| from "L’ÉTOURDI" - I.1&2 | from "THE IDIOT" - I | ||||||||||||
| Molière | trans. Ranjit Bolt | ||||||||||||
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LÉLIE (seule) Hé bien! Léandre, hé bien! il faudra contester: Nous verrons de nous deux qui pourra l'emporter, Qui dans nos soins communs pour ce jeune miracle, Aux voeux de son rival portera plus d'obstacle. Préparez vos efforts, et vous défendez bien, Sûr que de mon côté je n'épargnerai rien. (MASCARILLE vient.) LÉLIE Ah! Mascarille. MASCARILLE
LÉLIE
Léandre aime Célie, et par un trait fatal, Malgré mon changement, est encor mon rival. MASCARILLE Léandre aime Célie! LÉLIE
MASCARILLE Tant pis. LÉLIE
Puisque j'ai ton secours, je dois me rassurer: Je sais que ton esprit, en intrigues fertile, N'a jamais rien trouvé qui lui fût difficile, Qu'on te peut appeler le roi des serviteurs, Et qu'en toute la terre. MASCARILLE Hé! trêve de douceurs. Quand nous faisons besoin, nous autres misérables, Nous sommes les chéris et les incomparables; Et dans un autre temps, dès le moindre courroux, Nous sommes les coquins, qu'il faut rouer de coups. LÉLIE Ma foi, tu me fais tort avec cette invective. Mais enfin discourons de l'aimable captive; Dis si les plus cruels et plus durs sentiments Ont rien d'impénétrable à des traits si charmants: Pour moi, dans ses discours, comme dans son visage, Je vois pour sa naissance un noble témoignage, Et je crois que le Ciel dedans un rang si bas Cache son origine, et ne l'en tire pas. ............ ............ |
LELIE (alone) Léandre, for one heart we both vie - You love Célie and so do I - We're victims of the same allure. Well, we can't share her, that's for sure We're going to have fight it out. Your love, or mine, is up the spout. And let me warn you, here and now: I mean to win, I don't care how, It's do or die, the gloves are off, And your gloves I suggest you doff. The die is cast... Ah! Mascarille. (Enter MASCARILLE.) MASCARILLE What's up? LELIE
A second blinking time, and why? Léandre again! He loves Célie! No sooner have I changed, than he, The bloody fool, has followed suit! It's Hell! My stars have brought me They seem to have it in for me. MASCARILLE Léandre loves Célie? I see! LELIE He's hopelessly in love with her. MASCARILLE Oh, dear! That is a pity, sir. LELIE You can say that abloodygain! I'm in complete despair. But then I shouldn't give up hope just yet With you to aid and to abet, Devise some ruse, or set some snare, There must be chances, mustn't there? It's not the nightmare that it seems. You're always thinking up new schemes, Your ingenuity is rare, As servants go, beyond compare, You're probably the cleverest one In the whole country... MASCARILLE
It makes me nervous. I prefer The insults and the threats I get When you are angry or upset. LELIE That isn't fair, as well you know. I'd rather change the subject, though: My slave girl, my divine Célie - She's perfect, wouldn't you agree? She's made to melt the hardest heart - I really don't know where to start, Which of her many marvellous traits Deserves the first and highest praise: Not only does she look sublime, I keep discovering, all the time, In chance remarks that she lets fall A wisdom that is not at all Consistent with her lowly rank. For that she has bad luck to thank - Yes, it is Fate that's brought her low And now perversely keeps her so, Conceals her birth with servile chains. ............ ............ |
Trans. Copyright © Ranjit Bolt 2001 - publ. Oberon Books
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