MRS. JOUR. This is not the first time, Nicole, that I have had some suspicions about my husband. Either I am greatly mistaken or there is some love affair on foot; and I am doing my best to discover what it maybe. But, first of all, let us think of my daughter. You know that Cleonte loves her; he is a man after my own heart, and I wish to help him, and give him to Lucile if I can. NIC. To tell you the truth, Madam, I am delighted to find you think so; for if the master pleases you, the servant pleases me as well, and I wish our own marriage could take place at the same time as theirs. MRS. JOUR. Go, then, and speak to him about what I told you; and tell him to come presently, that we may both together ask my husband to grant him my daughter. NIC. I run with joy, Madam, and I could not receive a more pleasant order. (_Alone_.) How happy I am going to make certain people! SCENE VIII.--NICOLE, CLEONTE, COVIELLE. NIC. Ah, what a lucky meeting! I am a messenger of joy, and I came.... CLE. Leave me, false woman, and don't think of deceiving me with your treacherous words. NIC. Do you receive me in that way? CLE. Leave me, I say, and go and tell your faithless mistress that she never shall again deceive the too credulous Cleonte. NIC. What a change? My poor Covielle, tell me, I pray, what all this means. COV. Your poor Covielle, indeed, you wicked girl! Go, minx! decamp; get out of my sight as fast as you can, and leave me alone! NIC. What! and do you also...? COV. Get out of my sight, I say; I will never speak to you any more, as long as I live. NIC. (_aside_). Mercy on us! What has happened to both of them? I must go and tell my mistress this pretty piece of news. SCENE IX.--CLEONTE, COVIELLE. CLE. What! to treat a lover in that fashion, and the most faithful and affectionate of all lovers! COV. It is shameful what they have done to both of us! CLE. I show her all possible ardour and tenderness; I love nothing in the world better, and have nothing in my thoughts but her; she is all my care, all my desire, all my joy; I speak of nothing but her, think of nothing but her, dream of nothing but her. I live but for her; my heart beats but for her; and, behold the reward of so much devotion! I am two whole days without seeing her, two days which seem to me centuries of frightful length; I meet her by accident, my heart at the sight of her feels transported; joy sparkles in my face. I fly to her with delight, and the faithless one turns away her eyes, and passes by me hastily, as if she had never seen me before in her life! COV. I can only repeat the same story. CLE. Can anything be compared, Covielle, to the perfidy of the ungrateful Lucile? COV. And to that, Sir, of that hussy Nicole? CLE. After so many passionate sacrifices, sighs, and vows which I have paid to her charms! COV. After so many attentions, cares, and services I have rendered her in the kitchen! CLE. So many tears that I have shed at her feet!