DOR. Without joking.

Lyc. You intend to marry?

DOR. Certainly.

Lyc. And your nuptials take place this evening?
DOR. This evening.

Lyc. And you can thus forget, you cruel one, the love I have for you, and the kind words you have spoken to me?

DOR. I? Not at all. I shall always think the same of you this marriage need not disturb you. I am not marrying the man for love: it is only his wealth that decided me to accept him. I have not any means: neither have you any, and you know that without them one fares but ill in this world: whatever it costs, therefore, one must try and get some. I have seized this opportunity to make myself comfortable, and I have done this, hoping soon to be delivered of the old fogey I am marrying. He will die before long, he has scarcely six months' life in him. I warrant you he will be dead in the time I say, and I shall not for long have to beseech heaven to put me in the happy state of widowhood. Ah! we were talking about you, and saying the nicest things imaginable.

Lyc. Is this the gentleman...?

DOR. Yes, this is the gentleman who is going to

marry me.

Lyc. I beg you will accept my congratulations, Monsieur, upon your marriage, and, at the same time, the assurance that I am your very humble servant. I assure you that you are marrying a very desirable lady; and I rejoice with you, Mademoiselle, in the happy choice you have made. You could not have done better; Monsieur has all the appearance of being a very good husband. Yes, Monsieur, I should like to be on terms of friendship with you, and to join you in a little interchange of visits and entertainments.

DOR. You do us both too much honour. But come,

tous deux. Mais allons, le temps me presse, et nous aurons tout le loisir de nous entretenir ensemble. SGAN. Me voilà tout à fait dégoûté de mon mariage, et je crois que je ne ferai pas mal de m'aller dégager de ma parole. Il m'en a coûté quelque argent; mais il vaut mieux encore perdre cela que de m'exposer à quelque chose de pis. Tâchons adroitement de nous débarrasser de cette affaire.

Holà!

SCÈNE VIII

ALCANTOR, SGANARELLE

ALC. Ah! mon gendre, soyez le bienvenu.
SGAN. Monsieur, votre serviteur.

ALC. Vous venez pour conclure le mariage?

SGAN. Excusez-moi.

ALC. Je vous promets que j'en ai autant d'impatience

que vous.

SGAN. Je viens ici pour un autre sujet.

ALC. J'ai donné ordre à toutes les choses nécessaires pour cette fête.

SGAN. Il n'est pas question de cela.

ALC. Les violons sont retenus, le festin est commandé, et ma fille est parée pour vous recevoir.

SGAN. Ce n'est pas ce qui m'amène.

ALC. Enfin vous allez être satisfait et rien ne peut retarder votre contentement.

SGAN. Mon Dieu! c'est autre chose.

ALC. Allons, entrez donc, mon gendre.

SGAN. J'ai un petit mot à vous dire.

ALC. Ah! mon Dieu, ne faisons point de cérémonie. Entrez vite, s'il vous plaît.

SGAN. Non, vous dis-je. Je vous veux parler aupara

vant.

ALC. Vous voulez me dire quelque chose?

SGAN. Oui.

ALC. Et quoi?

time presses, and we shall have plenty of leisure to talk together. SGAN. Now I am utterly disgusted with my marriage. I believe I shall not do ill to go and break off my engagement. It has cost me some money; but it is very far better to lose that than to expose myself to something worse. I shall try if I cannot be clever enough to rid myself of this business. Hullo!

SCENE VIII

ALCANTOR, SGANARELLE

ALC. Ah! son-in-law, you are very welcome!
SGAN. Monsieur, your servant.

ALC.. You have come to conclude the marriage?

SGAN. Excuse me.

ALC. I can tell you I am just as impatient as you

are.

SGAN. I came here upon other business.

ALC. I have ordered everything necessary for the entertainment.

SGAN. It was not about that.

ALC. The fiddlers are engaged, the repast is ordered and my daughter is attired to receive you.

SGAN. That is not what brought me here.

ALC. In fact, you will be quite satisfied: nothing can

spoil your enjoyment.

SGAN. Good Heavens! it is another business.

ALC. So come in, son-in-law.

SGAN. I have just a word to say to you.

ALC. Oh! upon my word, we must not have any ceremony. Come in at once, please.

SGAN. No, I tell you. I wish to speak to you beforehand.

ALC. You wish to say something to me?

SGAN. Yes.

ALC. What?

SGAN. Seigneur Alcantor, j'ai demandé votre fille en mariage, il est vrai, et vous me l'avez accordée ; mais je me trouve un peu avancé en âge pour elle, et je considère que je ne suis point du tout son fait. ALC. Pardonnez-moi, ma fille vous trouve bien comme vous êtes; et je suis sûr qu'elle vivra fort contente

avec vous.

SGAN. Point. J'ai parfois des bizarreries épouvantables, et elle aurait trop à souffrir de ma mauvaise humeur.

ALC. Ma fille a de la complaisance, et vous verrez qu'elle s'accommodera entièrement à vous.

SGAN. J'ai quelques infirmités sur mon corps qui pourraient la dégoûter.

ALC. Cela n'est rien. Une honnête femme ne se dégoûte jamais de son mari.

SGAN. Enfin voulez-vous que je vous dise? je ne vous conseille pas de me la donner.

ALC. Vous moquez-vous? J'aimerais mieux mourir que d'avoir manqué à ma parole.

SGAN. Mon Dieu, je vous en dispense, et je

ALC. Point du tout. Je vous l'ai promise; et vous l'aurez en dépit de tous ceux qui y prétendent.

SGAN. Que diable!

ALC. Voyez-vous, j'ai une estime et une amitié pour vous toute particulière; et je refuserais ma fille à un prince pour vous la donner.

SGAN. Seigneur Alcantor, je vous suis obligé de l'honneur que vous me faites, mais je vous déclare que je ne me veux point marier.

ALC. Qui, vous ?

SGAN. Oui, moi.

ALC. Et la raison?

SGAN. La raison? c'est que je ne me sens point propre pour le mariage, et que je veux imiter mon père, et tous ceux de ma race, qui ne se sont jamais voulu marier. ALC. Écoutez, les volontés sont libres; et je suis homme à ne contraindre jamais personne. Vous

SGAN. Seigneur Alcantor, it is true I asked your daughter in marriage and you gave her to me: but I have come to think I am a little too old for her: I am afraid I am not at all a suitable match. ALC. Pardon me, my daughter is satisfied with you as you are, and I am sure she will live very happily with you. SGAN. NO.

I have strange whims at times: she would have too much to endure from my illhumour.

ALC. My daughter is accommodating, and you will see that she will entirely fall in with your views.

SGAN. I have some bodily infirmities which might disgust her.

ALC. That is nothing. A sensible woman is never disgusted with her husband.

SGAN. Well then, must I tell you? I do not advise you to give her to me.

ALC. Are you joking? I would much rather die than break my word.

SGAN. Good Heavens, I absolve you from it, I . . . ALC. Not at all. I have promised her to you, and you shall have her, in spite of all those who are after her.

SGAN. What the deuce!

ALC. Look here, I have a very great respect and friendship for you, and I would refuse my daughter to a prince to give her to you.

SGAN. I am obliged to you, Seigneur Alcantor, for the honour you do me, but I declare to you that I do not want to marry.

ALC. Who, you?

SGAN. Yes, I.

ALC. And the reason?

SGAN. The reason? Because I do not feel fit to marry, because I wish to imitate my father and all the rest of my race, who never would marry.

ALC. Listen. Everyone is a free subject, and I am not the man ever to wish to force anyone. You