MARIANE (to Valere)
Why did you give me such advice then， pray？
VALERE (to Mariane)
Why ask for my advice on such a matter？
DORINE
You both are daft， I tell you.Here， your hands.
(To Valere)
Come， yours.
VALERE (giving Dorine his hand)
What for？
DORINE (to Mariane)
Now， yours.
MARIANE (giving Dorine her hand)
But what's the use？
DORINE
Oh， quick now， come along.There， both of you--You love each other better than you think.
(Valere and Mariane hold each other's hands some time without looking at each other.)VALERE (at last turning toward Mariane)
Come， don't be so ungracious now about it；
Look at a man as if you didn't hate him.
(Mariane looks sideways toward Valere， with just a bit of a smile.)DORINE
My faith and troth， what fools these lovers be！
VALERE (to Mariane)
But come now， have I not a just complaint？
And truly， are you not a wicked creature To take delight in saying what would pain me？
MARIANE
And are you not yourself the most ungrateful...？
DORINE
Leave this discussion till another time；
Now， think how you'll stave off this plaguy marriage.
MARIANE
Then tell us how to go about it.
DORINE
Well， We'll try all sorts of ways.
(To Mariane)
Your father's daft；
(To Valere)
This plan is nonsense.
(To Mariane)
You had better humour His notions by a semblance of consent， So that in case of danger， you can still Find means to block the marriage by delay.
If you gain time， the rest is easy， trust me.
One day you'll fool them with a sudden illness， Causing delay； another day， ill omens：
You've met a funeral， or broke a mirror， Or dreamed of muddy water.Best of all， They cannot marry you to anyone Without your saying yes.But now， methinks， They mustn't find you chattering together.
(To Valere)
You， go at once and set your friends at work To make him keep his word to you； while we Will bring the brother's influence to bear， And get the step-mother on our side， too.
Good-bye.
VALERE (to Mariane)
Whatever efforts we may make， My greatest hope， be sure， must rest on you.
MARIANE (to Valere)
I cannot answer for my father's whims；
But no one save Valere shall ever have me.
VALERE
You thrill me through with joy！ Whatever comes...
DORINE
Oho！ These lovers！ Never done with prattling！
Now go.
VALERE (starting to go， and coming back again)One last word...
DORINE
What a gabble and pother！
Be off！ By this door， you.And you， by t'other.
(She pushes them off， by the shoulders， in opposite directions.)第一章
DAMIS， DORINE
DAMIS
May lightning strike me dead this very instant， May I be everywhere proclaimed a scoundrel， If any reverence or power shall stop me， And if I don't do straightway something desperate！
DORINE
I beg you， moderate this towering passion；
Your father did but merely mention it.
Not all things that are talked of turn to facts；The road is long， sometimes， from plans to acts.
DAMIS
No， I must end this paltry fellow's plots， And he shall hear from me a truth or two.
DORINE
So ho！ Go slow now.Just you leave the fellow--Your father too--in your step-mother's hands.
She has some influence with this Tartuffe， He makes a point of heeding all she says， And I suspect that he is fond of her.
Would God 'twere true！--'Twould be the height of humour Now， she has sent for him， in your behalf， To sound him on this marriage， to find out What his ideas are， and to show him plainly What troubles he may cause， if he persists In giving countenance to this design.
His man says， he's at prayers， I mustn't see him， But likewise says， he'll presently be down.
So off with you， and let me wait for him.
DAMIS
I may be present at this interview.
DORINE
No， no！ They must be left alone.
DAMIS
I won't So much as speak to him.
DORINE
Go on！ We know you And your high tantrums.Just the way to spoil things！
Be off.
DAMIS
No， I must see--I'll keep my temper.
DORINE
Out on you， what a plague！ He's coming.Hide！
(Damis goes and hides in the closet at the back of the stage.)第一章
TARTUFFE， DORINE
TARTUFFE (speaking to his valet， off the stage， as soon as he sees Dorine is there)Lawrence， put up my hair-cloth shirt and scourge， And pray that Heaven may shed its light upon you.
If any come to see me， say I'm gone To share my alms among the prisoners.
DORINE (aside)
What affectation and what showing off！
TARTUFFE
What do you want with me？
DORINE
To tell you...
TARTUFFE (taking a handkerchief from his pocket)Ah！
Before you speak， pray take this handkerchief.
DORINE
What？
TARTUFFE
Cover up that bosom， which I can't Endure to look on.Things like that offend Our souls， and fill our minds with sinful thoughts.
DORINE
Are you so tender to temptation， then， And has the flesh such power upon your senses？
I don't know how you get in such a heat；
For my part， I am not so prone to lust， And I could see you stripped from head to foot， And all your hide not tempt me in the least.
TARTUFFE
Show in your speech some little modesty， Or I must instantly take leave of you.
DORINE
No， no， I'll leave you to yourself； I've only One thing to say： Madam will soon be down， And begs the favour of a word with you.
TARTUFFE
Ah！ Willingly.
DORINE (aside)
How gentle all at once！
My faith， I still believe I've hit upon it.
TARTUFFE
Will she come soon？
DORINE
I think I hear her now.
Yes， here she is herself； I'll leave you with her.
