Charles Rivière Dufresny

“ Desmond
Is this a way to talk of love?
Arabella
As for love—will yours always be so afflicted?
Desmond
If I had less refinement—
Arabella
You would be more reasonable.
Desmond
Is there anything more reasonable than my complaints?
Arabella Oh, your exaggerations are always full of reason. But they don't make you happy.
Desmond
What a conversation. Alas—how different your character is from mine.
Arabella
Marriage will solve all that.
Desmond
There, Lucy, I ask you to judge—
Lucy I have nothing to gain by judging. ”

“ In making you believe I was dead, she exposed you to a possible seizure. You might have died.
Bramble
You?—she would've enjoyed to make me die.
Widow Thank God's Mercy, you look—well. You appear healthy. I am furious with—that woman.
Bramble All this has merely redoubled my feelings for you. I can't really express them.
Widow I feel, also, that my love for you—I don't know how to say it. Huh— how I hate the Countess.
Bramble This is like a renewal of the feelings I had for you when we first met.
Widow
Yes. It's like a second honeymoon.
Tuneless
A posthumous marriage. ”

“ Desmond I am not being peculiar, when, after quiet reasoning, I conclude that your frivolousness—
Arabella Oh, my frivolousness, my frivolousness; I believe that my gayety ought to prove my tenderness. Here's how I think you ought to have reasoned, knowing me, and my fear of marriage because it is sad. I naturally fear marriage. I see they want to marry me to you—and I show no emotion. Well—to be gay under these circumstances—doesn't that prove I love you? ”

“ Countess Enough, Arabella, enough. Desmond, it was I who told her to tease you a bit over your emotionalism. It's not that I don't esteem you highly; the interest I take in your marriage proves that. But today, I've resolved to laugh, and to ridicule all those who happen to be around me. I have nothing but a boring day to pass in the country, and I am gong to amuse myself at the expense of anyone who happens to be around. So beware. Our widow will be the principal subject of my diversion—and the way I intend to get the money out of Mrs. Bramble is a comedy which will amuse me immensely. ”

“ Bramble Console yourself, my dear child. I will prevent the Countess from marrying you.
Arabella She wants to marry me to a man with no money at all. That's what distresses me.
Tuneless No money at all. Sir, you know she has nothing. And, when one marries without money—it makes for a lot of sad children. The Countess said this fellow had a fortune.
Arabella I don't believe in fortunes, except when I see them already in existence.
Tuneless
She said he is young.
Arabella
Then, he will be unfaithful.
Tuneless The older a man is, the more likely you'll love him for the rest of his life. ”

“ Tuneless
It's with lying that you find the way to dissimulate.
Bramble What! All the caresses that she gave me for ten years were only to have my wealth.
Tuneless
While you permitted her to caress, so you could have hers.
Bramble
A woman who hopes to outlive her husband is very unnatural.
Tuneless
For a man to wish to live longer than is wife is very—natural.
Bramble
To have a criminal passion for my nephew.
Tuneless
While you have an innocent tenderness for her niece.
Bramble
Heaven will punish her and all those who wish the death of others.
Such people always die first. ”

“ Lucy Madame, the Countess could easily cheat you. You may say that she cannot cheat the widow of an honest steward, who enriched himself as everyone does by entangling his affairs with hers. But, now she is going to take from you unjustly that which your husband earned on the fair and square. ”

“ Lucy They love each other, in proportion to the wealth they hope to obtain from each other.
Tuneless Yes, self-interest by itself produces more false love in some families than true love produces in all the sincere lovers in London.
Lucy I admire the wisdom of our law which permits spouses to disinherit one another. For only the hope of inheriting is the dike that can prevent a torrent of family quarrels. ”

“ Widow
That's what I'm afraid of, Lucy.
Lucy They ought not to oppress widows—because they have lost their main support.
Widow
Their support. That's very true, I am without support.
Lucy Without support! That's why you ought to pacify the Countess. That way you would peaceably obtain your husband's wealth. Then, find some young man to be your support.
Widow Ah, Lucy. If I think of accommodating the Countess, it is not to gain peace. But, before I give her anything, I wish to consult with some smart man.
Lucy (low)
Like Desmond. (Aloud) Some smart fellow who—
Widow
Some man of good counsel. ”

“ Unfortunately, I will never be as happy as my aunt was.
Bramble I like the prudence, the wisdom, and the good taste of this tasty little person.
Arabella It's my natural taste, you know, sir. I am incapable of loving a young man. But, I am capable of a real affection for those who treat me right.
Bramble Noble sentiments, noble sentiments. I am so charmed, so delighted, that I am going to see the Countess right now. Ah, there she is in the gallery. I am going to speak to her this moment.
(Exit Bramble.)
Arabella
It's not going badly. But, if my aunt should come in—
Tuneless Fear nothing. ”

“ Bramble
Ouf!
Tuneless Under the shelter of dissimulation, courtiers embrace each other, women compliment each other, and authors bow to each other at a distance. Dissimulation creates new friendships and smoothes over old hatreds.
Bramble
Ouf!
Tuneless Without dissimulation, how many secret separations would grow into public divorces. But dissimulation gives wisdom to men, joy to husbands—that's why there are so many happy families at present.
Bramble
Ah, my dear Tuneless—
Tuneless You begin to dissimulate—. ”

“ Bramble
Tell me some circumstances.
Tuneless If you absolutely wish to know the circumstances, I'll tell you right away that she died suddenly.
Bramble
Of apoplexy?
Tuneless
No, sir—of—of emotion. They just told her you had died at the wells.
Suddenly, a seizure came on—and the faint turned into a coma—and you
are now a widower.
Bramble (drawing out a handkerchief) If it is true she died of sadness, I am obligated to weep. (low) But, how shall I manage it? Boo hoo.
Tuneless
Don't weep any more. I've got important business to discuss. ”

“ That way, they will ultimately get all your wealth, and you will take proper care of your spouse.
Desmond (to Widow)
Madame, prevent them from separating me from your presence.
Arabella (to Bramble, low)
Sir, will you let them take me away from you into Scotland?
Bramble
What determines me is the fear of—of displeasing my wife.
Widow
The fear that I have of angering my husband—
Countess
Then, the marriage is made. Give your hands.
Tuneless Such a pretty marriage merits a complete Opera. But unfortunately, we have neither musicians nor dancers. And, in the town they have only peasants. ”

“ Countess
I am delighted to see you in such good humor.
Mrs. MacPherson I am happy because my husband has returned. And also, because your servant has been slipping us a little wine—discreetly. Women from my country are born for wine, like the French are born for love. Each to his custom and often enough the one does not impede the other.
Maid Here is Mr. MacPherson, Madame. You are going to hear an interesting speech, because he's erudite, your Highlander.
MacPherson (entering)
Madame, Madame.
Countess
Don't waste your time bowing. Tell me—is Bramble dead? ”

“ Lucy
It's an amusement very dangerous for the husband.
Desmond
One can have feelings and be virtuous.
Lucy Virtue doesn't always make a woman faithful. I'd like a woman better who had no passions rather than one who is governed by them.
(Enter Arabella, singing.) ”

“ The loss of her delightful status of widowhood will cause her to die.
Tuneless Let's come to the business. Tell me truly, now that she believes her husband is dead—is she in love with Desmond, and does she plan to marry him?
Lucy She thought about it even while she was alive. And I always thought she prayed the nephew would outlive his uncle.
Tuneless >From the confidences her husband has made to me, I have often thought he destined his niece for the post of her aunt. He was quite explicit that Arabella was the niece of his wife only in the third degree. ”

“ They'll be furious.
(Exit Lucy.)
Tuneless Me, I always have the courage to amuse myself. Let's see what will become of this. The husband is left alone in his apartment—his wife is alone in hers. They are both saddled for the race. Let's see who will win. Good, here's the husband. I also see the wife. Let's turn out the lights so as to make this double widowhood last a bit longer.
(Tuneless turns out the lights. Bramble enters.)
Bramble The Countess thinks she's found her dupe. She intends to get me to give my money to Desmond, and then marry Arabella to whoever she pleases. ”

“ Countess According to that, he won't be here until tomorrow—and cannot disturb our project today. So, Miss, tell my dancing women to prepare for the wedding I intend to celebrate today.
Maid We will do all our best to please you, and though I sing poorly, I can sing a sad song about being a widow.
Countess It's Tuneless who is getting everything ready. He wants to be a music master, my Butler. ”

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