TRI. And mine will make you know your master. VAD. I defy you in verse, prose, Greek and Latin. TRI. Very well, we shall meet each other alone at Barbin's. [Footnote: Barbin, a famous bookseller. The arms chosen for the duel would no doubt be books. See "The Lutrin," by Boileau.] SCENE VI.--TRISSOTIN, PHILAMINTE, ARMANDE, BÉLISE, HENRIETTE. TRI. Do not blame my anger. It is your judgment I defend, Madam, in the sonnet he dares to attack. PHI. I will do all I can to reconcile you. But let us speak of something else. Come here, Henriette. I have for some time now been tormented at finding in you a want of intellectuality, but I have thought of a means of remedying this defect. HEN. You take unnecessary trouble for my sake. I have no love for learned discourses. I like to take life easy, and it is too much trouble to be intellectual. Such ambition does not trouble my head, and I am perfectly satisfied, mother, with being stupid. I prefer to have only a common way of talking, and not to torment myself to produce fine words. PHI. That may be; but this stupidity wounds me, and it is not my intention to suffer such a stain on my family. The beauty of the face is a fragile ornament, a passing flower, a moment's brightness which only belongs to the epidermis; whereas that of the mind is lasting and solid. I have therefore been feeling about for the means of giving you the beauty which time cannot remove--of creating in you the love of knowledge, of insinuating solid learning into you; and the way I have at last determined upon is to unite you to a man full of genius; (_showing_ TRISSOTIN) to this gentleman, in fact. It is he whom I intend you to marry. HEN. Me, mother! PHI. Yes, you! just play the fool a little. BEL. (_to_ TRISSOTIN). I understand you; your eyes ask me for leave to engage elsewhere a heart I possess. Be at peace, I consent. I yield you up to this union; it is a marriage which will establish you in society. TRI. (_to_ HENRIETTE). In my delight, I hardly know what to tell you, Madam, and this marriage with which I am honoured puts me.... HEN. Gently, Sir; it is not concluded yet; do not be in such a hurry. PHI. What a way of answering! Do you know that if ... but enough. You understand me. (_To_ TRISSOTIN) She will obey. Let us leave her alone for the present. SCENE VII.--HENRIETTE, ARMANDE. ARM. You see how our mother's anxiety for your welfare shines forth; she could not have chosen a more illustrious husband.... HEN. If the choice is so good, why do you not take him for yourself? ARM. It is upon you, and not upon me, that his hand is bestowed. HEN. I yield him up entirely to you as my elder Sister. ARM. If marriage seemed so pleasant to me as it seems to be to you, I would accept your offer with delight. HEN. If I loved pedants as you do, I should think the match an excellent one.