Produced by Delphine Lettau
THE FLYING DOCTOR.
(LE MEDECIN VOLANT.)
'Le Médecin Volant' seems to have been acted for the first time in
Paris, on the 18th of April, 1659. Parts of it were reproduced in
'L'Amour Médecin,' and 'Le Médecin malgré lui.'
Molière acted the part of Sganarelle.
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
GORGIBUS, _father to_ LUCILE.
VALÈRE, _in love with_ LUCILE.
SGANARELLE,_ servant to_ VALÈRE.
GROS-RENÉ, _valet to_ GORGIBUS.
A LAWYER.
LUCILE.
SABINE, _cousin to_ LUCILE.
THE FLYING DOCTOR.
SCENE I.--VALÈRE, SABINE.
VAL. Well, Sabine, what do you advise me to do?
SAB. I have really much to tell you. My uncle is bent upon marrying my
cousin to Villebrequin, and things have gone so far, that I believe
the wedding would have taken place to-day if you were not loved by
her. However, as my cousin told me the secret of all the love she
feels for you, and as we were almost driven to desperation through the
avarice of our niggardly uncle, we thought of a capital device to
prevent the marriage: at the present moment my cousin affects to be
ill, and the foolish old man, who is easily deceived, has just sent me
to fetch a doctor. Could you not find one, some friend of yours, who
would be on our side, and order the invalid to go into the country for
a change of air? The old man will be sure to send my cousin to live in
the pavilion, which is at the bottom of our garden. In that way you
will be able to see her, unknown to our uncle, and marry her; then let
him and Villebrequin curse as much as they please.
VAL. But what means have I of finding so suddenly the doctor I want,
and who would risk so much to serve me? I tell you frankly I know of
none.
SAB. Now I think of it, why don't you have your servant dressed up as
a doctor? There is no one more easy to dupe than the old fellow.
VAL. But Sganarelle is a blockhead who will spoil everything. However,
as we have nobody else, we must make use of him. But where shall we
find him?--Ah! here he is in the very nick of time. (_Exit_ SABINE.)