EL. To speak my mind freely to you, I am not much astonished at anything
the Prince may do; for it is very natural, and I cannot disapprove of
it, that a soul inflamed by a noble passion should become exasperated by
jealousy, and that frequent doubts should cross his mind: but what
surprises me, Don Lopez, is to hear that you keep alive his suspicions;
that you are the contriver of them; that he is sad only because you wish
it, jealous only because he looks at everything with your eyes. I repeat
it, Don Lopez, I do not wonder that a man who is greatly in love becomes
suspicious. But, that a man who is not in love should have all the
anxieties of one who is jealous--this is a novelty that belongs to none
but you.

LOP. Let everybody comment on my actions as much as they please. Each
man regulates his conduct according to the goal he wishes to reach;
since my love was rejected by you, I court the favour of the Prince.

EL. But do you not know that no favour will be granted to him if you
continue to maintain him in this disposition?

LOP. Pray, charming Eliza, was it ever known that those about great men
minded anything but their own interest, or that a perfect courtier
wished to increase the retinue of those same grandees by adding to it a
censor of their faults? Did he ever trouble himself if his conversation
harmed them, provided he could but derive some benefit? All the actions
of a courtier only tend to get into their favour, to obtain a place in
as short a time as possible; the quickest way to acquire their good
graces is by always flattering their weaknesses, by blindly applauding
what they have a mind to do, and by never countenancing anything that
displeases them. That is the true secret of standing well with them.
Good advice causes a man to be looked upon as a troublesome fellow, so