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falsehood； To try to stain the whiteness of his virtue？
DAMIS What！ The feigned meekness of this hypocrite Makes you
discredit 。 。 。
ORGON Silence； cursed plague！
TARTUFFE Ah！ Let him speak； you chide him wrongfully； You'd do
far better to believe his tales。 Why favour me so much in such a matter？
How can you know of what I'm capable？ And should you trust my
outward semblance； brother； Or judge therefrom that I'm the better man？
No； no； you let appearances deceive you； I'm anything but what I'm
thought to be； Alas！ and though all men believe me godly； The simple truth
is； I'm a worthless creature。
（To Damis） Yes； my dear son； say on； and call me traitor； Abandoned
scoundrel； thief； and murderer； Heap on me names yet more detestable；
And I shall not gainsay you； I've deserved them； I'll bear this ignominy on
my knees； To expiate in shame the crimes I've done。
ORGON （to Tartuffe） Ah； brother； 'tis too much！
（To his son） You'll not relent； You blackguard？
DAMIS What！ His talk can so deceive you 。 。 。
ORGON Silence； you scoundrel！
（To Tartuffe） Brother； rise； I beg you。
（To his son） Infamous villain！
DAMIS Can he 。 。 。
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ORGON Silence！
DAMIS What 。 。 。
ORGON Another word； I'll break your every bone。
TARTUFFE Brother； in God's name； don't be angry with him！ I'd
rather bear myself the bitterest torture Than have him get a scratch on my
account。
ORGON （to his son） Ungrateful monster！
TARTUFFE Stop。 Upon my knees I beg you pardon him 。 。 。
ORGON （throwing himself on his knees too； and embracing Tartuffe）
Alas！ How can you？
（To his son） Villain！ Behold his goodness！
DAMIS So 。 。 。
ORGON Be still。
DAMIS What！ I 。 。 。
ORGON Be still； I say。 I know your motives For this attack。 You hate
him； all of you； Wife； children； servants； all let loose upon him； You have
recourse to every shameful trick To drive this godly man out of my house；
The more you strive to rid yourselves of him； The more I'll strive to make
him stay with me； I'll have him straightway married to my daughter； Just
to confound the pride of all of you。
DAMIS What！ Will you force her to accept his hand？
ORGON Yes； and this very evening； to enrage you； Young rascal！ Ah！
I'll brave you all； and show you That I'm the master； and must be obeyed。
Now； down upon your knees this instant； rogue； And take back what you
said； and ask his pardon。
DAMIS Who？ I？ Ask pardon of that cheating scoundrel 。 。 。 ？
ORGON Do you resist； you beggar； and insult him？ A cudgel； here！ a
cudgel！
（To Tartuffe） Don't restrain me。
（To his son） Off with you！ Leave my house this instant； sirrah； And
never dare set foot in it again。
DAMIS Yes； I will leave your house； but 。 。 。
ORGON Leave it quickly。 You reprobate； I disinherit you； And give
you； too； my curse into the bargain。
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TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE
SCENE VII ORGON； TARTUFFE
ORGON What！ So insult a saintly man of God！
TARTUFFE Heaven； forgive him all the pain he gives me！ ＇4＇
＇Footnote 4： Some modern editions have adopted the reading；
preserved by tradition as that of the earliest stage version： Heaven； forgive
him even as I forgive him！ Voltaire gives still another reading： Heaven；
forgive me even as I forgive him！ Whichever was the original version； it
appears in none of the early editions； and Moliere probably felt forced to
change it on account of its too close resemblance to the Biblical phrase。＇
（To Orgon） Could you but know with what distress I see Them try to
vilify me to my brother！
ORGON Ah！
TARTUFFE The mere thought of such ingratitude Makes my soul
suffer torture； bitterly 。 。 。 My horror at it 。 。 。 Ah！ my heart's so full I
cannot speak 。 。 。 I think I'll die of it。
ORGON （in tears； running to the door through which he drove away
his son） Scoundrel！ I wish I'd never let you go； But slain you on the spot
with my own hand。
（To Tartuffe） Brother； compose yourself； and don't be angry。
TARTUFFE Nay； brother； let us end these painful quarrels。 I see what
troublous times I bring upon you； And think 'tis needful that I leave this
house。
ORGON What！ You can't mean it？
TARTUFFE Yes； they hate me here； And try； I find； to make you doubt
my faith。
ORGON What of it？ Do you find I listen to them？
TARTUFFE No doubt they won't stop there。 These same reports You
now reject； may some day win a hearing。
ORGON No； brother； never。
TARTUFFE Ah！ my friend； a woman May easily mislead her
husband's mind。
ORGON No； no。
TARTUFFE So let me quickly go away And thus remove all cause for
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such attacks。
ORGON No； you shall stay； my life depends upon it。
TARTUFFE Then I must mortify myself。 And yet； If you should
wish 。 。 。
ORGON No； never！
TARTUFFE Very well； then； No more of that。 But I shall rule my
conduct To fit the case。 Honour is delicate； And friendship binds me to
forestall suspicion； Prevent all scandal； and avoid your wife。
ORGON No； you shall haunt her； just to spite them all。 'Tis my delight
to set them in a rage； You shall be seen together at all hours And what is
more； the better to defy them； I'll have no other heir but you； and
straightway I'll go and make a deed of gift to you； Drawn in due form； of
all my property。 A good true friend； my son…in…law to be； Is more to me
than son； and wife； and kindred。 You will accept my offer； will you not？
TARTUFFE Heaven's will be done in everything！
ORGON Poor man！ We'll go make haste to draw the deed aright； And
then let envy burst itself with spite！
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ACT IV
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SCENE I CLEANTE； TARTUFFE
CLEANTE Yes； it's become the talk of all the town； And make a stir
that's scarcely to your credit； And I have met you； sir； most opportunely；
To tell you in a word my frank opinion。 Not to sift out this scandal to the
bottom； Suppose the worst for ussuppose Damis Acted the traitor； and
accused you falsely； Should not a Christian pardon this offence； And stifle
in his heart all wish for vengeance？ Should you permit that； for your petty
quarrel； A son be driven from his father's house？ I tell you yet again； and
tell you frankly； Everyone； high or low； is scandalised； If you'll take my
advice； you'll make it up； And not push matters to extremities。 Make
sacrifice to God of your resentment； Restore the son to favour with his
father。
TARTUFFE Alas！ So far as I'm concerned； how gladly Would I do so！
I bear him no ill will； I pardon all； lay nothing to his charge； And wish
with all my heart that I might serve him； But Heaven's interests cannot
allow it； If he returns； then I must leave the house。 After his conduct； quite
unparalleled； All intercourse between us would bring scandal； God knows
what everyone's first thought would be！ They would attribute it to merest
scheming On my partsay that conscious of my guilt I feigned a Christian
love for my accuser； But feared him in my heart； and hoped to win him
And underhandedly secure his silence。
CLEANTE You try to put us off with specious phrases； But all your
arguments are too far…fetched。 Why take upon yourself the cause of
Heaven？ Does Heaven need our help to punish sinners？ Leave to itself the
care of its own vengeance； And keep in mind the pardon it commands us；
Besides； think somewhat less of men's opinions； When you are following
the will of Heaven。 Shall petty fear of what the world may think Prevent
the doing of a noble deed？ No！let us always do as Heaven commands；
And not perplex our brain