The World's Greatest Books [Volumes 1-15, 17-20]

12

goes to his mistress in a frenzy of rage, and accuses her of treachery, she disarms him by saying that the letter was written to a woman, rebukes him for his suspicions and mad jealousy, and almost convinces him that she is true to him. Celimene's love for Alceste is, however, to be submitted to a final and more searching proof. The misanthrope loses the lawsuit in which right has been so clearly on his side, and, in a passion of resentment, declares to Philinte his resolution to withdraw from all intercourse with the world. Philinte urges him to appeal against the judicial decision and to have the case re-tried. " No," says Alceste, " I shall abide by the decision. Whatever cruel injury such a verdict may inflict on me, I shall take good care not to have it quashed. One sees in this case too plainly how right is trampled on, and I wish it to go down to posterity as a signal proof, as a glaring evidence of the wickedness of the men of to-day. It may cost me twenty thousand francs, but at the cost of twenty thousand francs I shall have the right to inveigh against the iniquity of human nature, and to nourish an eternal hatred for it."

In this mood Alceste approaches Celimene to have a final understanding with her. He finds Ononte with her, and they are both urging her to make a definite choice between them, when Acaste and Clitandre, two marquises who have long dangled at Celimene's heels, appear to demand from the lady an explanation of a couple of letters which she has written. Acaste reads out one written to Clitandre mocking at Acaste, Ononte, and Alceste; and Clitandre reads out another written to Acaste abusing Clitandre. At this Ononte withdraws his offer to Celimene, the latter confesses to Alceste that she is in the wrong, and he offers to forgive her if she will marry him and withdraw with him from the world. But Celimene cannot in the end prevail upon herself to make such a renunciation, and Alceste, having made an unsuccessful offer of his hand to Eliante, who, however, agrees to marry Philinte, retires to seek out some secluded place on earth where he may be free and honest.

13

The School for Wives

Persons in the Play

Arnolphe, otherwise M. de la Souche

Agnes, a young girl brought up by Arnolphe

Horace, the lover of Agnes

Chrysalde, Arnolphe's friend

Enrique, Chrysalde's brother-in-lazu

Oronte, Horace's father, Arnolphe's great friend

The scene is laid in a tozvn square.

Act I Scene I.

[Enter Chrysalde and Arnolphe.

Chrysalde : Your plan makes me feel uneasy for you; however you look at the business, taking a wife is a distinctly risky affair in your case.

Arnolphe: True. Perhaps it is what you have in your own home that makes you fear for me.

Chrysalde: Chances of that sort one must take. I fear for you because of your habit of ridiculing poor husbands, from which so many hundreds have suffered. It is your greatest pleasure.

Few plays have excited a more, violent literary war than Moliere's " School for Wives" (" L'Ecole des Femmes"), which was produced on December 26, 1662. Nevertheless, it is quite •one of the best plays that came from his pen; it is witty and epigrammatic, and its satire on the whims and foibles of its time is merciless. " In pure comedy," says Mr. Frederic Harrison, " Moliere has no superior, or none but Aristophanes. He is marked out by the wonderfully systematic and profound study that he devoted to every type of folly, affectation, hypocrisy, quackery, foppery, and grossness which beset his age."

14

Arnolphe: Quite true! Is there another town in the world which contains husbands as patient as they are here? As a spectator may I not laugh at them?

Chrysalde : Yes, but he who laughs at another ought to fear lest he be laughed at in his turn. No one has ever heard me delighting in the stories which are told in the houses I visit. I might condemn undue toleration on the part of husbands. I would not under any circumstances suffer what many of them suffer quite calmly; yet I have never dreamed of saying so. So if, as fate will have it, this sort of disgrace ever falls upon me, I am certain, after the way I have acted, that people would content themselves with laughing up their sleeves at me. But in your case, my dear friend, it is different. I tell you again, you are running a very awkward risk.

Arnolphe: Don't distress yourself, my friend. I know all the sharp tricks and subtle devices which women make use of to deceive us. Against this accident I have taken my precautions. The girl I am marrying has all the innocence required to preserve my honour from evil influences. I am marrying a fool to escape being fooled. It's a bad lookout to have a clever wife. I want mine to be completely ignorant. I shall be satisfied if she can say her prayers, love me, sew, and spin. Virtue is all I want.