The fellow knows his dupe, and makes the most on't,
He fools him with a hundred masks of virtue,
Gets money from him all the time by canting,
And takes upon himself to carp at us.
Even his silly coxcomb of a lackey
Makes it his business to instruct us too;
He comes with rolling eyes to preach at us,
And throws away our ribbons, rouge, and patches.
The wretch, the other day, tore up a kerchief
That he had found, pressed in the /Golden Legend/,
Calling it a horrid crime for us to mingle
The devil's finery with holy things.

[Footnote 1: Referring to the rebellion called La Fronde, during the
minority of Louis XIV.]

[Footnote 2: Moliere's note, inserted in the text of all the old
editions. It is a curious illustration of the desire for uniformity
and dignity of style in dramatic verse of the seventeenth century,
that Moliere feels called on to apologize for a touch of realism like
this. Indeed, these lines were even omitted when the play was given.]



SCENE III
ELMIRE, MARIANE, DAMIS, CLEANTE, DORINE


ELMIRE (to Cleante)
You're very lucky to have missed the speech