ARGANTE, GÉRONTE, OCTAVE, HYACINTHA, ZERBINETTE, NÉRINE,                                                 SILVESTRE.

ARG
Come, my son, come and rejoice with us about the happiness of your marriage. Heaven....

OCT
No, father, all your proposals for marriage are useless. I must be open with you, and you have been told how I am engaged.

ARG
Yes; but what you do not know....

OCT
I know all I care to know.

ARG
I mean to say that the daughter of Mr. Géronte....

OCT
The daughter of Mr. Géronte will never be anything to me.

GER
It is she who....

OCT
(to GÉRONTE). You need not go on, Sir; I hope you will forgive me, but I shall abide by my resolution.
SIL
(to OCTAVE). Listen....

OCT
Be silent; I will listen to nothing.

ARG
(to OCTAVE). Your wife....

OCT
No, father, I would rather die than lose my dear Hyacintha (crossing the theatre, and placing himself by HYACINTHA). Yes, all you would do is useless; this is the one to whom my heart is engaged. I will have no other wife.

ARG
Well! she it is whom we give you. What a madcap you are never to listen to anything but your own foolish whim.

HYA
(showing GÉRONTE). Yes, Octave, this is my father whom I have found again, and all our troubles are over.

GER
Let us go home; we shall talk more comfortably at home.

HYA
(showing ZERBINETTE). Ah! father, I beg of you the favour not to part me from this charming young lady. She has noble qualities, which will be sure to make you like her when you know her.

GER
What! do you wish me to take to my house a girl with whom your brother is in love, and who told me to my face so many insulting things?
ZER
Pray forgive me, Sir; I should not have spoken in that way if I had known who you were, and I only knew you by reputation.

GER
By reputation; what do you mean?

HYA
Father, I can answer for it that she is most virtuous, and that the love my brother has for her is pure.

GER
It is all very well. You would try now to persuade me to marry my son to her, a stranger, a street-girl!