(Cléonte, Lucile, Covielle, Nicole) NICOLE For my part, I was completely shocked at it.
LUCILE It can only be, Nicole, what I told you. But there he is.
CLÉONTE I don't even want to speak to her.
COVIELLE I'll imitate you.
LUCILE What's the matter Cléonte? What's wrong with you?
NICOLE What's the matter with you, Covielle?
LUCILE What grief possesses you?
NICOLE What bad humor holds you?
LUCILE Are you mute, Cléonte?
NICOLE Have you lost your voice, Covielle?
CLÉONTE Is this not villainous!
COVIELLE It's a Judas!
LUCILE I clearly see that our recent meeting has troubled you.
CLÉONTE Ah! Ah! She sees what she's done.
NICOLE Our greeting this morning has annoyed you.
COVIELLE She has guessed the problem.
LUCILE Isn't it true, Cléonte, that this is the cause of your resentment?
CLÉONTE Yes, perfidious one, it is, since I must speak; and I must tell that you shall not triumph in your faithlessness as you think, I want to be the first to break with you, and you won't have the advantage of driving me away. I will have difficulty in conquering the love I have for you; it will cause me pain; I will suffer for a while. But I'll come through it, and I would rather stab myself through the heart than have the weakness to return to you.
COVIELLE Me too.
LUCILE What an uproar over nothing. I want to tell you, Cléonte, what made me avoid joining you this morning.
CLÉONTE No, I don't want to listen to anything . . .
NICOLE I want to tell you what made us pass so quickly.
COVIELLE I don't want to hear anything.
LUCILE (Following Cléonte) Know that this morning . . .
CLÉONTE No, I tell you.
NICOLE (Following Covielle) Learn that . . .
COVIELLE No, traitor.
LUCILE Listen.
CLÉONTE I won't listen.
NICOLE Let me speak.
COVIELLE I'm deaf.
LUCILE Cléonte!
CLÉONTE No.
NICOLE Covielle!
COVIELLE I won't listen.
LUCILE Stop.
CLÉONTE Gibberish!
NICOLE Listen to me.
COVIELLE Rubbish!
LUCILE One moment.
CLÉONTE Never.
NICOLE A little patience.
COVIELLE Not interested!
LUCILE Two words.
CLÉONTE No, you've had them.
NICOLE One word.
COVIELLE No more talking.
LUCILE Alright! Since you don't want to listen to me, think what you like, and do what you want.
NICOLE Since you act like that, make whatever you like of it all.
CLÉONTE Let us know the reason, then, for such a fine reception.
LUCILE It no longer pleases me to say.
COVIELLE Let us know something of your story.
NICOLE I ,myself, no longer want to tell you.
CLÉONTE Tell me . . .
LUCILE No, I don't want to say anything.
COVIELLE Tell it . . .
NICOLE No, I'll tell nothing.
CLÉONTE For pity . . .
LUCILE No, I say.
COVIELLE Have mercy.
NICOLE It's no use.
CLÉONTE I beg you.
LUCILE Leave me . . .
COVIELLE I plead with you.
NICOLE Get out of here.
CLÉONTE Lucile!
LUCILE No.
COVIELLE Nicole!
NICOLE Never.
CLÉONTE In the name of God! . . .
LUCILE I don't want to.
COVIELLE Talk to me.
NICOLE Definitely not.
CLÉONTE Clear up my doubts.
LUCILE No, I'll do nothing.
COVIELLE Relieve my mind!
NICOLE No, I don't care to.
CLÉONTE Alright! since you are so little concerned to take me out of my pain and to justify yourself for the shameful treatment you gave to my passion, you are seeing me, ingrate, for the last time, and I am going far from you to die of sorrow and love.
COVIELLE And I -- I will follow in his steps.
LUCILE Cléonte!
NICOLE Covielle!
CLÉONTE What?
COVIELLE Yes?
LUCILE Where are you going?
CLÉONTE Where I told you.
COVIELLE We are going to die.
LUCILE You are going to die, Cléonte?
CLÉONTE Yes, cruel one, since you wish it.
LUCILE Me! I wish you to die?
CLÉONTE Yes, you wish it.
LUCILE Who told you that?
CLÉONTE Is it not wishing it when you don't wish to clear up my suspicions?
LUCILE Is it my fault? And, if you had wished to listen to me, would I not have told you that the incident you complain of was caused this morning by the presence of an old aunt who insists that the mere approach of a man dishonors a woman -- an aunt who constantly delivers sermons to us on this text, and tells us that all men are like devils we must flee?
NICOLE There's the key to the entire affair.
CLÉONTE Are you sure you're not deceiving me, Lucile?
COVIELLE Aren't you making this up?
LUCILE There's nothing more true.
NICOLE It's the absolute truth.
COVIELLE Are we going to give in to this?
CLÉONTE Ah! Lucile, how with a word from your lips you are able to appease the things in my heart, and how easily one allows himself to be persuaded by the people one loves!
COVIELLE How easily we are manipulated by these blasted minxes!