to marry a girl without a dowry, we ought to look no farther.
Everything is comprised in that, and "without dowry" compensates for
want of beauty, youth, birth, honour, wisdom, and probity.

HAR. Ah! the honest fellow! he speaks like an oracle. Happy is he who
can secure such a servant!




ACT II.

SCENE I.--CLEANTE, LA FLECHE.


CLE. How now, you rascal! where have you been hiding? Did I not give
you orders to...?

LA FL. Yes, Sir, and I came here resolved to wait for you without
stirring, but your father, that most ungracious of men, drove me into
the street in spite of myself, and I well nigh got a good drubbing
into the bargain.

CLE. How is our affair progressing? Things are worse than ever for us,
and since I left you, I have discovered that my own father is my
rival.

LA FL. Your father in love?

CLE. It seems so; and I found it very difficult to hide from him what