class="smallcaps">Bar. This hussy calls me drunkard. (to Angélique) Here, I have a great mind to give you a good dressing⁴ before your relations.

Gor. May the dev … may his money be blessed, if you have done as he says.⁵

Ang. It is always he who begins to …

Cat. Cursed be the hour when you chose that sordid wretch!

SCENE VI.——GORGIBUS, VILLEBREQUIN, ANGÉLIQUE, CATHAU, LE BARBOUILLÉ, DOCTOR.

Doc. Why, what is the meaning of this? what a disorder! what a quarrel! what a racket! what a row! what a noise! what a dispute! what a combustion! What is the matter, gentlemen? what is the matter? what is the matter? Come, come, is there no way of making you agree, let me be your pacificator; suffer me to bring peace among you.

Gor. It is my son-in-law and my daughter who have had words together.

Doc. But what can it be? Now, come, let me know the cause of their dispute.

Gor. Sir …

Doc. But in a few words …

Gor. Yes, yes; but put on your hat.

Doc. Hat; that is bonnet. Do you know what bonnet comes from?

Gor. No.

Doc. It comes from bonum est, it is good, a thing which is good, because it saves one from colds and coughs.

Gor. Indeed! I did not know that.

Doc. Now quick, the subject of your quarrel?

Gor. This is what happened.

Doc. I hope you are not a man to keep me long when I pray you not to do so. I have some pressing business which calls me to town; still, if I can bring peace to your family, I am willing to stop a moment.

Gor. I shall soon have done.

Doc. Be quick, then.

Gor. It will be said in a moment.

Doc. We must acknowledge, Mr. Gorgibus, that it is a wonderful gift to be able to say things in a few words, and that great talkers, instead of being heard, become often so wearisome that one cannot listen to them; virtutem primam esse puta compescere linguam. Yes, the best quality of an honest man is silence.

Gor. You must know then …

Doc. There are three things which Socrates used to recommend particularly to his disciples: to be careful of one's actions, to be sober in eating, and to say things in a few words. Begin, Mr. Gorgibus.

Gor. It is my wish to do so.

Doc. In a few words, without ceremony, without indulging in a long speech: cut it short with an apophthegm⁶; quick, quick, Mr. Gorgibus, make haste, avoid prolixity.

Gor. Suffer me to speak then….

Doc. That's enough Mr. Gorgibus, you speak too much. Somebody else must tell me what was the cause of their quarrel.