amount; but money, that's a different affair. There is nothing more
dry, more barren, than his favour and his good grace, and
"_give_" is a word for which be has such a strong dislike that he
never says _I give_, but _I lend, you a good morning_.

FRO. That's all very well; but I know the art of fleecing men. I have
a secret of touching their affections by flattering their hearts, and
of finding out their weak points.

LA FL. All useless here. I defy you to soften, as far as money is
concerned, the man we are speaking of. He is a Turk on that point, of
a Turkishness to drive anyone to despair, and we might starve in his
presence and never a peg would he stir. In short, he loves money
better than reputation, honour, and virtue, and the mere sight of
anyone making demands upon his purse sends him into convulsions; it is
like striking him in a vital place, it is piercing him to the heart,
it is like tearing out his very bowels! And if ... But here he comes
again; I leave you.




SCENE VI.--HARPAGON, FROSINE.


HAR. (_aside_). All is as it should be. (_To_ FROSINE) Well,
what is it, Frosine?

FRO. Bless me, how well you look! You are the very picture of health.