SIL. Now, add to this the unforeseen return of the father, who was
not to be back before two whole months; the discovery which the uncle
has made of the marriage; and that other marriage projected between
him and a daughter which Mr. Geronte had by a second wife, whom, they
say, he married at Tarentum.

OCT. And, above all, add also the poverty of my beloved, and the
impossibility there is for me to do anything for her relief.

SCA. Is that all? You are both of you at a great loss about nothing.
Is there any reason to be alarmed? Are you not ashamed, you,
Silvestre, to fall short in such a small matter? Deuce take it all!
You, big and stout as father and mother put together, you can't find
any expedient in your noddle? you can't plan any stratagem, invent
any gallant intrigue to put matters straight? Fie! Plague on the
booby! I wish I had had the two old fellows to bamboozle in former
times; I should not have thought much of it; and I was no bigger than
that, when I had given a hundred delicate proofs of my skill.

SIL. I acknowledge that Heaven has not given me your talent, and that
I have not the brains like you to embroil myself with justice.

OCT. Here is my lovely Hyacintha!




SCENE III.--HYACINTHA, OCTAVE, SCAPIN, SILVESTRE.