CLE. What would you have me do? It is to this that young men are
reduced by the accursed avarice of their fathers; and people are
astonished after that, that sons long for their death.

LA FL. No one can deny that yours would excite against his meanness
the most quiet of men. I have not, thank God, any inclination gallows-
ward, and among my colleagues whom I see dabbling in various doubtful
affairs, I know well enough how to keep myself out of hot water, and
how to keep clear of all those things which savour ever so little of
the ladder; but to tell you the truth, he almost gives me, by his ways
of going on, the desire of robbing him, and I should think that in
doing so I was doing a meritorious action.

CLE. Give me that memorandum that I may have another look at it.




SCENE II.--HARPAGON, MR. SIMON (CLEANTE _and_ LA FLECHE _at the
back of the stage_).


SIM. Yes, Sir; it is a young man who is greatly in want of money; his
affairs force him to find some at any cost, and he will submit to all
your conditions.

HAR. But are you sure, Mr. Simon, that there is no risk to run in this
case? and do you know the name, the property, and the family of him
for whom you speak?