SCENE III.--ARISTIONE, ERIPHYLE.

ARI. Daughter, the gods have imposed silence on all our arguments.
After this, all we have to do is to wait for what they wish to give
us; and we have distinctly heard what their will is. Let us go to the
nearest temple to assure them of our obedience, and to render thanks
to them for their goodness.



SCENE IV.--ANAXARCHUS, CLEON.

CLE. The princess is going away; do you not want to speak to her?

ANA. No; let us wait until her daughter has left her. I am afraid of
her; she will never suffer herself to be led like her mother. In
short, my son, as we have just been able to judge through this
opening, our stratagem has succeeded. Our Venus has done wonders, and
the admirable engineer, who has contrived this piece of machinery, has
so well disposed everything, so cunningly cut the floor of his grotto,
so well hid his wires and springs, so well adjusted his lights, and
dressed his personages, that but few people could have escaped being
deceived; and as the Princess Aristione is extremely superstitious,
there is no, doubt that she fully believes in this piece of deception.
I have been a long time preparing this machine, my son, and now I have
almost reached the goal of my ambition.