COVIELLE: You've made a fine business, with your pretty
sentiments.
CLEONTE: What do you want? I have a scruple about that which
precedent cannot conquer.
COVIELLE: Don't you make a fool of yourself by taking it seriously
with a man like that? Don't you see that he is a fool? And would it
cost you anything to accommodate yourself to his fantasies?
CLEONTE: You're right. But I didn't believe it necessary to prove
nobility in order to be Monsieur Jourdain's son-in-law.
COVIELLE: Ha, ha, ha!
CLEONTE: What are you laughing at?
COVIELLE: At a thought that just occurred to me of how to play our
man a trick and help you obtain what you desire.
CLEONTE: How?
COVIELLE: The idea is really funny.
CLEONTE: What is it?
COVIELLE: A short time ago there was a certain masquerade which
fits here better than anything, and that I intend to make part of a
prank I want to play on our fool. It all seems a little phony; but,
with him, one can try anything, there is hardly any reason to be
subtle, and he is the man to play his role marvelously and to
swallow easily any fabrication we want to tell him. I have the
actors, I have the costumes ready, just leave it to me.
CLEONTE: But tell me...
COVIELLE: I am going to instruct you in everything. Let's go, there
he is, returning.
ACT THREE