The Learned Women by Molière, 1622-1673, Wall, Charles Heron

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

A word from our supporters: File extension DAA

Scene Ii.-clitandre, Armande, Henriette.

Scene Iii.-clitandre, Henriette.

Scene Iv.-belise, Clitandre.

Act Ii. Scene Ii; Chrysale, Ariste.

Scene Iv.-chrysale, Ariste.

Scene V.-chrysale, Martine. Scene Vi.-philaminte, Belise, Chrysale, Martine.

Scene Vii.-philaminte, Chrysale, Belise.

Scene Viii.-philaminte, Chrysale. Scene Ix.-ariste, Chrysale.

Act Iii. Scene I.-philaminte, Armande, Belise, Trissotin, Lepine. Scene Ii.-henriette, Philaminte, Armande, Belise, Trissotin, Lepine.

Tri. Sonn....

Scene Iii-philaminte, Belise, Armande, Henriette, Trissotin, Lepine. Scene Iv.-philaminte, Belise, Armande, Henriette.

Scene V.-trissotin, Vadius, Philaminte, Belise, Armande, Henriette.

Scene Vi.-trissotin, Philaminte, Armande, Belise, Henriette.

Scene Vii.-henriette, Armande. Scene Viii.-chrysale, Ariste, Clitandre, Henriette, Armande. Scene Ix.-chrysale, Ariste, Henriette, Clitandre.

Act Iv. Scene I.-philaminte, Armande.

Scene Iii.-trissotin, Philaminte, Armande, Clitandre.

Scene Iv.-trissotin, Philaminte, Clitandre, Armande, Julian.

Scene V.-philaminte, Armande, Clitandre. Scene Vi.-armande, Clitandre. Scene Vii.-chrysale, Ariste, Henriette, Clitandre. Scene Viii.-henriette, Clitandre.

Act V. Scene I.-henriette, Trissotin.

Scene Ii.-chrysale, Clitandre, Henriette.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.--PHILAMINTE, ARMANDE.

ARM. Yes, there was no hesitation in her; she made a display of her obedience, and her heart scarcely took time to hear the order. She seemed less to obey the will of her father than affect to set at defiance the will of her mother.

PHI. I will soon show her to which of us two the laws of reason subject her wishes, and who ought to govern, mother or father, mind or body, form or matter.

ARM. At least, they owed you the compliment of consulting you; and that little gentleman who resolves to become your son-in-law, in spite of yourself, behaves himself strangely.

PHI. He has not yet reached the goal of his desires. I thought him well made, and approved of your love; but his manners were always unpleasant to me. He knows that I write a little, thank heaven, and yet he has never desired me to read anything to him.

SCENE II--ARMANDE, PHILAMINTE, CLITANDRE (_entering softly and listening unseen_).

ARM. If I were you, I would not allow him to become Henriette's husband. It would be wrong to impute to me the least thought of speaking like an interested person in this matter, and false to think that the base trick he is playing me secretly vexes me. By the help of philosophy, my soul is fortified against such trials; by it we can rise above everything. But to see him treat you so, provokes me beyond all endurance. Honour requires you to resist his wishes, and he is not a man in whom you could find pleasure. In our talks together I never could see that he had in his heart any respect for you.

PHI. Poor idiot!

ARM. In spite of all the reports of your glory, he was always cold in praising you.

PHI. The churl!

ARM. And twenty times have I read to him some of your new productions, without his ever thinking them fine.

PHI. The impertinent fellow!

ARM. We were often at variance about it, and you could hardly believe what foolish things....

CLI (_to_ ARMANDE). Ah! gently, pray. A little charity, or at least a little truthfulness. What harm have I done to you? and of what am I guilty that you should thus arm all your eloquence against me to destroy me, and that you should take so much trouble to render me odious to those whose assistance I need? Tell me why this great indignation? (_To_ PHILAMINTE) I am willing to make you, Madam, an impartial judge between us.

ARM. If I felt this great wrath with which you accuse me, I could find enough to authorise it. You deserve it but too well. A first love has such sacred claims over our hearts, that it would be better to lose fortune and renounce life than to love a second time. Nothing can be compared to the crime of changing one's vows, and every faithless heart is a monster of immorality.