive what offence the very mention of such a word presents to the imagination, and what a repulsive image it offers to the thoughts? Do you not shudder before it? And can you bring yourself to accept all the consequences which this word implies? HEN. When I consider all the consequences which this word implies, I only have offered to my thoughts a husband, children, and a home; and I see nothing in all this to defile the imagination, or to make one shudder. ARM. O heavens! Can such ties have charms for you? HEN. And what at my age can I do better than take a husband who loves me, and whom I love, and through such a tender union secure the delights of an innocent life? If there be conformity of tastes, do you see no attraction in such a bond?