Act III
Scene III
ELMIRE, TARTUFFE
TARTUFFE
May Heaven’s overflowing kindness ever
Give you good health of body and of soul,
And bless your days according to the wishes
And prayers of its most humble votary!
ELMIRE
I’m very grateful for your pious wishes.
But let’s sit down, so we may talk at ease.
TARTUFFE (after sitting down)
And how are you recovered from your illness?
ELMIRE (sitting down also)
Quite well; the fever soon let go its hold.
TARTUFFE
My prayers, I fear, have not sufficient merit
To have drawn down this favour from on high;
But each entreaty that I made to Heaven
Had for its object your recovery.
ELMIRE
You’re too solicitous on my behalf.
TARTUFFE
We could not cherish your dear health too much;
I would have given mine, to help restore it.
ELMIRE
That’s pushing Christian charity too far;
I owe you many thanks for so much kindness.
TARTUFFE
I do far less for you than you deserve.
ELMIRE
There is a matter that I wished to speak of
In private; I am glad there’s no one here
To listen.
TARTUFFE
Madam, I am overjoyed.
‘Tis sweet to find myself alone with you.
This is an opportunity I’ve asked
Of Heaven, many a time; till now, in vain.
(DAMIS, without their seeing him, opens the closet door halfway.)
TARTUFFE
I too could wish, as Heaven’s especial favour,
To lay my soul quite open to your eyes,
And swear to you, the trouble that I made
About those visits which your charms attract,
Does not result from any hatred toward you,
But rather from a passionate devotion,
And purest motives . . .
ELMIRE
That is how I take it,
I think ’tis my salvation that concerns you.
TARTUFFE (pressing her finger tips)
Madam, ’tis so; and such is my devotion . . .
ELMIRE
Ouch! but you squeeze too hard.
TARTUFFE
Excess of zeal.
In no way could I ever mean to hurt you,
And I’d as soon . . .
(He puts his hand on her knee.)
ELMIRE
What’s your hand doing there?
TARTUFFE
Feeling your gown; the stuff is very soft.
ELMIRE
Let be, I beg you; I am very ticklish.
(She moves her chair away, and Tartuffe brings his nearer.)
TARTUFFE (handling the lace yoke of Elmire’s dress)
Dear me how wonderful in workmanship
This lace is! They do marvels, nowadays;
Things of all kinds were never better made.
ELMIRE
Yes, very true. But let us come to business.
They say my husband means to break his word.
And marry Mariane to you. Is’t so?
TARTUFFE
He did hint some such thing; but truly, madam,
That’s not the happiness I’m yearning after;
I see elsewhere the sweet compelling charms
Of such a joy as fills my every wish.
ELMIRE
You mean you cannot love terrestrial things.
TARTUFFE
The heart within my bosom is not stone.
ELMIRE
I well believe your sighs all tend to Heaven,
And nothing here below can stay your thoughts.
TARTUFFE
Love for the beauty of eternal things
Cannot destroy our love for earthly beauty;
Our mortal senses well may be entranced
By perfect works that Heaven has fashioned here.
Its charms reflected shine in such as you,
And in yourself, its rarest miracles;
It has displayed