{"id":70,"date":"2020-05-12T20:08:17","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T00:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/tartuffe\/?post_type=chapter&p=70"},"modified":"2020-05-12T20:08:17","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T00:08:17","slug":"scene-i-3","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/chapter\/scene-i-3\/","title":{"raw":"Scene I","rendered":"Scene I"},"content":{"raw":"
\r\n

CLEANTE, TARTUFFE<\/p>\r\n\r\n

\r\n\r\nCLEANTE\r\nYes, it's become the talk of all the town,\r\nAnd make a stir that's scarcely to your credit;\r\nAnd I have met you, sir, most opportunely,\r\nTo tell you in a word my frank opinion.\r\nNot to sift out this scandal to the bottom,\r\nSuppose the worst for us\u2014suppose Damis\r\nActed the traitor, and accused you falsely;\r\nShould not a Christian pardon this offence,\r\nAnd stifle in his heart all wish for vengeance?\r\nShould you permit that, for your petty quarrel,\r\nA son be driven from his father's house?\r\nI tell you yet again, and tell you frankly,\r\nEveryone, high or low, is scandalised;\r\nIf you'll take my advice, you'll make it up,\r\nAnd not push matters to extremities.\r\nMake sacrifice to God of your resentment;\r\nRestore the son to favour with his father.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nAlas! So far as I'm concerned, how gladly\r\nWould I do so! I bear him no ill will;\r\nI pardon all, lay nothing to his charge,\r\nAnd wish with all my heart that I might serve him;\r\nBut Heaven's interests cannot allow it;\r\nIf he returns, then I must leave the house.\r\nAfter his conduct, quite unparalleled,\r\nAll intercourse between us would bring scandal;\r\nGod knows what everyone's first thought would be!\r\nThey would attribute it to merest scheming\r\nOn my part\u2014say that conscious of my guilt\r\nI feigned a Christian love for my accuser,\r\nBut feared him in my heart, and hoped to win him\r\nAnd underhandedly secure his silence.\r\n\r\nCLEANTE\r\nYou try to put us off with specious phrases;\r\nBut all your arguments are too far-fetched.\r\nWhy take upon yourself the cause of Heaven?\r\nDoes Heaven need our help to punish sinners?\r\nLeave to itself the care of its own vengeance,\r\nAnd keep in mind the pardon it commands us;\r\nBesides, think somewhat less of men's opinions,\r\nWhen you are following the will of Heaven.\r\nShall petty fear of what the world may think\r\nPrevent the doing of a noble deed?\r\nNo!\u2014let us always do as Heaven commands,\r\nAnd not perplex our brains with further questions.\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nAlready I have told you I forgive him;\r\nAnd that is doing, sir, as Heaven commands.\r\nBut after this day's scandal and affront\r\nHeaven does not order me to live with him.\r\n\r\nCLEANTE\r\nAnd does it order you to lend your ear\r\nTo what mere whim suggested to his father,\r\nAnd to accept gift of his estates,\r\nOn which, in justice, you can make no claim?\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nNo one who knows me, sir, can have the thought\r\nThat I am acting from a selfish motive.\r\nThe goods of this world have no charms for me;\r\nI am not dazzled by their treacherous glamour;\r\nAnd if I bring myself to take the gift\r\nWhich he insists on giving me, I do so,\r\nTo tell the truth, only because I fear\r\nThis whole estate may fall into bad hands,\r\nAnd those to whom it comes may use it ill\r\nAnd not employ it, as is my design,\r\nFor Heaven's glory and my neighbours' good.\r\n\r\nCLEANTE\r\nEh, sir, give up these conscientious scruples\r\nThat well may cause a rightful heir's complaints.\r\nDon't take so much upon yourself, but let him\r\nPossess what's his, at his own risk and peril;\r\nConsider, it were better he misused it,\r\nThan you should be accused of robbing him.\r\nI am astounded that unblushingly\r\nYou could allow such offers to be made!\r\nTell me\u2014has true religion any maxim\r\nThat teaches us to rob the lawful heir?\r\nIf Heaven has made it quite impossible\r\nDamis and you should live together here,\r\nWere it not better you should quietly\r\nAnd honourably withdraw, than let the son\r\nBe driven out for your sake, dead against\r\nAll reason? 'Twould be giving, sir, believe me,\r\nSuch an example of your probity . . .\r\n\r\nTARTUFFE\r\nSir, it is half-past three; certain devotions\r\nRecall me to my closet; you'll forgive me\r\nFor leaving you so soon.\r\n\r\nCLEANTE (alone)\r\nAh!\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"
\n

CLEANTE, TARTUFFE<\/p>\n

\n

CLEANTE
\nYes, it’s become the talk of all the town,
\nAnd make a stir that’s scarcely to your credit;
\nAnd I have met you, sir, most opportunely,
\nTo tell you in a word my frank opinion.
\nNot to sift out this scandal to the bottom,
\nSuppose the worst for us\u2014suppose Damis
\nActed the traitor, and accused you falsely;
\nShould not a Christian pardon this offence,
\nAnd stifle in his heart all wish for vengeance?
\nShould you permit that, for your petty quarrel,
\nA son be driven from his father’s house?
\nI tell you yet again, and tell you frankly,
\nEveryone, high or low, is scandalised;
\nIf you’ll take my advice, you’ll make it up,
\nAnd not push matters to extremities.
\nMake sacrifice to God of your resentment;
\nRestore the son to favour with his father.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nAlas! So far as I’m concerned, how gladly
\nWould I do so! I bear him no ill will;
\nI pardon all, lay nothing to his charge,
\nAnd wish with all my heart that I might serve him;
\nBut Heaven’s interests cannot allow it;
\nIf he returns, then I must leave the house.
\nAfter his conduct, quite unparalleled,
\nAll intercourse between us would bring scandal;
\nGod knows what everyone’s first thought would be!
\nThey would attribute it to merest scheming
\nOn my part\u2014say that conscious of my guilt
\nI feigned a Christian love for my accuser,
\nBut feared him in my heart, and hoped to win him
\nAnd underhandedly secure his silence.<\/p>\n

CLEANTE
\nYou try to put us off with specious phrases;
\nBut all your arguments are too far-fetched.
\nWhy take upon yourself the cause of Heaven?
\nDoes Heaven need our help to punish sinners?
\nLeave to itself the care of its own vengeance,
\nAnd keep in mind the pardon it commands us;
\nBesides, think somewhat less of men’s opinions,
\nWhen you are following the will of Heaven.
\nShall petty fear of what the world may think
\nPrevent the doing of a noble deed?
\nNo!\u2014let us always do as Heaven commands,
\nAnd not perplex our brains with further questions.<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nAlready I have told you I forgive him;
\nAnd that is doing, sir, as Heaven commands.
\nBut after this day’s scandal and affront
\nHeaven does not order me to live with him.<\/p>\n

CLEANTE
\nAnd does it order you to lend your ear
\nTo what mere whim suggested to his father,
\nAnd to accept gift of his estates,
\nOn which, in justice, you can make no claim?<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nNo one who knows me, sir, can have the thought
\nThat I am acting from a selfish motive.
\nThe goods of this world have no charms for me;
\nI am not dazzled by their treacherous glamour;
\nAnd if I bring myself to take the gift
\nWhich he insists on giving me, I do so,
\nTo tell the truth, only because I fear
\nThis whole estate may fall into bad hands,
\nAnd those to whom it comes may use it ill
\nAnd not employ it, as is my design,
\nFor Heaven’s glory and my neighbours’ good.<\/p>\n

CLEANTE
\nEh, sir, give up these conscientious scruples
\nThat well may cause a rightful heir’s complaints.
\nDon’t take so much upon yourself, but let him
\nPossess what’s his, at his own risk and peril;
\nConsider, it were better he misused it,
\nThan you should be accused of robbing him.
\nI am astounded that unblushingly
\nYou could allow such offers to be made!
\nTell me\u2014has true religion any maxim
\nThat teaches us to rob the lawful heir?
\nIf Heaven has made it quite impossible
\nDamis and you should live together here,
\nWere it not better you should quietly
\nAnd honourably withdraw, than let the son
\nBe driven out for your sake, dead against
\nAll reason? ‘Twould be giving, sir, believe me,
\nSuch an example of your probity . . .<\/p>\n

TARTUFFE
\nSir, it is half-past three; certain devotions
\nRecall me to my closet; you’ll forgive me
\nFor leaving you so soon.<\/p>\n

CLEANTE (alone)
\nAh!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"menu_order":1,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-70","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":68,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/70","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\/70\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/70\/revisions\/71"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/68"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/70\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=70"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=70"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/tartuffe\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=70"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}