Racine: Phaedra

320
MOLIERE
to have a good opinion of him. As for the little marquis "
—myself, gentlemen, let it be said without vanity — " As for
the little marquis who held my hand so long yesterday, I
think there is nothing so trivial as his whole person, and he
is one of those men who have no other merit than what their
tailor brings them. As for the man with the green ribbons
"
[to Alceste] your turn now, sir — " As for the man
with the green ribbons, he amuses me sometimes with his
bluntness and his irascible peevishness, but there are a
thousand occasions when I think him the greatest bore in
the world. As for the sonnet-maker" [to Oronte] now
for your share, sir —'* As for the sonnet-maker, who wants
to pass for a clever wit, and will be an author in spite of
everybody, I cannot even take the trouble of listening to
what he says, and his prose is to me as bad as his verse.
Understand, therefore, that I am not always as much enter-
tained as you imagine ; that I miss you more than I should
care to say in all the entertainments to which I am forced
to go, and that there is nothing like the society of those we
love to enhance all kind of pleasure."
Clitandre. Now it's my turn [reads] : " Your Clitandre of
whom you talk to me, and who affects such sweet manners,
is the last man for whom I could feel any friendship. He
is absurd enough to fancy that I love him, and you yourself
are absurd to think that I do not love you. If you wish
to be right, change feelings with him and come and see me
as often as you possibly can, to lighten for me the misery
of being persecuted by his presence." We see here the
model of a fine character, madam ; you know, no doubt,
what name it deserves. It is enough ; we shall both of us
go and publish everywhere this noble picture of your heart.
[Exit.
AcASTE. I too could say something worth hearing, but I do not
hold you worthy of my anger, and I will show you that little
marquises can comfort themselves with nobler hearts than
yours. [Exit.