{"id":58,"date":"2020-05-12T20:03:58","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T00:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/tartuffe\/?post_type=chapter&p=58"},"modified":"2020-05-12T20:03:58","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T00:03:58","slug":"scene-iii-3","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/chapter\/scene-iii-3\/","title":{"raw":"Scene III","rendered":"Scene III"},"content":{"raw":"

ELMIRE, TARTUFFE<\/span><\/p>\r\n \r\n

\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nMay Heaven's overflowing kindness ever\r\nGive you good health of body and of soul,\r\nAnd bless your days according to the wishes\r\nAnd prayers of its most humble votary!\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nI'm very grateful for your pious wishes.\r\nBut let's sit down, so we may talk at ease.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE (after sitting down)\r\nAnd how are you recovered from your illness?\r\n\r\nELMIRE (sitting down also)\r\nQuite well; the fever soon let go its hold.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nMy prayers, I fear, have not sufficient merit\r\nTo have drawn down this favour from on high;\r\nBut each entreaty that I made to Heaven\r\nHad for its object your recovery.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nYou're too solicitous on my behalf.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nWe could not cherish your dear health too much;\r\nI would have given mine, to help restore it.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nThat's pushing Christian charity too far;\r\nI owe you many thanks for so much kindness.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nI do far less for you than you deserve.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nThere is a matter that I wished to speak of\r\nIn private; I am glad there's no one here\r\nTo listen.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nMadam, I am overjoyed.\r\n'Tis sweet to find myself alone with you.\r\nThis is an opportunity I've asked\r\nOf Heaven, many a time; till now, in vain.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nAll that I wish, is just a word from you,\r\nQuite frank and open, hiding nothing from me.\r\n\r\n(DAMIS, without their seeing him, opens the closet door halfway.)\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nI too could wish, as Heaven's especial favour,\r\nTo lay my soul quite open to your eyes,\r\nAnd swear to you, the trouble that I made\r\nAbout those visits which your charms attract,\r\nDoes not result from any hatred toward you,\r\nBut rather from a passionate devotion,\r\nAnd purest motives . . .\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nThat is how I take it,\r\nI think 'tis my salvation that concerns you.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE (pressing her finger tips)\r\nMadam, 'tis so; and such is my devotion . . .\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nOuch! but you squeeze too hard.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nExcess of zeal.\r\nIn no way could I ever mean to hurt you,\r\nAnd I'd as soon . . .\r\n\r\n(He puts his hand on her knee.)\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nWhat's your hand doing there?\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nFeeling your gown; the stuff is very soft.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nLet be, I beg you; I am very ticklish.\r\n\r\n(She moves her chair away, and Tartuffe brings his nearer.)\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE (handling the lace yoke of Elmire's dress)\r\nDear me how wonderful in workmanship\r\nThis lace is! They do marvels, nowadays;\r\nThings of all kinds were never better made.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nYes, very true. But let us come to business.\r\nThey say my husband means to break his word.\r\nAnd marry Mariane to you. Is't so?\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nHe did hint some such thing; but truly, madam,\r\nThat's not the happiness I'm yearning after;\r\nI see elsewhere the sweet compelling charms\r\nOf such a joy as fills my every wish.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nYou mean you cannot love terrestrial things.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nThe heart within my bosom is not stone.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nI well believe your sighs all tend to Heaven,\r\nAnd nothing here below can stay your thoughts.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nLove for the beauty of eternal things\r\nCannot destroy our love for earthly beauty;\r\nOur mortal senses well may be entranced\r\nBy perfect works that Heaven has fashioned here.\r\nIts charms reflected shine in such as you,\r\nAnd in yourself, its rarest miracles;\r\nIt has displayed such marvels in your face,\r\nThat eyes are dazed, and hearts are rapt away;\r\nI could not look on you, the perfect creature,\r\nWithout admiring Nature's great Creator,\r\nAnd feeling all my heart inflamed with love\r\nFor you, His fairest image of Himself.\r\nAt first I trembled lest this secret love\r\nMight be the Evil Spirit's artful snare;\r\nI even schooled my heart to flee your beauty,\r\nThinking it was a bar to my salvation.\r\nBut soon, enlightened, O all lovely one,\r\nI saw how this my passion may be blameless,\r\nHow I may make it fit with modesty,\r\nAnd thus completely yield my heart to it.\r\n'Tis I must own, a great presumption in me\r\nTo dare make you the offer of my heart;\r\nMy love hopes all things from your perfect goodness,\r\nAnd nothing from my own poor weak endeavour.\r\nYou are my hope, my stay, my peace of heart;\r\nOn you depends my torment or my bliss;\r\nAnd by your doom of judgment, I shall be\r\nBlest, if you will; or damned, by your decree.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nYour declaration's turned most gallantly;\r\nBut truly, it is just a bit surprising.\r\nYou should have better armed your heart, methinks,\r\nAnd taken thought somewhat on such a matter.\r\nA pious man like you, known everywhere . . .\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nThough pious, I am none the less a man;\r\nAnd when a man beholds your heavenly charms,\r\nThe heart surrenders, and can think no more.\r\nI know such words seem strange, coming from me;\r\nBut, madam, I'm no angel, after all;\r\nIf you condemn my frankly made avowal\r\nYou only have your charming self to blame.\r\nSoon as I saw your more than human beauty,\r\nYou were thenceforth the sovereign of my soul;\r\nSweetness ineffable was in your eyes,\r\nThat took by storm my still resisting heart,\r\nAnd conquered everything, fasts, prayers, and tears,\r\nAnd turned my worship wholly to yourself.\r\nMy looks, my sighs, have spoke a thousand times;\r\nNow, to express it all, my voice must speak.\r\nIf but you will look down with gracious favour\r\nUpon the sorrows of your worthless slave,\r\nIf in your goodness you will give me comfort\r\nAnd condescend unto my nothingness,\r\nI'll ever pay you, O sweet miracle,\r\nAn unexampled worship and devotion.\r\nThen too, with me your honour runs no risk;\r\nWith me you need not fear a public scandal.\r\nThese court gallants, that women are so fond of,\r\nAre boastful of their acts, and vain in speech;\r\nThey always brag in public of their progress;\r\nSoon as a favour's granted, they'll divulge it;\r\nTheir tattling tongues, if you but trust to them,\r\nWill foul the altar where their hearts have worshipped.\r\nBut men like me are so discreet in love,\r\nThat you may trust their lasting secrecy.\r\nThe care we take to guard our own good name\r\nMay fully guarantee the one we love;\r\nSo you may find, with hearts like ours sincere,\r\nLove without scandal, pleasure without fear.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nI've heard you through\u2014your speech is clear, at least.\r\nBut don't you fear that I may take a fancy\r\nTo tell my husband of your gallant passion,\r\nAnd that a prompt report of this affair\r\nMay somewhat change the friendship which he bears you?\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nI know that you're too good and generous,\r\nThat you will pardon my temerity,\r\nExcuse, upon the score of human frailty,\r\nThe violence of passion that offends you,\r\nAnd not forget, when you consult your mirror,\r\nThat I'm not blind, and man is made of flesh.\r\n\r\nELMIRE\r\nSome women might do otherwise, perhaps,\r\nBut I am willing to employ discretion,\r\nAnd not repeat the matter to my husband;\r\nBut in return, I'll ask one thing of you:\r\nThat you urge forward, frankly and sincerely,\r\nThe marriage of Valere to Mariane;\r\nThat you give up the unjust influence\r\nBy which you hope to win another's rights;\r\nAnd . . .\r\n\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

ELMIRE, TARTUFFE<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

TARTUFFE
\nMay Heaven’s overflowing kindness ever
\nGive you good health of body and of soul,
\nAnd bless your days according to the wishes
\nAnd prayers of its most humble votary!<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nI’m very grateful for your pious wishes.
\nBut let’s sit down, so we may talk at ease.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE (after sitting down)
\nAnd how are you recovered from your illness?<\/p>\n

ELMIRE (sitting down also)
\nQuite well; the fever soon let go its hold.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nMy prayers, I fear, have not sufficient merit
\nTo have drawn down this favour from on high;
\nBut each entreaty that I made to Heaven
\nHad for its object your recovery.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nYou’re too solicitous on my behalf.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nWe could not cherish your dear health too much;
\nI would have given mine, to help restore it.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nThat’s pushing Christian charity too far;
\nI owe you many thanks for so much kindness.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nI do far less for you than you deserve.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nThere is a matter that I wished to speak of
\nIn private; I am glad there’s no one here
\nTo listen.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nMadam, I am overjoyed.
\n‘Tis sweet to find myself alone with you.
\nThis is an opportunity I’ve asked
\nOf Heaven, many a time; till now, in vain.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nAll that I wish, is just a word from you,
\nQuite frank and open, hiding nothing from me.<\/p>\n

(DAMIS, without their seeing him, opens the closet door halfway.)<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nI too could wish, as Heaven’s especial favour,
\nTo lay my soul quite open to your eyes,
\nAnd swear to you, the trouble that I made
\nAbout those visits which your charms attract,
\nDoes not result from any hatred toward you,
\nBut rather from a passionate devotion,
\nAnd purest motives . . .<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nThat is how I take it,
\nI think ’tis my salvation that concerns you.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE (pressing her finger tips)
\nMadam, ’tis so; and such is my devotion . . .<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nOuch! but you squeeze too hard.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nExcess of zeal.
\nIn no way could I ever mean to hurt you,
\nAnd I’d as soon . . .<\/p>\n

(He puts his hand on her knee.)<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nWhat’s your hand doing there?<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nFeeling your gown; the stuff is very soft.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nLet be, I beg you; I am very ticklish.<\/p>\n

(She moves her chair away, and Tartuffe brings his nearer.)<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE (handling the lace yoke of Elmire’s dress)
\nDear me how wonderful in workmanship
\nThis lace is! They do marvels, nowadays;
\nThings of all kinds were never better made.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nYes, very true. But let us come to business.
\nThey say my husband means to break his word.
\nAnd marry Mariane to you. Is’t so?<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nHe did hint some such thing; but truly, madam,
\nThat’s not the happiness I’m yearning after;
\nI see elsewhere the sweet compelling charms
\nOf such a joy as fills my every wish.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nYou mean you cannot love terrestrial things.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nThe heart within my bosom is not stone.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nI well believe your sighs all tend to Heaven,
\nAnd nothing here below can stay your thoughts.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nLove for the beauty of eternal things
\nCannot destroy our love for earthly beauty;
\nOur mortal senses well may be entranced
\nBy perfect works that Heaven has fashioned here.
\nIts charms reflected shine in such as you,
\nAnd in yourself, its rarest miracles;
\nIt has displayed such marvels in your face,
\nThat eyes are dazed, and hearts are rapt away;
\nI could not look on you, the perfect creature,
\nWithout admiring Nature’s great Creator,
\nAnd feeling all my heart inflamed with love
\nFor you, His fairest image of Himself.
\nAt first I trembled lest this secret love
\nMight be the Evil Spirit’s artful snare;
\nI even schooled my heart to flee your beauty,
\nThinking it was a bar to my salvation.
\nBut soon, enlightened, O all lovely one,
\nI saw how this my passion may be blameless,
\nHow I may make it fit with modesty,
\nAnd thus completely yield my heart to it.
\n‘Tis I must own, a great presumption in me
\nTo dare make you the offer of my heart;
\nMy love hopes all things from your perfect goodness,
\nAnd nothing from my own poor weak endeavour.
\nYou are my hope, my stay, my peace of heart;
\nOn you depends my torment or my bliss;
\nAnd by your doom of judgment, I shall be
\nBlest, if you will; or damned, by your decree.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nYour declaration’s turned most gallantly;
\nBut truly, it is just a bit surprising.
\nYou should have better armed your heart, methinks,
\nAnd taken thought somewhat on such a matter.
\nA pious man like you, known everywhere . . .<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nThough pious, I am none the less a man;
\nAnd when a man beholds your heavenly charms,
\nThe heart surrenders, and can think no more.
\nI know such words seem strange, coming from me;
\nBut, madam, I’m no angel, after all;
\nIf you condemn my frankly made avowal
\nYou only have your charming self to blame.
\nSoon as I saw your more than human beauty,
\nYou were thenceforth the sovereign of my soul;
\nSweetness ineffable was in your eyes,
\nThat took by storm my still resisting heart,
\nAnd conquered everything, fasts, prayers, and tears,
\nAnd turned my worship wholly to yourself.
\nMy looks, my sighs, have spoke a thousand times;
\nNow, to express it all, my voice must speak.
\nIf but you will look down with gracious favour
\nUpon the sorrows of your worthless slave,
\nIf in your goodness you will give me comfort
\nAnd condescend unto my nothingness,
\nI’ll ever pay you, O sweet miracle,
\nAn unexampled worship and devotion.
\nThen too, with me your honour runs no risk;
\nWith me you need not fear a public scandal.
\nThese court gallants, that women are so fond of,
\nAre boastful of their acts, and vain in speech;
\nThey always brag in public of their progress;
\nSoon as a favour’s granted, they’ll divulge it;
\nTheir tattling tongues, if you but trust to them,
\nWill foul the altar where their hearts have worshipped.
\nBut men like me are so discreet in love,
\nThat you may trust their lasting secrecy.
\nThe care we take to guard our own good name
\nMay fully guarantee the one we love;
\nSo you may find, with hearts like ours sincere,
\nLove without scandal, pleasure without fear.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nI’ve heard you through\u2014your speech is clear, at least.
\nBut don’t you fear that I may take a fancy
\nTo tell my husband of your gallant passion,
\nAnd that a prompt report of this affair
\nMay somewhat change the friendship which he bears you?<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nI know that you’re too good and generous,
\nThat you will pardon my temerity,
\nExcuse, upon the score of human frailty,
\nThe violence of passion that offends you,
\nAnd not forget, when you consult your mirror,
\nThat I’m not blind, and man is made of flesh.<\/p>\n

ELMIRE
\nSome women might do otherwise, perhaps,
\nBut I am willing to employ discretion,
\nAnd not repeat the matter to my husband;
\nBut in return, I’ll ask one thing of you:
\nThat you urge forward, frankly and sincerely,
\nThe marriage of Valere to Mariane;
\nThat you give up the unjust influence
\nBy which you hope to win another’s rights;
\nAnd . . .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"menu_order":3,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-58","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":44,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/58","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/58\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/58\/revisions\/59"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/44"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/58\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=58"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=58"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=58"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}