Le Tartuffe Ou L\u0027imposteurChampaign, IL 6. 18. When all other email fails. Hart < hart@pobox. I will still see it, if. Hart through the Project Gutenberg Association at. Carnegie- Mellon University (the . FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver. Book digitized by Google from the library of Harvard University and uploaded to the Internet Archive by user tpb. END*. Etext prepared by Dagny, dagnyj@hotmail. John Bickers, jbickers@templar. TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE. JEAN BAPTISTE POQUELIN MOLIERE.
Le Tartuffe AuthorCurtis Hidden Page. INTRODUCTORY NOTE. Jean Baptiste Poquelin, better known by his stage name of Moliere. A hypocrite, especially one who affects religious piety. Tartuffe, comedy in five acts by Moli. It was also published in English as The Imposter. French comedy. Born at Paris in. January, 1. 62. 2, where his father held a position in the royal. Jesuit College de Clermont, and for. His life. was spent in Paris and in the provinces, acting, directing. He had his share. Nor did he find. much solace at home; for he married unfortunately, and the unhappiness. On February 1. 7, 1. In this brilliant piece Moliere lifted. French comedy to a new level and gave it a new purpose- -the satirizing. In the great plays that followed, . LOYAL, a bailiff. A Police Officer. FLIPOTTE, Madame Pernelle's servant. The Scene is at Paris. MADAME PERNELLE and FLIPOTTE, her servant; ELMIRE, MARIANE, CLEANTE. MADAME PERNELLE. Come, come, Flipotte, and let me get away. Let grandma tell you that. I've said a hundred times to my poor son. Your father, that you'd never come to good. Or give him anything but plague and torment. But, sir, all the same. If I were in my son's, her husband's, place. I'd urgently entreat you not to come. Within our doors. You preach a way of living. That decent people cannot tolerate. Tartuffe, your friend, is mighty lucky . Shall I let a bigot criticaster. Come and usurp a tyrant's power here? Things would go better. If all were governed by his pious orders. You hate him and reject him. Because he tells home truths to all of you. But why, especially of late. Can he let nobody come near the house? It would be a grievous thing. If, for the fear of idle talk about us. We had to sacrifice our friends. No, no. Even if we could bring ourselves to do it. Think you that everyone would then be silenced? That's the kind of rigmarole to please you. Daughter- in- law. One never has a chance. To get a word in edgewise, at your house. Because this lady holds the floor all day. But none the less, I mean to have my say, too. Now the gentlemen must snicker, must he? What makes you dream and stand agape. Hussy! I'll warm your ears in proper shape! What a pity. She shouldn't hear the way you speak of her! He calls him brother, loves him. A hundred times as much as mother, son. Daughter, and wife. He tells him all his secrets. And lets him guide his acts, and rule his conscience. It is a curious illustration of the desire for uniformity. Moliere feels called on to apologize for a touch of realism like. Indeed, these lines were even omitted when the play was given. I see my husband. Is home again. He hasn't seen me yet. So I'll go up and wait till he comes in. You know, besides. How nearly I'm concerned in it myself. If love unites my sister and Valere. I love his sister too; and if this marriage. Were to . Good morning, brother. He's well. He's mighty well; stout, fat, fair, rosy- lipped. If you'd seen him, as I saw him first. You would have loved him just as much as I. Or else. You're making sport of me, with such a speech. I've preached to you a score of times. That you'll draw down some judgment on your head. Will you find no difference between. Hypocrisy and genuine devoutness? No caballers, no intriguers. They mind the business of their own right living. But you know. Valere has had the promise of your daughter. You've given. Your promise to Valere. What are you looking for? Mariane, in you. I've always found a daughter dutiful. And gentle. So I've always love you dearly. Now, prove you deserve it. By doing as I wish in all respects. What say you of- -Tartuffe? Look to it how you answer. I'll say of him- -anything you please. 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. Is the thing incredible? Can a grown- up man. With that expanse of beard across his face. Be mad enough to want . And know, the less he has. The better cause have we to honour him. Such vanity. But ill accords with pious living, sir. But I offend you. Let's leave his rank, then,- -take the man himself. Can you without compunction give a man. Like him possession of a girl like her? I must learn what's what from her, you see! Do naught but give him horns, I'll warrant. I didn't speak to you. He turns and goes on. Dorine again lifts her hand behind his shoulder to. Mariane to resistance: this time he catches her; but just as he. Orgon is paralysed by her innocence of expression, and compelled. Regnier, /Le Tartuffe des Comediens/. I have chosen for you. My father is the master. Everything, to ward off such disaster. Valere has asked your hand. Now do you love him, pray, or do you not? How can you wrong my love so much. And ask me such a question? Have I not. A hundred times laid bare my heart to you? That's a remedy I hadn't thought of. And breaks. His bounden word? Is that your lover's fault? You shall be. Mister Tartuffe's; why, now I think of it. I should be wrong to turn you from this marriage. An excellent good match! I quite give in. I'm ready to do anything you say. Then. You'll be presented in their best society. Tax- Collector. Who'll patronise you with a folding- stool. Please. Contrive to help me out with your advice. Tartuffe's your man, and you shall taste him. I can't be angry long. We'll surely find some way. But here's Valere, your lover. My advice is, marry him, by all means. I shall take your counsel. And it was all deceit. When you . Would you have me keep my love alive. And see you fly into another's arms. Before my very eyes; and never offer. To someone else the heart that you had scorned? For my part, I could wish. That it were done already. Oho, there. Mister Valere! He makes a great. What do you want, Dorine? You see, I'm fixed, resolved, determined. Deuce take you both, I say. There, both of you- -. You love each other better than you think. Best of all. They cannot marry you to anyone. Without your saying yes. But now, methinks. They mustn't find you chattering together. Never done with prattling! Just you leave the fellow- -. Your father too- -in your step- mother's hands. They must be left alone. We know you. And your high tantrums. Just the way to spoil things! Things like that offend. Our souls, and fill our minds with sinful thoughts. They do marvels, nowadays. Things of all kinds were never better made. But let us come to business. This thing must be made public. You needn't try to tell me. I must give up the pleasure of revenge. Can what I hear be credited? Whatever wrong. They find to charge me with, I'll not deny it. But guard against the pride of self- defence. The feigned meekness of this hypocrite. Makes you discredit . Let him speak; you chide him wrongfully. You'd do far better to believe his tales. His talk can so deceive you . Upon my knees. I beg you pardon him . I know your motives. For this attack. You hate him, all of you. Wife, children, servants, all let loose upon him. You have recourse to every shameful trick. To drive this godly man out of my house. The more you strive to rid yourselves of him. The more I'll strive to make him stay with me. I'll have him straightway married to my daughter. Just to confound the pride of all of you. Will you force her to accept his hand? I'll brave you all, and show you. That I'm the master, and must be obeyed. Ask pardon of that cheating scoundrel . Leave my house this instant, sirrah. And never dare set foot in it again. So insult a saintly man of God! Voltaire gives still another reading. Heaven, forgive me even as I forgive him! Whichever was the original. Moliere. probably felt forced to change it on account of its too close. Biblical phrase.! I think I'll die of it. I wish I'd never let you go. But slain you on the spot with my own hand. Do you find I listen to them? These same reports. You now reject, may some day win a hearing. And yet. If you should wish . But I shall rule my conduct. To fit the case. Honour is delicate. And friendship binds me to forestall suspicion. Prevent all scandal, and avoid your wife. So far as I'm concerned, how gladly. Would I do so! I bear him no ill will. I pardon all, lay nothing to his charge. And wish with all my heart that I might serve him. But Heaven's interests cannot allow it. If he returns, then I must leave the house. I'm glad to find you all together. You know already what it means. The more you hate to have him. The more 'twill help you earn your soul's salvation. If I should find. A way to make you see it clear as day? I take you at your word. We'll see. What tricks you have, and how you'll keep your promise. A lover's never hard to cheat. And self- conceit leads straight to self- deceit. Do as I say. I know what I'm about, as you shall see. Keep still, don't show yourself. I have secrets for your ear alone. Must you go so fast?- -and all at once. Exhaust the whole love of a woman's heart? A fate. Too full of happiness, seems doubtful still. We must enjoy it ere we can believe it. How your love enacts the tyrant's role. And throws my mind into a strange confusion! Is there no escape from your pursuit? With me you're sure of secrecy. And there's no harm unless a thing is known. Between ourselves. He is a man to lead round by the nose. Don't go and credit things too lightly. You are too eager in your amours. You needn't be so passionate. You want to put it on me! This is no laughing matter. Let's see at once. Whether a certain box is still upstairs. Can a soul so base, a heart so false. Hide neath the semblance of such touching fervour? No more pious folk for me! There you go again, quite off the handle! Just because a rascal boldly duped you. With pompous show of false austerity. Must you needs have it everybody's like him. And no one's truly pious nowadays? It tortures me to think on't. Now just calm down. And moderate your towering tantrums, will you? I hear of fearful mysteries! I tell you. I saw with my own eyes his shamelessness. How could I see any surer?
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