SILVESTRE.
ARG. Come, my son, come and rejoice with us about the happiness of
your marriage. Heaven....
OCT. No, father, all your proposals for marriage are useless. I must
be open with you, and you have been told how I am engaged.
ARG. Yes; but what you do not know....
OCT. I know all I care to know.
ARG. I mean to say that the daughter of Mr. Géronte....
OCT. The daughter of Mr. Géronte will never be anything to me.
GER. It is she who....
OCT. (_to_ GÉRONTE). You need not go on, Sir; I hope you will
forgive me, but I shall abide by my resolution.
SIL. (_to_ OCTAVE). Listen....
OCT. Be silent; I will listen to nothing.
ARG. (_to_ OCTAVE). Your wife....
OCT. No, father, I would rather die than lose my dear Hyacintha
(_crossing the theatre, and placing himself by_ HYACINTHA). Yes,
all you would do is useless; this is the one to whom my heart is
engaged. I will have no other wife.
ARG. Well! she it is whom we give you. What a madcap you are never to
listen to anything but your own foolish whim.
HYA. (_showing_ GÉRONTE). Yes, Octave, this is my father whom I
have found again, and all our troubles are over.
GER. Let us go home; we shall talk more comfortably at home.
HYA. (_showing_ ZERBINETTE). Ah! father, I beg of you the favour
not to part me from this charming young lady. She has noble
qualities, which will be sure to make you like her when you know her.
GER. What! do you wish me to take to my house a girl with whom your
brother is in love, and who told me to my face so many insulting
things?
ZER. Pray forgive me, Sir; I should not have spoken in that way if I
had known who you were, and I only knew you by reputation.
GER. By reputation; what do you mean?
HYA. Father, I can answer for it that she is most virtuous, and that
the love my brother has for her is pure.
GER. It is all very well. You would try now to persuade me to marry
my son to her, a stranger, a street-girl!