ORGON, CLEANTE, DORINE
ORGON Ah! Good morning, brother.
CLEANTE I was just going, but am glad to greet you.
Things are not far advanced yet, in the country?
ORGON Dorine . . .
(To Cleante)
Just wait a bit, please, brother-in-law.
Let me allay my first anxiety
By asking news about the family.
(To Dorine)
Has everything gone well these last two days?
What's happening? And how is everybody?
DORINE Madam had fever, and a splitting headache
Day before yesterday, all day and evening.
ORGON And how about Tartuffe?
DORINE Tartuffe? He's well;
He's mighty well; stout, fat, fair, rosy-lipped.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE At evening she had nausea
And could't touch a single thing for supper,
Her headache still was so severe.
ORGON And how
About Tartuffe?
DORINE He supped alone, before her,
And unctuously ate up two partridges,
As well as half a leg o' mutton, deviled.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE All night she couldn't get a wink
Of sleep, the fever racked her so; and we
Had to sit up with her till daylight.
ORGON How
About Tartuffe?
DORINE Gently inclined to slumber,
He left the table, went into his room,
Got himself straight into a good warm bed,
And slept quite undisturbed until next morning.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE At last she let us all persuade her,
And got up courage to be bled; and then
She was relieved at once.
ORGON And how about
Tartuffe?
DORINE He plucked up courage properly,
Bravely entrenched his soul against all evils,
And to replace the blood that she had lost,
He drank at breakfast four huge draughts of wine.
ORGON Poor man!
DORINE So now they both are doing well;
And I'll go straightway and inform my mistress
How pleased you are at her recovery.