Monsieur De Pourceaugnac Part 9

MR. POUR. Yes.

SBRI. In wedlock?

MR. POUR. How could it be otherwise?

SBRI. Oh! it is another thing, and I beg your pardon.

MR. POUR. What is it you mean?

SBRI. Oh, nothing.

MR. POUR. But, pray!

SBRI. Nothing, I tell you. I spoke rather hastily.

MR. POUR. I beg of you to tell me what it is.

SBRI. No; it is not necessary.

MR. POUR. Pray do.

SBRI. No; I beg you to excuse me.

MR. POUR. What! are you not one of my friends?

SBRI. Yes, certainly; n.o.body more so.

MR. POUR. Then you ought not to hide anything from me.

SBRI. It is a thing in which a neighbour's honour is concerned.

MR. POUR. That I may oblige you to treat me like a friend, here is a small ring I beg of you to keep for my sake.

SBRI. Let me consider a little if I can in conscience do it. (_Goes away a small distance from_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC.) He is a man who looks after his own interests, who tries to provide for his daughter as advantageously as possible; and one should injure n.o.body. It is true that these things are no secret; but I shall be telling them to a man who knows nothing about it, and it is forbidden to talk scandal of one's neighbour. All this is true. On the other hand, however, here is a stranger they want to impose upon, who comes in all good faith to marry a girl he knows nothing about, and whom he has never seen. A gentleman all openheartedness, for whom I feel some inclination, who does me the honour of reckoning me his friend, puts his confidence in me, and gives me a ring to keep for his sake. (_To_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC) Yes, I think that I can tell you how things are without wounding my conscience. But I must try to tell it all to you in the mildest way possible, and to spare people as much as I can. If I were to tell you that this girl leads a bad life, it would be going too far. I must find some milder term to explain myself. The word coquette does not come up to the mark; that of downright flirt seems to me to answer the purpose pretty well, and I can make use of it to tell you honestly what she is.

MR. POUR. They want to make a fool of me then?

SBRI. But it may not be so bad as people think; and after all, there are men who set themselves above such things, and who do not think that their honour depends upon ...

MR. POUR. I am your servant; I have no wish to adorn my person with such a head-dress, and the Pourceaugnacs are accustomed to walk with their heads free.

SBRI. Here is the father.

MR. POUR. Who? this old man?

SBRI. Yes. Allow me to withdraw.

SCENE V.--ORONTE, MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC.

MR. POUR. Good morning, Sir; good morning.

ORO. Your servant, Sir; your servant.

MR. POUR. You are Mr. Oronte; are you not?

ORO. Yes.

MR. POUR. And I, Mr. de Pourceaugnac.

ORO. Ah, indeed!

MR. POUR. Do you think, Mr. Oronte, that the people of Limoges are fools?

ORO. Do you think, Mr. de Pourceaugnac, that the people of Paris are a.s.ses?

MR. POUR. Do you imagine, Mr. Oronte, that a man like me can be dying for a wife?

ORO. Do you imagine, Mr. de Pourceaugnac, that a daughter like mine can be dying for a husband?

SCENE VI.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, JULIA, ORONTE.

JUL. I have just been told, father, that Mr. de Pourceaugnac has come.

Ah, there he is, no doubt; my heart tells me so. How handsome he is!

How splendidly he holds himself. How pleased I am to have such a husband![11] Give me leave to kiss him and to show him....

ORO. Softly, daughter, softly.

MR. POUR. (_aside_). Heyday! At what a pace she goes, and how she takes fire!

ORO. I should very much like to know, Mr. de Pourceaugnac, for what reason you ...

JUL. (_approaches_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, _looks at him with a languis.h.i.+ng look, and tries to take his hand_). How pleased I am to see you! And how impatient I am to ...

ORO. Hey! daughter, go away; will you?

MR. POUR. (_aside_). What a free and easy young damsel!

ORO. I should like to know what made you have the boldness to ...

(JULIA _continues as above_.)

MR. POUR. (_aside_). By Jove!

ORO. (_to_ JULIA). Again! What do you mean?

JUL. May I not kiss the husband you have chosen for me?