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'em。 That is my kind of man； that is true living； That is the pattern we
should set ourselves。 Your fellow was not fashioned on this model； You're
quite sincere in boasting of his zeal； But you're deceived； I think； by false
pretences。
ORGON My dear good brother…in…law； have you quite done？
CLEANTE Yes。
ORGON I'm your humble servant。
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
（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。
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
ACT II
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
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 ofTartuffe？
MARIANE Who？ I？
ORGON Yes； you。 Look to it how you answer。
MARIANE Why！ I'll say of himanything you please。
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
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 noble 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？
MARIANE Please； what did you say？
ORGON What？
MARIANE Surely I mistook you； sir？
ORGON How now？
MARIANE Who is it； father； you would have me say Has won my
heart； and I would like to have Become my husband； by your choice？
ORGON Tartuffe。
MARIANE But； father； I protest it isn't true！ Why should you make
me tell this dreadful lie？
ORGON Because I mean to have it be the truth。 Let this suffice for
you： I've settled it。
MARIANE What； father； you would 。 。 。 ？
ORGON Yes； child； I'm resolved To graft Tartuffe into my family。 So
he must be your husband。 That I've settled。 And since your duty 。 。
（Seeing Dorine） What are you doing there？ Your curiosity is keen； my
girl； To make you come eavesdropping on us so。
DORINE Upon my word； I don't know how the rumour Got startedif
'twas guess…work or mere chance But I had heard already of this match；
And treated it as utter stuff and nonsense。
ORGON What！ Is the thing incredible？
DORINE So much so I don't believe it even from yourself； sir。
ORGON I know a way to make you credit it。
DORINE No； no； you're telling us a fairly tale！
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
ORGON I'm telling you just what will happen shortly。
DORINE Stuff！
ORGON Daughter； what I say is in good earnest。
DORINE There； there； don't take your father seriously； He's fooling。
ORGON But I tell you 。 。 。
DORINE No。 No use。 They won't believe you。
ORGON If I let my anger 。 。 。
DORINE Well； then； we do believe you； and the worse For you it is。
What！ Can a grown…up man With that expanse of beard across his face Be
mad enough to want 。 。 。？
ORGON You hark me： You've taken on yourself here in this house A
sort of free familiarity That I don't like； I tell you frankly； girl。
DORINE There； there； let's not get angry； sir； I beg you。 But are you
making game of everybody？ Your daughter's not cut out for bigot's meat；
And he has more important things to think of。 Besides； what can you gain
by such a match？ How can a man of wealth； like you； go choose A
wretched vagabond for son…in…law？
ORGON You hold your tongue。 And know； the less he has； The better
cause have we to honour him。 His poverty is honest poverty； It should
exalt him more than worldly grandeur； For he has let himself be robbed of
all； Through careless disregard of temporal things And fixed attachment to
the things eternal。 My help may set him on his feet again； Win back his
propertya fair estate He has at home； so I'm informedand prove him
For what he is； a true…born gentleman。
DORINE Yes； so he says himself。 Such vanity But ill accords with
pious living； sir。 The man who cares for holiness alone Should not so
loudly boast his name and birth； The humble ways of genuine devoutness
Brook not so much display of earthly pride。 Why should he be so vain？ 。 。 。
But I offend you： Let's leave his rank； then；take the man himself： Can
you without compunction give a man Like him possession of a girl like
her？ Think what a scandal's sure to come of it！ Virtue is at the mercy of
the fates； When a girl's married to a man she hates； The best intent to live
an honest woman Depends upon the husband's being human； And men
whose brows are pointed at afar May thank themselves their wives are
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
what they are。 For to be true is more than woman can； With husbands built
upon a certain plan； And he who weds his child against her will Owes
heaven account for it； if she do ill。 Think then what perils wait on your
design。
ORGON （to Mariane） So！ I must learn what's what from her； you see！
DORINE You might do worse than follow my advice。
ORGON Daughter； we can't waste time upon this nonsense； I know
what's good for you； and I'm your father。 True； I had promised you to
young Valere； But； first； they tell me he's inclined to gamble； And then； I
fear his faith is not quite sound。 I haven't noticed that he's regular At
church。
DORINE You'd have him run there just when you do。 Like those who
go on purpose to be seen？
ORGON I don't ask your opinion on the matter。 In short； the other is in
Heaven's best graces； And that is riches quite beyond compare。 This match
will bring you every joy you long for； 'Twill be all steeped in sweetness
and delight。 You'll live together； in your faithful loves； Like two sweet
children； like two turtle…doves； You'll never fail to quarrel； scold； or tease；
And you may do with him whate'er you please。
DORINE With him？ Do naught but give him horns； I'll warrant。
ORGON Out on thee； wench！
DORINE I tell you he's cut out for't； However great your daughter's
virtue； sir； His destiny is sure to prove the stronger。
ORGON Have done with interrupting。 Hold your tongue。 Don't poke
your nose in other people's business。
DORINE （She keeps interrupting him； just as he turns and starts to
speak to his daughter）。 If I make b