Tartuffe; Or, The Hypocrite. Жан-Батист Мольер

fear;

        I must go let him know what's happening here.

      ACT II

SCENE IORGON, MARIANEORGON

        Now, Mariane.

MARIANE

        Yes, father?

ORGON

        Come; I'll tell you

        A secret.

MARIANE

        Yes … What are you looking for?

        ORGON (looking into a small closet-room)

        To see there's no one there to spy upon us;

        That little closet's mighty fit to hide in.

        There! We're all right now. Mariane, in you

        I've always found a daughter dutiful

        And gentle. So I've always love you dearly.

MARIANE

        I'm grateful for your fatherly affection.

ORGON

        Well spoken, daughter. Now, prove you deserve it

        By doing as I wish in all respects.

MARIANE

        To do so is the height of my ambition.

ORGON

        Excellent well. What say you of – Tartuffe?

MARIANE

        Who? I?

ORGON

        Yes, you. Look to it how you answer.

MARIANE

        Why! I'll say of him – anything you please.

SCENE II

        ORGON, MARIANE, DORINE (coming in quietly and standing behind

        Orgon, so that he does not see her)

ORGON

        Well spoken. A good girl. Say then, my daughter,

        That all his person shines with noble merit,

        That he has won your heart, and you would like

        To have him, by my choice, become your husband.

        Eh?

MARIANE

        Eh?

ORGON

        What say you?

MARIANE

        Please, what did you say?

ORGON

        What?

MARIANE

        Surely I mistook you, sir?

ORGON

        How now?

MARIANE

        Who is it, father, you would have me say

        Has won my heart, and I would like to have

        Become my husband, by your choice?

ORGON

        Tartuffe.

MARIANE

        But, father, I protest it isn't true!

        Why should you make me tell this dreadful lie?

ORGON

        Because I mean to have it be the truth.

        Let this suffice for you: I've settled it.

MARIANE

        What, father, you would … ?

ORGON

        Yes, child, I'm resolved

        To graft Tartuffe into my family.

        So he must be your husband. That I've settled.

        And since your duty ..

        (Seeing Dorine)

        What are you doing there?

        Your curiosity is keen, my girl,

        To make you come eavesdropping on us so.

DORINE

        Upon my word, I don't know how the rumour

        Got started – if 'twas guess-work or mere chance

        But I had heard already of this match,

        And treated it as utter stuff and nonsense.

ORGON

        What! Is the thing incredible?

DORINE

        So much so

        I don't believe it even from yourself, sir.

ORGON

        I know a way to make you credit it.

DORINE

        No, no, you're telling us a fairly tale!

ORGON

        I'm telling you just what will happen shortly.

DORINE

        Stuff!

ORGON

        Daughter, what I say is in good earnest.

DORINE

        There, there, don't take your father seriously;

        He's fooling.

ORGON

        But I tell you …

DORINE

        No. No use.

        They won't believe you.

ORGON

        If I let my anger …

DORINE

        Well, then, we do believe you; and the worse

        For you it is. What! Can a grown-up man

        With that expanse of beard across his face

        Be mad enough to want …?

ORGON

        You hark me:

        You've taken on yourself here in this house

        A sort of free familiarity

        That I don't like, I tell you frankly, girl.

DORINE

        There, there, let's not get angry, sir, I beg you.

        But are you making game of everybody?

        Your daughter's not cut out for bigot's meat;

        And he has more important things to think of.

        Besides, what can you gain by such a match?

        How can a man of wealth, like you, go choose

        A wretched vagabond for son-in-law?

ORGON

        You hold your tongue. And know, the less he has,

        The better cause have we to honour him.

        His poverty is honest poverty;

        It should exalt him more than worldly grandeur,

        For he has let himself be robbed of all,

        Through careless disregard of temporal things

        And fixed attachment to the things eternal.

        My help may set him on his feet