Comedy plays; France -- Social life and customs -- 17th century -- Drama; French drama; Middle class -- France -- Drama
MRS. JOUR. (_aside to_ MR. JOURDAIN). He will drain you to the
last penny.
MR. JOUR. (_aside to_ MRS. JOURDAIN). Will you hold your tongue?
DOR. There are a great many people who would advance me money with
pleasure; but as I look upon you as my best friend, I was afraid of
wronging you if I asked it of anyone else.
MR. JOUR. You do me too much honour, Sir. I will go and fetch what you
want.
MRS. JOUR. (_aside_ to MR. JOURDAIN). What! are you going to give
him that also?
MR. JOUR. (_aside_ to MRS. JOURDAIN). What can I do? How can I
refuse a man of such rank, a man who spoke of me this morning at the
king's levee.
MRS. JOUR. (_aside_ to MR. JOURDAIN). There, go; you are nothing
but a dupe.
SCENE V.--DORANTE, MRS. JOURDAIN, NICOLE.
DOR. You appear to me quite low-spirited! What can be the matter with
you, Mrs. Jourdain?
MRS. JOUR. My head is bigger than my fist, and yet it isn't swollen.
DOR. Where is your daughter, that I have not seen her?
MRS. JOUR. My daughter is very well where she is.
DOR. How does she get on?
MRS. JOUR. She gets on on her two legs.
DOR. Would you not like one of these days to come with her to see the
ballet and the play which are being acted at court?
MRS. JOUR. Ah! yes. We have a great fancy for laughing, a great fancy
have we!
DOR. I think, Mrs. Jourdain, that you must have had plenty of lovers
in your young days, so handsome, and so sweet-tempered as you must
have been.
MRS. JOUR. My goodness, Sir! Has Mrs. Jourdain grown decrepit, and
does her head already shake on her shoulders?
DOR. Oh! Mrs Jourdain, I really beg your pardon! I had forgotten that
you are young, and I am very often absent. I beg of you to excuse my
impertinence.
SCENE VI.--MR. JOURDAIN, MRS. JOURDAIN, DORANTE, NICOLE.
MR. JOUR. (_to_ DORANTE). Here are two hundred louis in full.
DOR. I assure you, Mr. Jourdain, that you may dispose of me in any way
you like, and that I long to render you some service at court.
MR. JOUR. I am much obliged to you.
DOR. If Mrs. Jourdain wishes to see the royal entertainment,
[Footnote: 'The Magnificent Lovers.'] I will obtain the best places in
the room for her.
MRS. JOUR. Mrs. Jourdain is your humble servant.
DOR. (_aside to_ MR. JOURDAIN). Our lovely marchioness, as I told
you in my note, is coming here this afternoon for the ballet and the
banquet, as I have at last prevailed on her to accept the
entertainment you wish to give her. [Footnote: _Cadeau_ does not
mean "present," as at first sight it seems to mean. Compare also the
next speech of Dorante.]
MR. JOUR. Let us go a little further. I need not tell you the reason.
DOR. It is a whole week since I saw you; and I did not send you any
news of the diamond which you placed in my hands to make her a present
of from you; it is because I found it the most difficult thing in the
world to make her accept it; and it is only to-day that she could
conquer her scruples about it.
MR. JOUR. How does she like it?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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