Racine: Phaedra

THE MISANTHROPE 3x9
Scene IV.
Arsinoe, Celimene, Eliante, Acaste, Philinte, Clitandre, Oronte
AcASTE [to Celimene]. Madam, we come, with your permis-
sion, to try and clear up a certain trifling matter.
Clitandre [to Oronte and Alceste]. You are right welcome
here, gentlemen, for you also are concerned in this busi-
ness.
Arsinoe [to Celimene]. You are no doubt surprised, madam,
to see me here, but these gentlemen are the cause of my
presence. They both came to see me, and both complained
of a want of faith which I cannot believe you to be guilty of.
I have too high an opinion of you ; my eyes even refused to
be convinced by the strongest proofs they showed me ; and
in my friendship, forgetful of the little misunderstanding
we have had, I readily complied with their wish to come
here with them, in order to see you clear yourself from such
calumny.
Acaste. Yes, madam, let us see with all due calmness how you
will manage to explain the matter. This letter was written
by you to Clitandre.
Clitandre. And you wrote this affectionate note to Acaste.
Acaste [to Oronte and Alceste]. Gentlemen, this writing can-
not be altogether unknown to you. I greatly fear, on the
contrary, that her kindness has only too well acquainted you
with her handwriting; still this is worth reading.
Acaste reads
" You are a strange man to reprove my playfulness, and
to reproach me with never being so merry as when I am not
with you. There is nothing more unjust, and if you do not
come at once and ask my pardon for this offence, I will
never forgive you as long as I live. Our big gawky of a
viscount "—he should have been here — " Our big gawky
of a viscount, with whom you begin your complaints, is a
man who could never please me ; and since the day that I
VI atched him spitting in a well for full three-quarters of
a hour, to make circles in the water, I have never been able