tartuffe-第2节
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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 thembut 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！
SCENE II
CLEANTE； DORINE
CLEANTE
I won't escort her down；
For fear she might fall foul of me again；
The good old lady 。 。 。
DORINE
Bless us！ What a pity
She shouldn't hear the way you speak of her！
She'd surely tell you you're too 〃good〃 by half；
And that she's not so 〃old〃 as all that； neither！
CLEANTE
How she got angry with us all for nothing！
And how she seems possessed with her Tartuffe！
DORINE
Her case is nothing； though； beside her son's！
To see him； you would say he's ten times worse！
His conduct in our late unpleasantness ＇1＇
Had won him much esteem； and proved his courage
In service of his king； but now he's like
A man besotted； since he's been so taken
With this Tartuffe。 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。
He fondles and embraces him； a sweetheart
Could not； I think； be loved more tenderly；
At table he must have the seat of honour；
While with delight our master sees him eat
As much as six men could； we must give up
The choicest tidbits to him； if he belches；
（'tis a servant speaking） ＇2＇
Master exclaims： 〃God bless you！〃Oh； he dotes
Upon him！ he's his universe； his hero；
He's lost in constant admiration； quotes him
On all occasions； takes his trifling acts
For wonders； and his words for oracles。
The fellow knows his dupe； and makes the most on't；
He fools him with a hundred masks of virtue；
Gets money from him all the time by canting；
And takes upon himself to carp at us。
Even his silly coxcomb of a lackey
Makes it his business to instruct us too；
He comes with rolling eyes to preach at us；
And throws away our ribbons； rouge； and patches。
The wretch； the other day； tore up a kerchief
That he had found； pressed in the /Golden Legend/；
Calling it a horrid crime for us to mingle
The devil's finery with holy things。
＇Footnote 1： Referring to the rebellion called La Fronde； during the
minority of Louis XIV。＇
＇Footnote 2： Moliere's note； inserted in the text of all the old
editions。 It is a curious illustration of the desire for uniformity
and dignity of style in dramatic verse of the seventeenth century；
that Moliere feels called on to apologize for a touch of realism like
this。 Indeed； these lines were even omitted when the play was given。＇
SCENE III
ELMIRE； MARIANE； DAMIS； CLEANTE； DORINE
ELMIRE （to Cleante）
You're very lucky to have missed the speech
She gave us at the door。 I see my husband
Is home again。 He hasn't seen me yet；
So I'll go up and wait till he comes in。
CLEANTE
And I； to save time； will await him here；
I'll merely say good…morning； and be gone。
SCENE IV
CLEANTE； DAMIS； DORINE
DAMIS
I wish you'd say a word to him about
My sister's marriage； I suspect Tartuffe
Opposes it； and puts my father up
To all these wretched shifts。 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 。 。 。
DORINE
He's coming。
SCENE V
ORGON； CLEANTE； DORINE
ORGON
Ah！ Good morning； brother。
CLEANTE
I was just going； but am glad to greet you。
Things are not far advanced yet； in the country？
ORGON
Dorine 。 。 。
（To Cleante）
Just wait a bit； please； brother…in…law。
Let me allay my first anxiety
By asking news about the family。
（To Dorine）
Has everything gone well these last two days？
What's happening？ And how is everybody？
DORINE
Madam had fever； and a splitting headache
Day before yesterday； all day and evening。
ORGON
And how about Tartuffe？
DORINE
Tartuffe？ He's well；
He's mighty well； stout； fat； fair； rosy…lipped。
ORGON
Poor man！
DORINE
At evening she had nausea
And could't touch a single thing for supper；
Her headache still was so severe。
ORGON
And how
About Tartuffe？
DORINE
He supped alone； before her；
And unctuously ate up two partridges；
As well as half a leg o' mutton； deviled。
ORGON
Poor man！
DORINE
All night she couldn't get a wink
Of sleep； the fever racked her so； and we
Had to sit up with her till daylight。
ORGON
How
About Tartuffe？
DORINE
Gently inclined to slumber；
He left the table； went into his room；
Got himself straight into a good warm bed；
And slept quite undisturbed until next morning。
ORGON
Poor man！
DORINE
At last she let us all persuade her；
And got up courage to be bled； and then
She was relieved at once。
ORGON
And how about
Tartuffe？
DORINE
He plucked up courage properly；
Bravely entrenched his soul against all evils；
And to replace the blood that she had lost；
He drank at breakfast four huge draughts of wine。
ORGON
Poor man！
DORINE
So now they both are doing well；
And I'll go straightway and inform my mistress
How pleased you are at her recovery。
SCENE VI
ORGON； CLEANTE
CLEANTE
Brother； she ridicules you to your face；
And I； though I don't want to make you angry；
Must tell you candidly that she's quite right。
Was such infatuation ever heard of？
And can a man to…day have charms to make you
Forget all else； relieve his poverty；
Give him a home； and then 。 。 。 ？
ORGON
Stop there； good brother；
You do not know the man you're speaking of。
CLEANTE
Since you will have it so； I do not know him；
But after all； to tell what sort of man
He is 。 。 。
ORGON
Dear brother； you'd be charmed to know him；
Your raptures over him would have no end。
He is a man 。 。 。 who 。 。 。 ah！ 。 。 。 in fact 。 。 。a man
Whoever does his will； knows perfect peace；
And counts the whole world else； as so much dung。
His converse has transformed me quite； he weans
My heart from every friendship； teaches me
To have no love for anything on earth；
And I could see my brother； children； mother；
And wife； all die； and never carea snap。
CLEANTE
Your feelings are humane； I must say； brother！
ORGON
Ah！ If you'd seen him； as I saw him first；
You would have loved him just as much as I。
He came to church each day； with contrite mien；
Kneeled； on both knees； right opposite my place；
And drew the eyes of all the congregation；
To watch the fervour of his prayers to heaven；
With deep…drawn sighs and great ejaculations；
He humbly kissed the earth at every moment；
And when I left the church； he ran before me
To give me holy water at the door。
I learned his poverty； and who he was；
By questioning his servant； who is like him；
And gave him gifts； but in his modesty
He always wanted to return a part。
〃It is too much；〃 he'd say； 〃too much by half；
I am not worthy of your pity。〃 Then；
When I refused to take it back； he'd go；
Before my eyes； and give it to the poor。
At length heaven bade me take him to my home；
And since that day； all seems to prosper here。
He censures everything； and for my sake
He even takes great interest in my wife；
He lets me know who ogles her； and seems
Six times as jealous as I am myself。
You'd not believe how far his zeal can go：
He calls himself a sinner just for trifles；
The merest nothing is enough to shock him；
So much so； that the other day I heard him
Accuse himself for having； while at prayer；
In too much anger caught and killed a flea。
CLEANTE
Zounds； brother； you are mad； I think！ Or else
You're making sport of me； with such a speech。
What are you driving at with all this nonsense 。 。 。 ？
ORGON
Brother； your language smacks of atheism；
And I suspect your soul's
