Racine: Phaedra

THE MISANTHROPE 199
prove my friendship to you by giving you a piece of ad-
vice which closely concerns your honor. I was yesterday
visiting some virtuous and upright friends of mine, when
the conversation turned, madam, upon you. I am sorry
to say that your conduct, and the scandal it causes, was
far from being approved of. That crowd of people whose
visits you encourage; your gallantry, and the rumors to
which it gives rise, found censors more numerous than
should be, and more severe than I could have wished.
You can easily imagine which part I took. I did all in
my power to defend you. I vindicated your conduct on
the plea of your good intentions, and made myself answer-
able for the honesty of your heart. But you know that
there are in life certain things that we cannot excuse,
however desirous we may be of doing so ; and I was
forced at last to acknowledge that the way in which you
live does you harm ; that it assumes a very suspicious look
in the eyes of the world, and gives occasion to many an
ill-natured story to be spread about; although you have
but to wish it, for your conduct to give less hold to uncharitable
tongues. Not that I could think for one moment
that virtue has been outraged. Heaven preserve me
from such a thought! But people too easily trust the
appearances of guilt, and it is not sufficient for us to lead
a blameless life if we neglect these appearances. I feel
sure, madam, that you are too sensible not to take in good
part this kindly-meant advice, and not to attribute it merely
to the earnestness of an affection which makes me anxious
for your welfare.
Celimene. Madam, I have many thanks to return to you, and
such advice lays me under great obligation. Far from
taking it unkindly, I am only too anxious at once to prove
my gratitude by giving you on my part a certain piece
of advice, which, wonderful to say, closely concerns your
honor; and as I see you prove yourself my friend by
informing me of the reports that people spread about me,
I wish, in my turn, to follow so pleasing an example by
acquainting you with what is said of you. In a certain
house, where I waS visiting the other day, I met with
people of the most striking merit; and they, speaking of