blunder, you cannot lay the blame upon ignorance of the plot; you ought
to know your part in the play perfectly by heart.

LEL. But how did Trufaldin receive you?

MASC. I cozened the good fellow with a pretended zeal for his interests.
I went with alacrity to tell him that, unless he took very great care,
some people would come and surprise him; that from different quarters
they had designs upon her of whose origin a letter had given a false
account; that they would have liked to draw me in for a share in the
business, but that I kept well out of it; and that, being full of zeal
for what so nearly concerned him, I came to give him timely notice that
he might take his precautions. Then, moralizing, I discoursed solemnly
about the many rogueries one sees every day here below; that, as for me,
being tired with the world and its infamies, I wished to work out my
soul's salvation, retire from all its noise, and live with some worthy
honest man, with whom I could spend the rest of my days in peace; that,
if he had no objection, I should desire nothing more than to pass the
remainder of my life with him; that I had taken such a liking to him,
that, without asking for any wages to serve him, I was ready to place in
his hands, knowing it to be safe there, some property my father had left
me, as well as my savings, which I was fully determined to leave to him
alone, if it pleased Heaven to take me hence. That was the right way to
gain his affection. You and your beloved should decide what means to use
to attain your wishes. I was anxious to arrange a secret interview
between you two; he himself has contrived to show me a most excellent
method, by which you may fairly and openly stay in her house. Happening
to talk to me about a son he had lost, and whom he dreamt last night had
come to life again, he told me the following story, upon which, just
now, I founded my stratagem.