Racine: Phaedra

THE MISANTHROPE 313
to make it out. It is about your lawsuit, I feel sure; but
even Beelzebub could not make out a word of it.
Alceste. Well ! and what has the paper to do with the going
away you come here to speak of, you rascal ?
Dubois. I must tell you, sir, that about an hour afterwards, a
gentle.nan who often comes to see you, came to ask for you
all in a kind of tremor, and not finding you at home, he told
me softly— for he knows that I am a very faithful servant
to you, sir—to let you know . . . Wait a moment ; what
can possibly be his name ?
Alceste. Never mind his name, you stupid fellow, and tell me
what he said.
Dubois. In short, he is one of your friends, and that is suffi-
cient. He told me that you must go away from here for
your very life, and that you are threatened with being ar-
rested.
Alceste. What ! Did he not tell you anything more definite ?
Dubois. No. He asked me for some paper and ink, and wrote
a line or two which may let you into the depths of this
mystery.
Alceste. Give it me, then.
Celimene. What can all this mean?
Alceste. I really don't know ; but I should like to have it ex-
plained to me. [To Dtibois.] Will you soon have done,
you scoundrel ?
Dubois [after having fumbled about for the note]. Faith,
sir, I must have left it on your table.
Alceste. I do not know what keeps me from . . .
Celimene. Do not get angry; but go and try to unravel all
this.
Alceste. It seems that whatever I may do, fate has sworn to
prevent me from having any conversation with you. But
to triumph over it, allow me in my ardent love to see you
once more before the day is ended.