The Countess of Escarbagnas by Molière, 1622-1673, Wall, Charles Heron

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Scene Iii.-the Countess, Julia, Andree.

Scene Iv.-the Countess, Julia. Scene V.-the Countess, Julia, Andree. Scene Vi.-the Countess, Julia, Andree, Criquet.

Scene Ix.-the Countess, Julia. Scene Xi.-the Countess, Julia.

Scene Xii.-the Countess, Julia, Andree, Criquet. Scene Xiii.-the Countess, Julia, Andree, Criquet, Jeannot. Scene Xiv.-the Countess, Criquet, Jeannot. Scene Xv.-the Viscount, The Countess, Julia, Criquet.

Scene Xviii.-the Countess, Julia, The Viscount, Mr. Thibaudier.

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THE COUNTESS OF ESCARBAGNAS.

(LA COMTESSE D'ESCARBAGNAS.)

MOLIERE

TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH PROSE.

_WITH SHORT INTRODUCTIONS AND EXPLANATORY NOTES_.

CHARLES HERON WALL

'La Comtesse d'Escarbagnas' was acted before the Court at Saint- Germain-en-Laye, on December 2, 1671, and in the theatre of the Palais Royal on July 8, 1672. It was never printed during Moliere's lifetime, but for the first time only in 1682. It gives us a good picture of the provincial thoughts, manners, and habits of those days.

PERSONS REPRESENTED

THE COUNT, _son to the_ COUNTESS. THE VISCOUNT, _in love with_ JULIA. MR. THIBAUDIER, _councillor, in love with the_ COUNTESS. MR. HARPIN, _receiver of taxes, also in love with the_ COUNTESS. MR. BOBINET, _tutor to the_ COUNT. JEANNOT, _servant to_ MR. THIBAUDIER. CRIQUET, _servant to the_ COUNTESS. THE COUNTESS OF ESCARBAGNAS. JULIA, _in love with the_ VISCOUNT. ANDREE, _maid to the_ COUNTESS.

_The scene is at Angouleme._

SCENE I.--JULIA, THE VISCOUNT.

VISC. What! you are here already?

JU. Yes, and you ought to be ashamed of yourself, Cleante; it is not right for a lover to be the last to come to the rendezvous.

VISC. I should have been here long ago if there were no importunate people in the world. I was stopped on my way by an old bore of rank, who asked me news of the court, merely to be able himself to detail to me the most absurd things that can well be imagined about it. You know that those great newsmongers are the curse of provincial towns, and that they have no greater anxiety than to spread, everywhere abroad all the tittle-tattle they pick up. This one showed me, to begin with, two large sheets of paper full to the very brim with the greatest imaginable amount of rubbish, which, he says, comes from the safest quarters. Then, as if it were a wonderful thing, he read full length and with great mystery all the stupid jokes in the Dutch Gazette, which he takes for gospel. [Footnote: After the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1668, this newspaper never ceased to attack Louis XIV. and the French nation. In 1672 Louis XIV. attempted the conquest of Holland.] He thinks that France is being brought to ruin by the pen of that writer, whose fine wit, according to him, is sufficient to defeat armies. After that he raved about the ministry, spoke of all its faults, and I thought he would never have done. If one is to believe him, he knows the secrets of the cabinet better than those who compose it. The policy of the state is an open book to him, and no step is taken without his seeing through it. He shows you the secret machinations of all that takes place, whither the wisdom of our neighbours tends, and controls at his will and pleasure all the affairs of Europe. His knowledge of what goes on extends as far as Africa and Asia, and he is informed of all that; is discussed in the privy council of Prester John [Footnote: The name given in the middle ages to a supposed Christian sovereign and priest (presbyter) in the interior of Asia.] and the Great Mogul.

JU. You make the best excuse you can, and so arrange it that it may pass off well and be easily received.