Tartuffe / or The Hypocrite by Molière

Author:Molière [Molière]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Comedies, French drama -- 17th century -- Translations into English
Published: 2009-04-02T16:00:00+00:00

ACT IV

SCENE I

Cleante, Tartuffe

Cleante. Yes, the whole town is talking about it,

And they don't think it does you much credit.

And I've sought you out, sir, just for the sake

Of telling you bluntly what I think's at stake.

I'm not going to dredge up the whole dispute;

The fact is Damis is in disrepute.

Supposing that he did act like a fool

And that you are unfairly being called cruel,

Shouldn't a Christian pardon the offense

And purge his soul of desire for vengeance?

And should you permit him, for this one goof,

To be driven away from his father's roof?

I'll tell you again, and I'll be bold:

You are scandalizing both young and old.

If you take my advice, you will seek a truce

And not be a party to this boy's abuse.

Make an offering to God of your acrimony,

And restore the son to his patrimony.

Tartuffe. Alas! As for myself, I seek that solace:

I do not have for him the slightest malice;

I wholly forgive him of any blame,

And long to restore him to his good name.

But in the service of God I can't permit

It, for if he remains I shall have to quit

This house. No prior offense holds a candle

To his. Our meeting would cause a huge scandal.

Lord only knows what people would assume!

They would impute it to cunning, I presume,

And say that my guilt has made me pretend

To excuse him of any intent to offend,

And that I fear him and wish to placate him

As a crafty move in my plan to checkmate him.

Cleante. I think you are making up excuses,

And your arguments, monsieur, seem like ruses.

Must you assume the role of the Deity?

Does He need us to punish the guilty?

Leave it to Him to take care of vengeance;

He bids us to forgive every offense

And not to consider human judgments

When we follow God's sovereign commandments.

What? Should the petty fear of what some may say

Prevent you from doing this good deed today?

No, let us always follow God's commands,

And leave all other matters in His hands.

Tartuffe. I've told you already that I forgive

Him, and that, sir, is God's directive.

But after such scandal and vituperation

God doesn't demand our cohabitation.

Cleante. And does He demand that you lend your hand

To the pure caprice of the father's command

And accept the gift of his whole estate,

Which you cannot justly appropriate?

Tartuffe. Those who know me will not believe that I'd

Do anything selfish or unjustified.

I hold worldly goods in quite low esteem.

I can't be dazzled by their phony gleam.

And if in the end I decide to take

The gift that the father wishes to make,

It is only, I swear, because I fear

That it could be left to a false profiteer,

Or that it could be shared by those who would

Use it to do evil rather than good,

And who would not use it, as I'm sure I can,

For the glory of God and one's fellow man.

Cleante. Oh, sir! Don't put on that scrupulous air

While your actions injure a rightful heir.

Don't feel uneasy or risk your good health

By fretting about the perils of his wealth.

It is better spent on a young man's whim

Than that you be accused of defrauding him.

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