ORGON I"m your humble servant.
(Starts to go.)
CLEANTE Just a word.
We"ll drop that other subject. But you know Valere has had the promise of your daughter.
ORGON Yes.
CLEANTE You had named the happy day.
ORGON "Tis true.
CLEANTE Then why put off the celebration of it?
ORGON I can"t say.
CLEANTE Can you have some other plan In mind?
ORGON Perhaps.
CLEANTE You mean to break your word?
ORGON I don"t say that.
CLEANTE I hope no obstacle Can keep you from performing what you"ve promised.
ORGON Well, that depends.
CLEANTE Why must you beat about?
Valere has sent me here to settle matters.
ORGON Heaven be praised!
CLEANTE What answer shall I take him?
ORGON Why, anything you please.
CLEANTE But we must know Your plans. What are they?
ORGON I shall do the will Of Heaven.
CLEANTE Come, be serious. You"ve given Your promise to Valere. Now will you keep it?
ORGON Good-bye.
CLEANTE (alone) His love, methinks, has much to fear; I must go let him know what"s happening here.
ACT II
SCENE I
ORGON, MARIANE
ORGON Now, Mariane.
MARIANE Yes, father?
ORGON Come; I"ll tell you A secret.
MARIANE Yes ... What are you looking for?
ORGON (looking into a small closet-room) To see there"s no one there to spy upon us; That little closet"s mighty fit to hide in.
There! We"re all right now. Mariane, in you I"ve always found a daughter dutiful And gentle. So I"ve always love you dearly.
MARIANE I"m grateful for your fatherly affection.
ORGON Well spoken, daughter. Now, prove you deserve it By doing as I wish in all respects.
MARIANE To do so is the height of my ambition.
ORGON Excellent well. What say you of--Tartuffe?
MARIANE Who? I?
ORGON Yes, you. Look to it how you answer.
MARIANE Why! I"ll say of him--anything you please.
SCENE II
ORGON, MARIANE, DORINE (coming in quietly and standing behind Orgon, so that he does not see her)
ORGON Well spoken. A good girl. Say then, my daughter, That all his person shines with n.o.ble merit, That he has won your heart, and you would like To have him, by my choice, become your husband.
Eh?
MARIANE Eh?
ORGON What say you?