CLEONTE: What! Treat a lover in this way? And a lover who is the most faithful and passionate of lovers? COVIELLE: It is a frightful thing that they have done to us both. CLEONTE: I show a woman all the ardor and tenderness that can be imagined; I love nothing in the world but her, and I have nothing but her in my thoughts; she is all I care for, all my desire, all my joy; I talk of nothing but her, I think of nothing but her, I have no dreams but of her, I breathe only because of her, my heart lives wholly in her; and see how so much love is well repaid! I have been two days without seeing her, which are for me two frightful centuries; I meet her by chance; my heart, at that sight, is completely transported, my joy shines on my face; I fly with ecstasy towards her--and the faithless one averts her eyes and hurries by as if she had never seen me in her life! COVIELLE: I say the same things as you. CLEONTE: Covielle, can one see anything to equal this perfidy of the ungrateful Lucile? COVIELLE: And that, Monsieur, of the treacherous Nicole? CLEONTE: After so many ardent homages, sighs, and vows that I have made to her charms! COVIELLE: After so many assiduous compliments, cares, and services that I rendered her in the kitchen! CLEONTE: So many tears I have shed at her knees! COVIELLE: So many buckets of water I have drawn for her! CLEONTE: So much passion I have shown her in loving her more than myself! COVIELLE: So much heat I have endured in turning the spit for her! CLEONTE: She flies from me in disdain! COVIELLE: She turns her back on me! CLEONTE: It is perfidy worthy of the greatest punishments. COVIELLE: It is treachery that merits a thousand slaps. CLEONTE: Don't think, I beg you, of ever speaking in her favor to me. COVIELLE: I, sir? God forbid! CLEONTE: Never come to excuse the action of this faithless woman. COVIELLE: Have no fear. CLEONTE; No, you see, all your speeches in her defense will serve no purpose. COVIELLE: Who even thinks of that? CLEONTE: I want to conserve my resentment against her and end all contact with her. COVIELLE: I agree. CLEONTE: This Count who goes to her house is perhaps pleasant in her view; and her mind, I well see, allows itself to be dazzled by social standing. But it is necessary for me, for my honor, to prevent the scandal of her inconstancy. I want to break off with her first and not leave her all the glory of dumping me. COVIELLE: That's very well said, and I agree, for my part, with all your feelings. CLEONTE: Strengthen my resentment and aid my resolve against all the remains of love that could speak in her behalf. Tell me, I order you, all the bad you can of her; make for me a painting of her that will render her despicable; and show well, in order to disgust me, all the faults that you can see in her.