THE IMPOSTURES OF SCAPIN.
(LES FOURBERIES DE SCAPIN.)
BY
MOLIÈRE
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE.
WITH SHORT INTRODUCTIONS AND EXPLANATORY NOTES
BY
CHARLES HERON WALL
Acted on May 24, 1671, at the Palais Royal, 'Les Fourberies de
Scapin' had great success. It is nothing, however, but a farce, taken
partly from classical, partly from Italian or from French sources.
Molière acted the part of Scapin.
PERSONS REPRESENTED.
ARGANTE, father to OCTAVE and ZERBINETTE.
GÉRONTE, father to LÉANDRE and HYACINTHA.
OCTAVE, son to ARGANTE, and lover to HYACINTHA.
LÉANDRE, son to GÉRONTE, and lover to ZERBINETTE.
ZERBINETTE, daughter to ARGANTE, believed to be a gypsy girl.
HYACINTHA, daughter to GÉRONTE.
SCAPIN, servant to LÉANDRE.
SILVESTRE, servant to OCTAVE.
NÉRINE, nurse to HYACINTHA.
CARLE.
TWO PORTERS.
The scene is at NAPLES.
THE IMPOSTURES OF SCAPIN.
ACT I.
SCENE I.--OCTAVE, SILVESTRE.
OCT. Ah! what sad news for one in love! What a hard fate to be
reduced to! So, Silvestre, you have just heard at the harbour that my
father is coming back?
SIL. Yes.
OCT. That he returns this very morning?
SIL. This very morning.
OCT. With the intention of marrying me?
SIL. Of marrying you.
OCT. To a daughter of Mr. Géronte?
SIL. Of Mr. Géronte.
OCT. And that this daughter is on her way from Tarentum for that
purpose?
SIL. For that purpose.
OCT. And you have this news from my uncle?
SIL. From your uncle.
OCT. To whom my father has given all these particulars in a letter?
SIL. In a letter.
OCT. And this uncle, you say, knows all about our doings?
SIL. All our doings.
OCT. Oh! speak, I pray you; don't go on in such a way as that, and
force me to wrench everything from you, word by word.
SIL. But what is the use of my speaking? You don't forget one single
detail, but state everything exactly as it is.
OCT. At least advise me, and tell me what I ought to do in this
wretched business.
SIL. I really feel as much perplexed as you, and I myself need the
advice of some one to guide me.
OCT. I am undone by this unforeseen return.
SIL. And I no less.
OCT. When my father hears what has taken place, a storm of reprimands
will burst upon me.
SIL. Reprimands are not very heavy to bear; would to heaven I were
free at that price! But I am very likely to pay dearly for all your
wild doings, and I see a storm of blows ready to burst upon my
shoulders.
OCT. Heavens! how am I to get clear of all the difficulties that
beset my path!
SIL. You should have thought of that before entering upon it.
OCT. Oh, don't come and plague me to death with your unreasonable
lectures.
SIL. You plague me much more by your foolish deeds.
OCT. What am I to do? What steps must I take? To what course of
action have recourse?
SCENE II.--OCTAVE, SCAPIN, SILVESTRE.
SCA. How now, Mr. Octave? What is the matter with you? What is it? What trouble are you in? You are all upset, I see.
OCT. Ah! my dear Scapin, I am in despair; I am lost; I am the most
unfortunate of mortals.
SCA. How is that?
OCT. Don't you know anything of what has happened to me?
SCA. No.
OCT. My father is just returning with Mr. Géronte, and they want to
marry me.
SCA. Well, what is there so dreadful about that?
OCT. Alas! you don't know what cause I have to be anxious.
SCA. No; but it only depends on you that I should soon know; and I am
a man of consolation, a man who can interest himself in the troubles
of young people.
OCT. Ah! Scapin, if you could find some scheme, invent some plot, to
get me out of the trouble I am in, I should think myself indebted to
you for more than life.