the middle class gentleman-第8部分

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MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Yes；　marchioness。

MADAME　JOURDAIN：　Alas！　God　save　me　from　it！

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　It's　a　thing　I　have　resolved。

MADAME　JOURDAIN：　As　for　me；　it's　a　thing　I'll　never　consent　to。　Marriages　above　one's　station　are　always　subject　to　great　inconveniences。　I　have　absolutely　no　wish　for　a　son…in…law　who　can　reproach　her　parents　to　my　daughter；　and　I　don't　want　her　to　have　children　who　will　be　ashamed　to　call　me　their　grandmother。　If　she　arrives　to　visit　me　in　the　equipage　of　a　great　lady　and　if　she　fails；　by　mischance；　to　greet　someone　of　the　neighborhood；　they　wouldn't　fail　immediately　to　say　a　hundred　stupidities。　〃Do　you　see；〃　they　would　say；　〃this　madam　marchioness　who　gives　herself　such　glorious　airs？　It's　the　daughter　of　Monsieur　Jourdain；　who　was　all　too　glad；　when　she　was　little；　to　play　house　with　us；　she's　not　always　been　so　haughty　as　she　now　is；　and　her　two　grandfathers　sold　cloth　near　St。　Innocent's　Gate。　They　amassed　wealth　for　their　children；　they're　paying　dearly　perhaps　for　it　now　in　the　other　world；　and　one　can　scarcely　get　that　rich　by　being　honest。〃　I　certainly　don't　want　all　that　gossip；　and　I　want；　in　a　word；　a　man　who　will　be　obliged　to　me　for　my　daughter　and　to　whom　I　can　say；　〃Sit　down　there；　my　son…in…law；　and　have　dinner　with　me。〃

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Surely　those　are　the　sentiments　of　a　little　spirit；　to　want　to　remain　always　in　a　base　condition。　Don't　talk　back　to　me：　my　daughter　will　be　a　marchioness　in　spite　of　everyone。　　And；　if　you　make　me　angrier；　I'll　make　a　duchess　of　her。

MADAME　JOURDAIN：　Cleonte；　don't　lose　courage　yet。　Follow　me；　my　daughter；　and　tell　your　father　resolutely　that；　if　you　can't　have　him；　you　don't　want　to　marry　anyone。


ACT　THREE

SCENE　XIII　（Cleonte；　Covielle）

COVIELLE：　You've　made　a　fine　business；　with　your　pretty　sentiments。

CLEONTE：　What　do　you　want？　I　have　a　scruple　about　that　which　precedent　cannot　conquer。

COVIELLE：　Don't　you　make　a　fool　of　yourself　by　taking　it　seriously　with　a　man　like　that？　Don't　you　see　that　he　is　a　fool？　And　would　it　cost　you　anything　to　accommodate　yourself　to　his　fantasies？

CLEONTE：　You're　right。　But　I　didn't　believe　it　necessary　to　prove　nobility　in　order　to　be　Monsieur　Jourdain's　son…in…law。

COVIELLE：　Ha；　ha；　ha！

CLEONTE：　What　are　you　laughing　at？

COVIELLE：　At　a　thought　that　just　occurred　to　me　of　how　to　play　our　man　a　trick　and　help　you　obtain　what　you　desire。

CLEONTE：　How？

COVIELLE：　The　idea　is　really　funny。

CLEONTE：　What　is　it？

COVIELLE：　A　short　time　ago　there　was　a　certain　masquerade　which　fits　here　better　than　anything；　and　that　I　intend　to　make　part　of　a　prank　I　want　to　play　on　our　fool。　It　all　seems　a　little　phony；　but；　with　him；　one　can　try　anything；　there　is　hardly　any　reason　to　be　subtle；　and　he　is　the　man　to　play　his　role　marvelously　and　to　swallow　easily　any　fabrication　we　want　to　tell　him。　I　have　the　actors；　I　have　the　costumes　ready；　just　leave　it　to　me。

CLEONTE：　But　tell　me　。　。　。

COVIELLE：　I　am　going　to　instruct　you　in　everything。　Let's　go；　there　he　is；　returning。


ACT　THREE

SCENE　XIV　（Monsieur　Jourdain；　Lackey）　MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　What　the　devil　is　this？　They　have　nothing　other　than　the　great　lords　to　reproach　me　with；　and　as　for　me；　I　see　nothing　so　fine　as　to　associate　with　the　great　lords；　there　is　only　honor　and　civility　among　them；　and　I　would　have　given　two　fingers　of　a　hand　to　have　been　born　a　count　or　a　marquis。　　LACKEY：　Sir；　here's　the　Count；　and　he　has　a　lady　with　him。　　MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　What！　My　Goodness；　I　have　some　orders　to　give。　Tell　them　I'll　be　back　here　soon。

SCENE　XV　（Dorimene；　Dorante；　Lackey）

LACKEY：　Monsieur　says　that　he'll　be　here　very　soon。

DORANTE：　That's　fine。

DORIMENE：　I　don't　know；　Dorante；　I　feel　strange　allowing　you　to　bring　me　to　this　house　where　I　know　no　one。

DORANTE：　Then　where　would　you　like；　Madame；　for　me　to　express　my　love　with　an　entertainment；　since　you　will　allow　neither　your　house　nor　mine　for　fear　of　scandal？

DORIMENE：　But　you　don't　mention　that　every　day　I　am　gradually　preparing　myself　to　receive　too　great　proofs　of　your　passion？　As　good　a　defense　as　I　have　put　up；　you　wear　down　my　resistance；　and　you　have　a　polite　persistence　which　makes　me　come　gently　to　whatever　you　like。　The　frequent　visits　began；　declarations　followed；　after　them　came　serenades　and　amusements　in　their　train；　and　presents　followed　them。　I　withstood　all　that；　but　you　don't　give　up　at　all　and　step　by　step　you　are　overcoming　my　resolve。　As　for　me；　I　can　no　longer　answer　for　anything；　and　I　believe　that　in　the　end　you　will　bring　me　to　marriage；　which　I　have　so　far　avoided。

DORANTE：　My　faith！　Madame；　you　should　already　have　come　to　it。　You　are　a　widow；　and　you　answer　only　to　yourself。　I　am　my　own　master　and　I　love　you　more　than　my　life。　Why　shouldn't　you　be　all　my　happiness　from　today　onward？

DORIMENE：　Goodness！　Dorante；　for　two　people　to　live　happily　together　both　of　them　need　particular　qualities；　and　two　of　the　most　reasonable　persons　in　the　world　often　have　trouble　making　a　union　satisfactory　to　them　both。

DORANTE：　You're　fooling　yourself；　Madame；　to　imagine　so　many　difficulties；　and　the　experience　you　had　with　one　marriage　doesn't　determine　anything　for　others。

DORIMENE：　Finally　I　always　come　back　to　this。　The　expenses　that　I　see　you　go　to　for　me　disturb　me　for　two　reasons：　one　is　that　they　get　me　more　involved　than　I　would　like；　and　the　other　is　that　I　am　sure　　meaning　no　offense　　that　you　cannot　do　this　without　financially　inconveniencing　yourself；　and　I　certainly　don't　want　that。

DORANTE：　Ah！　Madame；　they　are　trifles；　and　it　isn't　by　that　。　。　。

DORIMENE：　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about；　and　among　other　gifts；　the　diamond　you　forced　me　to　take　is　worth　。。。

DORANTE：　Oh！　Madame；　mercy；　don't　put　any　value　on　a　thing　that　my　love　finds　unworthy　of　you；　and　allow　。。。　Here's　the　master　of　the　house。


ACT　THREE

SCENE　XVI　（Monsieur　Jourdain；　Dorimene；　Dorante；　Lackey）

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　（After　having　made　two　bows；　finding　himself　too　near　Dorimene）　A　little　farther；　Madame。

DORIMENE：　What？

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　One　step；　if　you　please。

DORIMENE：　What　is　it？

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Step　back　a　little　for　the　third。

DORANTE：　Madame；　Monsieur　Jourdain　is　very　knowledgeable。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Madame；　it　is　a　very　great　honor　to　me　to　be　fortunate　enough　to　be　so　happy　as　to　have　the　joy　that　you　should　have　had　the　goodness　to　accord　me　the　graciousness　of　doing　me　the　honor　of　honoring　me　with　the　favor　of　your　presence；　and；　if　I　also　had　the　merit　to　merit　a　merit　such　as　yours；　and　if　Heaven　。　。　。　envious　of　my　luck　。　。　。　should　have　accorded　me　。　。　。　the　advantage　of　seeing　me　worthy　。　。　。　of　the　。　。　。

DORANTE：　Monsieur　Jourdain；　that　is　enough。　Madame　doesn't　like　grand　compliments；　and　she　knows　that　you　are　a　man　of　wit。　（Aside　to　Dorimene）　As　you　can　see；　this　good　bourgeois　is　ridiculous　enough　in　all　his　manners。

DORIMENE：　It　isn't　difficult　to　see　it。

DORANTE：　Madame；　he　is　the　best　of　my　friends。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　You　do　me　too　much　honor。

DORANTE：　A　completely　gallant　man。

DORIMENE：　I　have　great　esteem　for　him。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　I　have　done　nothing　yet；　Madame；　to　merit　this　favor。

DORANTE：　（Aside　to　Monsieur　Jourdain）　Take　care；　nonetheless；　to　say　absolutely　nothing　to　her　about　the　diamond　that　you　gave　her。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Can't　I　even　ask　her　how　she　likes　it？

DORANTE：　What？　Take　care　that　you　don't。　That　would　be　loutish　of　you；　and；　to　act　as　a　gallant　man；　you　must　act　as　though　it　were　not　you　who　made　her　this　present。　（Aloud）　Monsieur　Jourdain；　Madame；　says　he　is　delighted　to　see　you　in　his　home。

DORIMENE：　He　honors　me　greatly。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　How　obliged　I　am　to　you；　sir；　for　speaking　thus　to　her　for　me！

DORANTE：　I　have　had　frightful　trouble　getting　her　to　come　here。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　I　don't　know　how　to　thank　you　enough。

DORANTE：　He　says；　Madame；　that　he　finds　you　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world。

DORIMENE：　He　does　me　a　great　favor。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Madame；　it　is　you　who　does　the　favors；　and　。　。　。

DORANTE：　Let's　consider　eating。

LACKEY：　Everything　is　ready；　sir。

DORANTE：　Come　then　let　us　sit　at　the　table。　And　bring　on　the　musicians。

（Six　cooks；　who　have　prepared　the　feast；　dance　together　and　make　the　third　interlude；　after　which；　they　carry　in　a　table　covered　with　many　dishes。）


ACT　FOUR

SCENE　I　（Dorimene；　Monsieur　Jourdain；　Dorante；　two　Male　Musicians；　a　Female　Musician；　Lackeys）

DORIMENE：　Why；　Dorante；　that　is　really　a　magnificent　repast！

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　You　jest；　Madame；　I　wish　it　were　worthy　of　being　offered　to　you。　（All　sit　at　the　table）。

DORANTE：　Monsieur　Jourdain　is　right；　Madame；　to　speak　so；　and　he　obliges　me　by　making　you　so　welcome。　I　agree　with　him　that　the　repast　is　not　worthy　of　you。　Since　it　was　I　who　ordered　it；　and　since　I　do　not　have　the　accomplishments　of　our　friends　in　this　matter；　you　do　not　have　here　a　very　sophisticated　meal；　and　you　will　find　some　incongruities　in　the　combinations　and　some　barbarities　of　taste。　If　Damis；　our　friend；　had　been　involved；　everything　would　have　been　according　to　the　rules；　everything　would　have　been　elegant　and　appropriate；　and　he　would　not　have　failed　to　impress　upon　you　the　significance　of　all　the　dishes　of　the　repast；　and　to　make　you　see　his　expertise　when　it　comes　to　good　food；　he　would　have　told　you　about　hearth…baked　bread；　with　its　golden　brown　crust；　crunching　tenderly　between　the　teeth；　of　a　smooth；　full…bodied　wine；　fortified　with　a　piquancy　not　too　strong；　of　a　loin　of　mutton　improved　with　parsley；　of　a　cut　of　specially…raised　veal　as　long　as　this；　white　and　delicate；　and　which　is　like　an　almond　paste　between　the　teeth；　of　partridges　complimented　by　a　surprisingly　flavorful　sauce；　and；　for　his　masterpiece；　a　soup　accompanied　by　a　fat　young　turkey　surrounded　by　pigeons　and　crowned　with　white　onions　mixed　with　chicory。　But；　as　for　me；　I　declare　my　ignorance；　and；　as　Monsieur　Jourdain　has　said　so　well；　I　only　wish　that　the　repast　were　more　worthy　of　being　offered　to　you。

DORIMENE：　I　reply　to　this　compliment　only　by　eating。

MONSIEUR　JOURDAIN：　Ah！　What　beautiful　hands！

DORIMENE：　The　hands　are　mediocre；　Monsieur　Jo