CLEONTE: What! Treat a lover in this way? And a lover who is the
most faithful and passionate of lovers?
COVIELLE: It is a frightful thing that they have done to us both.
CLEONTE: I show a woman all the ardor and tenderness that can be
imagined; I love nothing in the world but her, and I have nothing
but her in my thoughts; she is all I care for, all my desire, all
my joy; I talk of nothing but her, I think of nothing but her, I
have no dreams but of her, I breathe only because of her, my heart
lives wholly in her; and see how so much love is well repaid! I
have been two days without seeing her, which are for me two
frightful centuries; I meet her by chance; my heart, at that sight,
is completely transported, my joy shines on my face; I fly with
ecstasy towards her--and the faithless one averts her eyes and
hurries by as if she had never seen me in her life!
COVIELLE: I say the same things as you.
CLEONTE: Covielle, can one see anything to equal this perfidy of
the ungrateful Lucile?
COVIELLE: And that, Monsieur, of the treacherous Nicole?
CLEONTE: After so many ardent homages, sighs, and vows that I have
made to her charms!
COVIELLE: After so many assiduous compliments, cares, and services
that I rendered her in the kitchen!
CLEONTE: So many tears I have shed at her knees!
COVIELLE: So many buckets of water I have drawn for her!
CLEONTE: So much passion I have shown her in loving her more than
myself!
COVIELLE: So much heat I have endured in turning the spit for her!
CLEONTE: She flies from me in disdain!
COVIELLE: She turns her back on me!
CLEONTE: It is perfidy worthy of the greatest punishments.
COVIELLE: It is treachery that merits a thousand slaps.
CLEONTE: Don't think, I beg you, of ever speaking in her favor to
me.
COVIELLE: I, sir? God forbid!
CLEONTE: Never come to excuse the action of this faithless woman.
COVIELLE: Have no fear.
CLEONTE; No, you see, all your speeches in her defense will serve
no purpose.
COVIELLE: Who even thinks of that?
CLEONTE: I want to conserve my resentment against her and end all
contact with her.
COVIELLE: I agree.
CLEONTE: This Count who goes to her house is perhaps pleasant in
her view; and her mind, I well see, allows itself to be dazzled by
social standing. But it is necessary for me, for my honor, to
prevent the scandal of her inconstancy. I want to break off with
her first and not leave her all the glory of dumping me. COVIELLE:
That's very well said, and I agree, for my part, with all your
feelings.
CLEONTE: Strengthen my resentment and aid my resolve against all
the remains of love that could speak in her behalf. Tell me, I
order you, all the bad you can of her; make for me a painting of
her that will render her despicable; and show well, in order to
disgust me, all the faults that you can see in her.
COVIELLE: Her, sir? There's a pretty fool, a well made flirt for
you to give so much love! I see only mediocrity in her, and you
will find a hundred women who will be more worthy of you. First of
all, she has small eyes.
CLEONTE: That's true, she has small eyes; but they are full of
fire, the brightest, the keenest in the world, the most touching
eyes that one can see.
COVIELLE: She has a big mouth.
CLEONTE: Yes; but upon it one sees grace that one never sees on
other mouths; and the sight of that mouth, which is the most
attractive, the most amorous in the world, inspires desire.
COVIELLE: As for her figure, she's not tall.
CLEONTE: No, but she is graceful and well made.
COVIELLE: She affects a nonchalance in her speech and in her
actions.
CLEONTE: That's true; but she may be forgiven all that, for her
manners are so engaging, they have an irresistible charm.
COVIELLE: As to her wit...
CLEONTE: Ah! She has that, Covielle, the finest, the most
delicate!
COVIELLE: Her conversation...
CLEONTE: Her conversation is charming.
COVIELLE: She is always serious...
CLEONTE; Would you have grinning playfulness, constant open
merriment? And do you see anything more impertinent than those
women who laugh all the time?
COVIELLE: But finally she is as capricious as any woman in the
world.
CLEONTE: Yes, she is capricious, I concede; but everything becomes
beautiful ladies well, one suffers everything for beauty.
COVIELLE: I see clearly how it goes, you want to go on loving her.
CLEONTE: Me, I'd like better to die; and I am going to hate her as
much as I loved her.
COVIELLE: How, if you find her so perfect?
CLEONTE: That's how my vengeance will be more striking, in that way
I'll show better the strength of my heart, by hating her, by
quitting her, with all her beauty, all her charms, and as lovable
as I find her. Here she is.
ACT THREE