you handsomely. His great zeal for you has just shown itself. He aims at nothing less than dishonoring you, and I have just surprised him making to your wife an insulting proposal of a guilty passion. Her sweet disposition and her too discreet feelings would by all means have kept the secret from you. But I cannot encourage such insolence, and I think that to have been silent about it would have been to do you an injury.

Elm.-Yes, I am of opinion that we ought never to trouble our husband's peace with all these silly stories; that our honor does not depend upon that, and that it is enough for us to be able to defend ourselves. These are my sentiments, and you would have said nothing, Damis, if I had possessed any influence with you.

Orgon. What have I heard! Oh, Heavens! is it possible? Tar.-Yes, brother, I am a guilty, wretched sinner, full of iniquity: the greatest villain that ever existed. Each moment of my life is replete with pollutions: it is but a mass of crime and corruption; and I see that Heaven, to chastise me, intends to mortify me on this occasion. Whatever great crine may be laid to my charge, I have neither the wish nor the pride to deny it. Believe what you are told; arm your anger, and drive me like a criminal from your house. Whatever shame you may heap upon me, I deserve still more.

Org. (To his son)-What! wretch! dare you by this falsehood tarnish the purity of his virtue?

Dam.--What! shall the pretended gentleness of this hypocrite make you believe

Org.-Peace, cursed plague!

Tar.-Ah! let him speak. You accuse him wrongly, and you had much better believe in his story. Why will you be so favorable to me, after hearing of such a fact? Are you after all aware of what I am capable? Why trust to my exterior, brother? And why, despite all that is seen, believe me to be better than I am? No, no, you allow yourself to be deceived by appearances, and I am, alas! nothing less than what they think me. Every one takes me to be a good man, but the real truth is that I am very worthless. (To Damis.) Yes, my dear child, say on; call me a perfidious, infamous,

lost wretch, a thief, a murderer. Load me with still more detestable names; I shall not contradict you. I have deserved them, and am willing on my knees to suffer ignominy, as a disgrace due to the crimes of my life.

Org. This is too much, brother. (To his son.) Does not your heart relent, wretch?

Dam.-What! shall his words deceive you so far as toOrg.-Hold your tongue, you hangdog! (To Tartuffe.) Rise, brother, I beseech you. (To his son.) Infamous wretch! Dam. He cannot

Org.-Hold your tongue!

Dam.-I am bursting with rage. What am I looked upon as

Org.-Say another word, and I will break your bones.

Tar.-In Heaven's name, brother, don't forget yourself! I would rather suffer the greatest torments than that he should receive the slightest hurt for my sake.

Org. (To his son.)—Ungrateful monster!

Tar.-Leave him in peace. If I must on both knees beseech you to pardon him-———

Org.-Alas! You are in jest.

(To his son.)
(To his son.) Behold his

goodness, scoundrel !

Dam.-Thus

Org.-Cease!

Dam.-What! I—

Org.-Peace, I tell you; I know too well the motives of your attack. You all hate him; and I now perceive wife, children, and servants, all let loose against him. Every trick is impudently resorted to, to remove this pious person from my house; but the more efforts they put forth to banish him, the more shall I employ to keep him. And I shall hasten to give him my daughter, to abash the pride of my whole family. Dam.-Do you mean to compel her to accept him?

Org. Yes, wretch! And to enrage you—this very evening. I defy you all, and shall let you know that I am the master, and I will be obeyed. Come, retract; throw yourself at his feet immediately, you scoundrel, and beg his pardon.

Dam.-What! I at the feet of this rascal, who, by his impostures

Org.-What! you resist, you beggar! and insult him. besides! (To Tartuffe.) A cudgel! a cudgel! Do not hold me back! (To his son.) Out of my house this minute, and never dare to come back to it!

Dam.-Yes, I shall go; but

Org.-Quick! leave the place! I disinherit you, you hangdog, and give you my curse besides.

(Exit Damis.)

Org. To offend a saintly person in that way!

Tar.-Forgive him, O Heaven! the pang he causes me. Could you but know my grief at seeing myself blackened in my brother's sight

Org.-Alas!

Tar. The very thought of his ingratitude tortures my soul to that extent. The horror I conceive of it. My heart is so oppressed that I cannot speak, and I believe it will be my death.

Org. (Rushing to the door by which his son had disappeared.)-Scoundrel! I am sorry my hand has spared you, and not knocked you down on the spot. (To Tartuffe.)— Compose yourself, brother, and do not grieve.

Tar.-Let us put an end to these sad disputes. I perceive what troubles I cause in this house, and think it necessary, brother, that I should leave it.

Org.-What! You are jesting, surely.

Tar. They hate me! and I find that they are trying to make you suspect my integrity.

Org. What does it matter? Do you think that in my heart I listen to them?

Tar. They will not fail to continue, you may be sure; and these self-same stories which you now reject may perhaps be listened to at another time.

Org.-No, brother, never.

Tar.-Ah! brother, a wife may easily impose upon a

husband.

Org.-No, no.

Tar.-Allow me, by removing myself promptly, to deprive them of all subject of attack.

Org. No, you shall remain; my life depends upon it.

Tar.-Well, then, I must mortify myself. If, however, you would

Org.-Ah!

Tar.-Be it so; let us say no more about it. But I know how to manage in this. Honor is a tender thing, and friendship enjoins me to prevent reports and causes for suspicion. I shall shun your wife, and you shall not see me

Org.-No. In spite of all, you shall frequently be with her. To annoy the world is my greatest delight, and I wish you to be seen with her at all times. Nor is this all. I will have no other here but you, and I am going forthwith to execute a formal deed of gift of all my property to you. A faithful and honest friend, whom I take for son-in-law, is dearer to me than son, wife, and kindred. Will you not accept what I propose?

Tar. The will of Heaven be done in all things!

Org.-Poor fellow! Quick! let us get the deed drawn up, and then let envy burst itself with spite.

MIRABEAU.

MIRABEAU was the greatest statesman of the French Revolutionary period. He presented the only plan by which it was possible to preserve the monarchy, and had it not been for the blind obstinacy of Marie Antoinette, who inherited the soul of Maria Theresa, he might have been able to repress the rising democracy by securing for the people constitutional

liberty and freedom from feudal oppression.

Honoré Gabriel de Riquetti, Count of Mirabeau, was one of the greatest orators and statesmen France has ever produced. He was the elder surviving son of Victor Riquetti, Marquis de Mirabeau, and was born at Bignon, near Nemours, March 9, 1749. His father was a man of powerful intellect and violent passions, whose hobby was political economy.

The face of Honoré Gabriel in his infancy was forever disfigured by a virulent attack of small-pox. His early education was directed by his father, whose peculiar notions of strict discipline caused him to treat his son with extreme and persistent severity. The son inherited this stormy, passionate nature, and frank and ardent temper. The perverse educational methods of his father were most pernicious. To use the words of Carlyle, "Candid history will say, that whatsoever of worst it was in the power of art to do against this young Gabriel Honoré, was done."