Comedy plays; France -- Social life and customs -- 17th century -- Drama; French drama; Middle class -- France -- Drama
THE MUFTI.
Non tener honta; [Think it not a shame;]
Questa star l'ultima affronta. [This is the last affront.]
THE TURKS.
Non tener honta; [Think it not a shame;]
Questa star l'ultima affronta. [This is the last affront.]
_The_ MUFTI _begins a third invocation. The_ DERVISHES
_support him under the arms with great respect, after which the_
TURKS, _singing and dancing round the_ MUFTI, _retire with him,
and lead off_ MR. JOURDAIN.
ACT V.
SCENE I.--MRS. JOURDAIN, MR. JOURDAIN.
MRS. JOUR. Goodness gracious me! Lord, have mercy on us! What can this
be? What a figure! Is it a _momon_ [Footnote: Apparently there is
no English equivalent to _momon_ in this sense.] you have in
hand, and is this carnival time? Do speak! What does all this mean?
Who trussed you up in this manner?
MR. JOUR. Just see the impertinent woman, to speak after such a manner
to a _mamamouchi_.
MRS. JOUR. What do you say?
MR. JOUR. Yes, you must show me respect now; I have just been made a
_mamamouchi_.
MRS. JOUR. What can you possibly mean with your _mamamouchi_?
MR. JOUR. _Mamamouchi_, I tell you; I am a _mamamouchi_.
MRS. JOUR. What kind of a beast is that?
MR. JOUR. _Mamamouchi_; which in our language means paladin.
MRS. JOUR. Ballet in? Are you of an age to be dancing ballets?
MR. JOUR. What an ignorant woman you are! I say "paladin," which is a
dignity which has just been conferred upon me with all due ceremony.
MRS. JOUR. What ceremony?
MR. JOUR. _Mahameta per Jordina_.
MRS. JOUR. What does that mean?
MR. JOUR. _Jordina, that is to say Jourdain_.
MRS. JOUR. Well? What, Jourdain?
MR. JOUR. _Voler far un paladina de Jordina_.
MRS. JOUR. What?
MR. JOUR. _Dar turbanta con galera_.
MRS. JOUR. What does that mean?
MR. JOUR. _Per deffender Palestina_.
MRS. JOUR. Tell me what you mean then.
MR. JOUR. _Dara, dara bastonnara_.
MRS. JOUR. What is all this jargon?
MR. JOUR. _Non tener honta, questa star l'ultima affronta_.
MRS. JOUR. Whatever is all this?
MR. JOUR. (_singing and dancing_). _Hou la ba, ba la chow, ba
la ba, ba la da_. (_Falls to the ground_.)
MRS. JOUR. Alas, alas! my husband is gone out of his mind.
MR. JOUR. (_getting up and walking off_). Peace! Show respect to
the _mamamouchi_.
MRS. JOUR. (_alone_). Where can he have lost his senses? I must
run after him and prevent him from going out! (_Seeing_ DORIMENE
_and_ DORANTE.) Oh dear! Oh dear! Here's the last straw! I see
nothing but trouble and disgrace everywhere!
SCENE II.--DORANTE, DORIMENE.
DOR. Yes, Madam, it is the most amusing thing that you ever saw, and I
do not think that there is in the whole world a man as, crazy as this
one. Moreover, we must try to help Cleonte and back up his masquerade.
He is a most excellent fellow, and one who deserves all your interest.
DORI. I have the greatest esteem for him, and he is worthy of all
success.
DOR. We also have here, Madam, a ballet due to us. We must not miss
it, for I should be glad to see if my idea succeeds.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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