SCENE XI.——ARGAN, LOUISON.

LOU.
What do you want, papa? My step-mamma told me to come to you.

ARG.
Yes; come here. Come nearer. Turn round, and hold up your head. Look straight at me. Well?

LOU.
What, papa?

ARG.
So?

LOU.
What?

ARG.
Have you nothing to say to me?

LOU.
Yes. I will, to amuse you, tell you, if you like, the story of the Ass's Skin or the fable of the Fox and the Crow, which I have learnt lately.

ARG.
That is not what I want of you.
LOU.
What is it then?

ARG.
Ah! cunning little girl, you know very well what I mean.

LOU.
No indeed, papa.

ARG.
Is that the way you obey me?

LOU.
What, papa?

ARG.
Have I not asked you to tell me at once all you see?

LOU.
Yes, papa.

ARG.
Have you done so?

LOU.
Yes, papa. I always come and tell you all I see.
ARG.
And have you seen nothing to-day?

LOU.
No, papa.

ARG.
No?

LOU.
No, papa.

ARG.
Quite sure?

LOU.
Quite sure.

ARG.
Ah! indeed! I will make you see something soon.

LOU.
(seeing Argan take a rod). Ah! papa!

ARG.
Ah! ah! false little girl; you do not tell me that you saw a man in your sister's room!
LOU.
(crying). Papa!

ARG.
(taking Louison by the arm). This will teach you to tell falsehoods.

LOU.
(throwing herself on her knees). Ah! my dear papa! pray forgive me. My sister had asked me not to say anything to you, but I will tell you everything.

ARG.
First you must have a flogging for having told an untruth, then we will see to the rest.

LOU.
Forgive me, papa, forgive me!

ARG.
No, no!

LOU.
My dear papa, don't whip me.

ARG.
Yes, you shall be whipped.

LOU.
For pity's sake! don't whip me, papa.

ARG.
(going to whip her). Come, come.

LOU.
Ah! papa, you have hurt me; I am dead! (She feigns to be dead.)

ARG.
How, now! What does this mean? Louison! Louison! Ah! heaven! Louison! My child! Ah! wretched father! My poor child is dead! What have I done? Ah! villainous rod! A curse on the rod! Ah! my poor child! My dear little Louison!

LOU.
Come, come, dear papa; don't weep so. I am not quite dead yet.

ARG.
Just see the cunning little wench. Well! I forgive you this once, but you must tell me everything.

LOU.
Oh yes, dear papa.

ARG.
Be sure you take great care, for here is my little finger that knows everything, and it will tell me if you don't speak the truth.

LOU.
But, papa, you won't tell sister that I told you.

ARG.
No, no.

LOU.
(after having listened to see if any one can hear). Papa, a young man came into sister's room while I was there.

ARG.
Well?

LOU.
I asked him what he wanted; he said that he was her music-master.

ARG.
(aside). Hm! hm! I see. (To Louison) Well?

LOU.
Then sister came.

ARG.
Well?

LOU.
She said to him, "Go away, go away, go. Good heavens! you will drive me to despair."

ARG.
Well?

LOU.
But he would not go away.

ARG.
What did he say to her?

LOU.
Oh! ever so many things.

ARG.
But what?

LOU.
He told her this, and that, and the other; that he loved her dearly; that she was the most beautiful person in the world.

ARG.
And then, after?

LOU.
Then he knelt down before her.

ARG.
And then?

LOU.
Then he kept on kissing her hands.

ARG.
And then?

LOU.
Then my mamma came to the door, and, he escaped.

ARG.
Nothing else?

LOU.
No, dear papa.

ARG.
Here is my little finger, which says something though. (Putting his finger up to his ear.) Wait. Stay, eh? ah! ah! Yes? oh! oh! here is my little finger, which says that there is something you saw, and which you do not tell me.

LOU.
Ah! papa, your little finger is a story-teller.

ARG.
Take care.

LOU.
No, don't believe him; he tells a story, I assure you.

ARG.
Oh! Well, well; we will see to that. Go away now, and pay great attention to what you see. (Alone.) Ah! children are no longer children nowadays! What trouble! I have not even enough leisure to attend to my illness. I am quite done up. (He falls down into his chair.)