I'll tell you, if you like, just what I think;(Pointing to Elmire)
Upon my word, he's jealous of our mistress.
MADAME PERNELLE
You hold your tongue, and think what you are saying.
He's not alone in censuring these visits;
The turmoil that attends your sort of people, Their carriages forever at the door, And all their noisy footmen, flocked together, Annoy the neighbourhood, and raise a scandal.
I'd gladly think there's nothing really wrong;But it makes talk; and that's not as it should be.
CLEANTE
Eh! madam, can you hope to keep folk's tongues From wagging? 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?
Against backbiting there is no defence So let us try to live in innocence, To silly tattle pay no heed at all, And leave the gossips free to vent their gall.
DORINE
Our neighbour Daphne, and her little husband, Must be the ones who slander us, I'm thinking.
Those whose own conduct's most ridiculous, Are always quickest to speak ill of others;They never fail to seize at once upon The slightest hint of any love affair, And spread the news of it with glee, and give it The character they'd have the world believe in.
By others' actions, painted in their colours, They hope to justify their own; they think, In the false hope of some resemblance, either To make their own intrigues seem innocent, Or else to make their neighbours share the blame Which they are loaded with by everybody.
MADAME PERNELLE
These arguments are nothing to the purpose.
Orante, we all know, lives a perfect life;
Her thoughts are all of heaven; and I have heard That she condemns the company you keep.
DORINE
O admirable pattern! Virtuous dame!
She lives the model of austerity;
But age has brought this piety upon her, And she's a prude, now she can't help herself.
As long as she could capture men's attentions She made the most of her advantages;But, now she sees her beauty vanishing, She wants to leave the world, that's leaving her, And in the specious veil of haughty virtue She'd hide the weakness of her worn-out charms.
That is the way with all your old coquettes;
They find it hard to see their lovers leave 'em;And thus abandoned, their forlorn estate Can find no occupation but a prude's.
These pious dames, in their austerity, Must carp at everything, and pardon nothing.
They loudly blame their neighbours' way of living, Not for religion's sake, but out of envy, Because they can't endure to see another Enjoy the pleasures age has weaned them from.
MADAME PERNELLE (to Elmire)
There! 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.
I tell you that my son did nothing wiser In all his life, than take this godly man Into his household; heaven sent him here, In your great need, to make you all repent;For your salvation, you must hearken to him;
He censures nothing but deserves his censure.
These visits, these assemblies, and these balls, Are all inventions of the evil spirit.
You never hear a word of godliness At them--but idle cackle, nonsense, flimflam.
Our neighbour often comes in for a share, The talk flies fast, and scandal fills the air;It makes a sober person's head go round, At these assemblies, just to hear the sound Of so much gab, with not a word to say;And as a learned man remarked one day Most aptly, 'tis the Tower of Babylon, Where all, beyond all limit, babble on.
And just to tell you how this point came in...
(To Cleante)
So! Now the gentlemen must snicker, must he?
Go find fools like yourself to make you laugh And don't...
(To Elmire)
Daughter, good-bye; not one word more.
As for this house, I leave the half unsaid;
But I shan't soon set foot in it again, (Cuffing Flipotte)Come, you! What makes you dream and stand agape, Hussy! I'll warm your ears in proper shape!
March, trollop, march!
