The Miser (L'Avare) Part 21

CLE. Do not trouble yourself about that. It is in a safe place, and I answer for it; everything depends on your resolve. It is for you to decide, and you have the choice either of losing Marianne or your cash-box.

HAR. Has nothing been taken out?

CLE. Nothing at all. Is it your intention to agree to this marriage, and to join your consent to that of her mother, who leaves her at liberty to do as she likes?

MAR. (_to_ CLeANTE). But you do not know that this consent is no longer sufficient, and that heaven has given me back a brother (_showing_ VALeRE), at the same time that it has given me back a father (_showing_ ANSELME); and you have now to obtain me from him.

ANS. Heaven, my dear children, has not restored you to me that I might oppose your wishes. Mr. Harpagon, you must be aware that the choice of a young girl is more likely to fall upon the son than upon the father.

Come, now, do not force people to say to you what is unnecessary, and consent, as I do, to this double marriage.

HAR. In order for me to be well advised, I must see my casket.

CLE. You shall see it safe and sound.

HAR. I have no money to give my children in marriage.

ANS. Never mind, I have some; do not let this trouble you.

HAR. Do you take upon yourself to defray the expenses of these two weddings?

ANS. Yes, I will take this responsibility upon myself. Are you satisfied?

HAR. Yes, provided you order me a new suit of clothes for the wedding.

ANS. Agreed! Let us go and enjoy the blessings this happy day brings us.

OFF. Stop, Sirs, stop; softly, if you please. Who is to pay me for my writing?

HAR. We have nothing to do with your writing.

OFF. Indeed! and yet I do not pretend to have done it for nothing.

HAR. (_showing_ MASTER JACQUES). There is a fellow you can hang in payment!

JAC. Alas! what is one to do? I receive a good cudgelling for telling the truth, and now they would hang me for lying.

ANS. Mr. Harpagon, you must forgive him this piece of imposture.

HAR. You will pay the officer then?

ANS. Let it be so. Let us go quickly, my children, to share our joy with your mother!

HAR. And I to see my dear casket

THE END

FOOTNOTES:

[1] An old comic pastoral.

[2] The real hero in Rabelais' 'Pantagruel.'

[3] Frosine professes a knowledge of palmistry.

[4] Old enemies. The Turks took Candia from the Venetians in 1669, after a war of twenty years.

[5] Moliere makes use even of his own infirmities. Compare act i. scene iii. This cough killed him at last.

[6] A good deal of the mystification is lost in the translation through the necessity of occasionally putting _it_ for _casket_, and _she_ for Elise.