The Village Coquette, Charles Dufresny [books to read to be successful txt] 📗

I can love you they would get me locked up.

Argon Ha! Ha!

Lisette Truly, I would have completely spoiled the mystery. You told me yourself before to keep quiet.

Argon You've done very properly. Yes, you're right, and I am the fool. To deceive the Baron--yes, I see the pretence is prudent and useful.

Lisette I believe, too, well done, at least.

Argon How charming Lisette is. I am not blind, I see clearly that Lisette prefers me to a far richer man. What love! What wit!

Lisette I have no wit. Love has added to my customary want of it.

Argon We must secretly--

Lisette Yes, but let's separate. I will go alone, in secret, to your place for a short while.

Argon Without your father--

Lisette He's coming. Leave me, for I tremble if the Baron and he should see us together.

(Exit Argon. Enter Lucas and the Baron.)

Lisette (aside) Here I am sure of one, but he's my second choice. Let's retake the other one. He's back to speak to me.

Lucas She must have gone crazy and what she said astonishes me. You say she doesn't love you and refuses to be a Baroness?

Baron (to Lisette) You have just revived my wrath. Ah, how I ought to kill my love for you. How can you, at your age, have the audacity to give me the lie-- me, and look in my face, and tell me that you don't love me?

Lisette (pretending to have a grudge against him) Yes, I have maintained it to your face, for it is true.

Baron Without doubt, it happened unexpectedly to you, some vapor which disturbed your senses and memory. For how else could I believe that, after the ardent love you've shown me?

Lisette (adding to her simulated scorn) I never loved you.

Baron Still? I am outraged. You have told me a hundred times, and before your father.

Lisette I never said it to you.

Baron She makes me despair.

Lisette (softening) No, never, or at least--

Baron At least?

Lisette If I said it, I repent it so much. I have so much scorn, that if I said it, I will say the contrary, always to the whole wide world, to yourself, to my father. (pretending tenderness) What the world will know, that I loved you, and that, when I cried from love, you didn't want to marry me. No, no, and against you, my courage has returned. Me! I love you? I would indeed have little heart. My love was honest and yours was deceitful.

Lucas (who has softened, taken in and almost crying) I've seen--she's right.

Baron Then it's from rage, suspecting my love is not sincere, that you have told me you don't love me?

Lisette Yes, exactly. Am I wrong?

Baron You love me then?

Lisette Alas!

Baron Let's forget all this, Lisette, let's go quickly to a notary. May a contract be the prize of your sincere love. Let's hurry.

(Exit Baron.)

Lucas (transported with joy) Quickly, quickly!

Lisette (low to her father, holding him by the arm) Let's go softly.

Lucas I'm going to be papa to a Baroness.

Lisette Oh, I doubt it.

Lucas Why? He's making you his wife and says so.

Lisette No, I can see some trick.

Lucas He marries, and that's that.

Lisette I don't believe a word of it, father.

Lucas To not believe the wedding, when it's come?

Lisette I believe he's deceiving me. First, I saw the Widow when Argon spoke of the business in a fret with Girard. Raging, despairing--and now she's just embraced me, knowing that I deceived her, she comes to caress me.

Lucas Yes, it's treason.

Lisette The Baron refused me. Then, suddenly, he changes and wants me.

Lucas It's a trick.

Lisette (after having dreamed) If the Widow and Girard, who know how to trick, said to the Baron: pretend to marry her and as soon as she agrees, won't Argon be disgusted?

Lucas Oh--that's it! I see clearly.

Lisette (dreaming again) For me, I don't see. For, on the other side, perhaps the Baron really wanted to marry me. That would embarrass, no, yes, the more I think about it-- May I have enough wit and not be too clever by half.

Lucas Listen to my good advice. I have marvelous ideas. For, in the state where things are perilous, you have wit, but in a family affair, a father, as they say, is older than his daughter. Here then is my good advice. Let's go find the Baron. He's the most important.

Lisette No.

Lucas No?

Lisette No.

Lucas It's the second who is good. Lets go find Argon.

Lisette No.

Lucas Then I don't know any more than an animal? Oh, my third advice, it's to have a tete-a-tete.

Lisette Go find the Baron alone.

Lucas Yes, I understand.

Lisette And, I alone am going to find Mr. Argon. You finish one side, I will finish the other.

Lucas Wow! That's very good. I will marry them both before the notary.

Lisette As for me, when both contracts are drawn up--I will see. The first one to sign--that's the one I'll take.

Lucas You will take hastily. It's the chance of the game. Let's sign two contracts soon, for fear we will lack one.

Lisette Mr. Argon's waiting for me. I'm off.

(Exit Lisette.)

Lucas (alone) Go, quick, go. But how can she get that all out of her own head? I believe she must have two brains, for she always amazes me. Yes, she's only my daughter. By God, her wit is already far ahead of mine.

(Enter Girard)

Girard (aside) Let's latch on to the father. I risk nothing, for without him the Baron can conclude nothing. By making him read this phony list, let us disturb his head. Let's throw the dice. (counterfeiting the newsboys) Lists, lists of winners!

Lucas Lottery winners! Let's see a bit. What did you say there?

Girard Let's see if this lottery came out good.

Lucas What do I see there? Don't I see the seal?

Girard Clever. Are you curious? (putting the list on the side where Lucas is not) Read here.

Lucas Very well. But show me better then.

Girard To an avaricious reader--oh beautiful thought. May a happy fool with a lucky number--

Lucas Ha, ha, that's it!

Girard Yes, it is. Hum, hum.

Lucas Let's see that.

Girard (turning the list to the other side) With pleasure. Let's see.

Lucas Eh! I can't see anything that way.

Girard (turning the other side even worse) Let's read. Let's see. Ah!

(Girard is moving and raising and lowering the paper so Lucas can't see.)

Lucas (with a little joy) What is it? Show me then, friend.

Girard No. I was mistaken. But, hum, hum. I hope-- (letting Lucas see the paper) God, I don't see a thing.

Lucas Ah, by God, I see. Let's see quickly there, Girard. I see something about me.

Girard (hiding the list) No, it's nothing at all.

Lucas (joyfully) And I have seen. My name is there!

Girard Take it easy. You probably have won nothing. I will give you a hundred francs at best.

Lucas No, no. I've seen what I've seen. Lucas, it's my name.

Girard If you have, at least I want to be reimbursed. Return my money, it's my only resource.

Lucas All right. Show quickly.

Girard It's one of the numbers. It's at least a thousand francs. I have seen several zeroes.

Lucas Several zeroes? I intend to see as many as grains of sand.

Girard You're a man insatiable for zeroes.

Lucas (joyous) Ah, it's ten thousand francs.

Girard Curious, yes, I see. But, if that isn't the numeral?

Lucas By God, I'm really frightened.

Girard Let's confirm.

Lucas (thoughtful) Yes, there it is, the fifth.

Girard (giving the list) Read it over, and calculate it yourself.

Lucas (taking the list, upset) My heart beats--beats. I am quite transported. I'm afraid to have seen double, and to have counted too many. One, two, three, four, and five.

Girard Let's say--

Lucas (upset) One, two, three, did I say three?

Girard Yes.

Lucas Ah, I see the number that's formed. I'm a bit overwhelmed.

Girard In short, Lucas has the Grand Prize?

Lucas Ouf!

Girard (relaxing) Relax. Take off your coat.

Lucas The Grand Prize!

Girard Since one is rich, one must get a little better clothes.

Lucas One hundred thousand francs!

Girard How much we'll drink at Lucas' place!

Lucas Let's go quickly to Paris.

Girard I will get you a carriage and horses.

Lucas Ah, I believe I'll die of luxury. Let's see the lottery quickly, so I can see myself first again.

Girard Are you going to remain a farmer?

Lucas (indignant) Me! A farmer.

Girard Forgive me for saying the word. I quite see the question is crazy. Well, give me your rents. You won't want them. You'll be a great lord. I am a poor devil, and your loyal friend. You will give them to me for this good news.

Lucas Yes. Get me a carriage and horses that go very fast, very fast.

Girard Yes, like birds. But, at first, in passing, let's stop at the notary to give me the rents. All right, father?

Lucas Yes, I won't need it myself. I will leave you all the rents from my timberland. I am going straight to Paris to get some nobility.

CURTAIN


ACT III

Argon is trying to avoid showing himself to the Widow, who grabs him by the arm.

Widow I will prove it all to you. Can you doubt it? But, stay one minute, at least to listen to me.

Argon Time presses. I have Lisette and the notary together. If Lucas appears I will finish the business. In love, moments are precious to an older person.

Widow If you marry, a quarter of an hour later, you will have time to be tired of Lisette and to repent a foolish act. Pardon the word, it's from friendship for you. My zeal is not mixed with any jealous transport. Better if you never marry me or the coquette. Be undeceived and I will be satisfied. Eh--can you remain blind. I will prove to both you and the Baron how she trapped you at once reconciling, by the same management, traitorous simplicity and naïve lies. By the cleverest tricks and the most lively manners, she's figured out how to get love without giving any. She cold-bloodedly talks in the most tender way and pretends with effrontery to be timidly embarrassed. Tears which go right to the heart and which bother her not at all. She abuses his weakness and yours. In offering you one hand, she gives him the other. Thus a French