The Blunderer by Moliere
M >>
Moliere >> The Blunderer
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 Produced by David Moynihan, D Garcia, Charles Franks
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.
L'ÉTOURDI, OU LES CONTRE-TEMPS.
COMEDIE.
THE BLUNDERER: OR, THE COUNTERPLOTS.
A COMEDY IN FIVE ACTS.
(_THE ORIGINAL IN VERSE_.)
1653. (?)
INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
_The Blunderer_ is generally believed to have been first acted at
Lyons in 1653, whilst Molière and his troupe were in the provinces. In
the month of November 1658 it was played for the first time in Paris,
where it obtained a great and well-deserved success. It is chiefly based
on an Italian comedy, written by Nicolo Barbieri, known as Beltrame, and
called _L'Inavvertito_, from which the character of Mascarille, the
servant, is taken, but differs in the ending, which is superior in the
Italian play. An imitation of the classical boasting soldier, Captain
Bellorofonte, Martelione, and a great number of _concetti_, have
also not been copied by Molière. The fourth scene of the fourth act of
_l'Ètourdi_ contains some passages taken from the _Angelica_,
a comedy by Fabritio de Fornaris, a Neapolitan, who calls himself on the
title-page of his play "il Capitano Coccodrillo, comico confidente." A
few remarks are borrowed from _la Emilia_, a comedy by Luigi
Grotto, whilst here and there we find a reminiscence from Plautus, and
one scene, possibly suggested by the sixteenth of the _Contes et
Discours d'Eutrapel_, written by Nöel du Fail, Lord of la Hérissaye.
Some of the scenes remind us of passages in several Italian _Commedia
del' arte_ between _Arlecchino_ and _Pantaleone_ the
personifications of impudence and ingenuity, as opposed to meekness and
stupidity; they rouse the hilarity of the spectators, who laugh at the
ready invention of the knave as well as at the gullibility of the old
man, Before this comedy appeared the French stage was chiefly filled
with plays full of intrigue, but with scarcely any attempt to delineate
character or manners. In this piece the plot is carried on, partly in
imitation of the Spanish taste, by a servant, Mascarille, who is the
first original personage Molière has created; he is not a mere imitation
of the valets of the Italian or classical comedy; he has not the
coarseness and base feelings of the servants of his contemporaries, but
he is a lineal descendant of Villon, a free and easy fellow, not over
nice in the choice or execution of his plans, but inventing new ones
after each failure, simply to keep in his hand; not too valiant, except
perhaps when in his cups, rather jovial and chaffy, making fun of
himself and everybody else besides, no respecter of persons or things,
and doomed probably not to die in his bed. Molière must have encountered
many such a man whilst the wars of the Fronde were raging, during his
perigrinations in the provinces. Even at the present time, a Mascarille
is no impossibility; for, "like master like man." There are also in
_The Blunderer_ too many incidents, which take place successively,
without necessarily arising one from another. Some of the characters are
not distinctly brought out, the style has often been found fault with,
by Voltaire and other competent judges, [Footnote: Victor Hugo appears
to be of another opinion. M. Paul Stapfer, in his _les Artistes juges
et parties_ (2º Causerie, the Grammarian of Hauteville House, p. 55),
states:--"the opinion of Victor Hugo about Molière is very peculiar.
According to him, the best written of all the plays of our great comic
author is his first work, _l'Ètourdi_. It possesses a brilliancy
and freshness of style which still shine in _le Dépit amoureux_,
but which gradually fade, because Molière, yielding unfortunately to
other inspirations than his own, enters more and more upon a new way."]
but these defects are partly covered by a variety and vivacity which are
only fully displayed when heard on the stage.
In the third volume of the "Select Comedies of M. de Molière, London,
1732." _The Blunderer_ is dedicated to the Right Honorable Philip,
Earl of Chesterfield, in the following words:--
"MY LORD,--The translation of _L'Ètourdi_, which, in company with
the original, throws itself at your lordship's feet, is a part of a
design form'd by some gentlemen, of exhibiting to the public a _Select
Collection of Molière's Plays_, in _French_ and _English_.
This author, my lord, was truly a genius, caress'd by the greatest men
of his own time, and honoured with the patronage of princes. When the
translator, therefore, of this piece was to introduce him in an
_English_ dress in justice he owed him an _English_ patron,
and was readily determined to your lordship, whom all the world allows
to be a genius of the first rank. But he is too sensible of the beauties
of his author, and the refined taste your lordship is universally known
to have in polite literature, to plead anything but your candour and
goodness, for your acceptance of this performance. He persuades himself
that your lordship, who best knows how difficult it is to speak like
_Molière_, even when we have his sentiments to inspire us, will be
readiest to forgive the imperfections of this attempt. He is the rather
encouraged, my lord, to hope for a candid reception from your lordship,
on account of the usefulness of this design, which he flatters himself
will have your approbation. 'Tis to spirit greater numbers of our
countrymen to read this author, who wou'd otherwise not have attempted
it, or, being foil'd in their attempts, wou'd throw him by in despair.
And however generally the _French_ language may be read, or spoke
in England, there will be still very great numbers, even of those who
are said to understand _French_, who, to master this comic writer,
will want the help of a translation; and glad wou'd the publishers of
this work be to guide the feebler steps of some such persons, not only
till they should want no translation, but till some of them should be
able to make a much better than the present. The great advantage of
understanding _Molière_ your Lordship best knows. What is it, but
almost to understand mankind? He has shown such a compass of knowledge
in human nature, as scarce to leave it in the power of succeeding
writers in comedy to be originals; whence it has, in fact, appear'd,
that they who, since his time, have most excelled in the _Comic_
way, have copied _Molière_, and therein were sure of copying
nature. In this author, my lord, our youth will find the strongest
sense, the purest moral, and the keenest satyr, accompany'd with the
utmost politeness; so that our countrymen may take a _French_
polish, without danger of commencing fops and apes, as they sometimes do
by an affectation of the dress and manners of that people; for no man
has better pourtray'd, or in a finer manner expos'd fopperies of all
kinds, than this our author hath, in one or other of his pieces. And
now,'tis not doubted, my lord, but your lordship is under some
apprehensions, and the reader under some expectation, that the
translator should attempt your character, in right of a dedicator, as a
refin'd wit, and consummate statesman. But, my lord, speaking the truth
to a person of your lordship's accomplishments, would have the
appearance of flattery, especially to those who have not the honour of
knowing you; and those who have, conceive greater ideas of you than the
translator will pretend to express. Permit him, then, my lord, to crave
your lordship's acceptance of this piece, which appears to you with a
fair and correct copy of the original; but with a translation which can
be of no manner of consequence to your lordship, only as it may be of
consequence to those who _would_ understand Molière if they
_could_. Your lordship's countenance to recommend it to such will
infinitely oblige, my lord, your lordship's most devoted, and most
obedient, humble servant, THE TRANSLATOR."
To recommend to Lord Chesterfield an author on account of "the purest
moral," or because "no man has ... in a finer manner exposed fopperies
of all kinds," appears to us now a bitter piece of satire; it may
however, be doubted if it seemed so to his contemporaries. [Footnote:
Lord Chesterfield appeared not so black to those who lived in his own
time as he does to us, for Bishop Warburton dedicated to him his
_Necessity and Equity of an Established Religion and a Test-Law
Demonstrated_, and says in his preface: "It is an uncommon happiness
when an honest man can congratulate a patriot on his becoming minister,"
and expresses the hope, that "the temper of the times will suffer your
Lordship to be instrumental in saving your country by a reformation of
the general manners."]
Dryden has imitated _The Blunderer_ in _Sir Martin Mar-all; or
the Feigned Innocence_, first translated by William Cavendish, Duke
of Newcastle, and afterwards adapted for the stage by "glorious John."
It must have been very successful, for it ran no less than thirty-three
nights, and was four times acted at court. It was performed at Lincoln's
Inn Fields by the Duke of York's servants, probably at the desire of the
Duke of Newcastle, as Dryden was engaged to write for the King's
Company. It seems to have been acted in 1667, and was published, without
the author's name, in 1668. But it cannot be fairly called a
translation, for Dryden has made several alterations, generally not for
the better, and changed _double entendres_ into single ones. The
heroine in the English play, Mrs. Millisent, (Celia), marries the
roguish servant, Warner (Mascarille), who takes all his master's
blunders upon himself, is bribed by nearly everybody, pockets insults
and money with the same equanimity, and when married, is at last proved
a gentleman, by the disgusting Lord Dartmouth, who "cannot refuse to own
him for my (his) kinsman." With a fine stroke of irony Millisent's
father becomes reconciled to his daughter having married a serving-man
as soon as he hears that the latter has an estate of eight hundred a
year. Sir Martin Mar-all is far more conceited and foolish than Lelio;
Trufaldin becomes Mr. Moody, a swashbuckler; a compound of Leander and
Andrès, Sir John Swallow, a Kentish knight; whilst of the filthy
characters of Lord Dartmouth, Lady Dupe, Mrs. Christian, and Mrs.
Preparation, no counterparts are found in Molière's play. But the scene
in which Warner plays the lute, whilst his master pretends to do so, and
which is at last discovered by Sir Martin continuing to play after the
servant has finished, is very clever. [Footnote: According to Geneste,
_Some Accounts of the English Stage_, 10 vols., 1832, vol. i., p.
76, Bishop Warburton, in his _Alliance of Church and State_ (the
same work is mentioned in Note 2), and Porson in his _Letters to
Travis_ alludes to this scene.] Dryden is also said to have consulted
_l'Amant indiscret_ of Quinault, in order to furbish forth the Duke
of Newcastle's labours. Sir Walter Scott states in his introduction: "in
that part of the play, which occasions its second title of 'the feigned
Innocence,' the reader will hardly find wit enough to counterbalance the
want of delicacy." Murphy has borrowed from _The Blunderer_ some
incidents of the second act of his _School for Guardians_, played
for the first time in 1767.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
[Footnote: Molière, Racine, and Corneille always call the dramatis
personae _acteurs_, and not _personnages_.]
LELIO, _son to_ PANDOLPHUS.
LEANDER, _a young gentleman of good birth_.
ANSELMO, _an old man_.
PANDOLPHUS, _an old man_.
TRUFALDIN, _an old man_.
ANDRÈS, _a supposed gipsy_.
MASCARILLE, _servant to Lelio_.
[Footnote: _Mascarille_ is a name invented by Molière, and a
diminutive of the Spanish _mascara_, a mask. Some commentators of
Molière think that the author, who acted this part, may sometimes have
played it in a mask, but this is now generally contradicted. He seems,
however, to have performed it habitually, for after his death there was
taken an inventory of all his dresses, and amongst these, according to
M. Eudore Soulié, _Recherches sur Molière_, 1863, p. 278, was:
"a ... dress for _l'Étourdi_, consisting in doublet, knee-breeches,
and cloak of satin." Before his time the usual name of the intriguing
man-servant was _Philipin_.]
ERGASTE, _a servant_.
A MESSENGER.
_Two Troops of Masqueraders_.
CELIA, _slave to_ TRUFALDIN.
HIPPOLYTA, _daughter to_ ANSELMO.
_Scene_.--MESSINA.
THE BLUNDERER: OR, THE COUNTERPLOTS.
(_L'ÉTOURDI, ou LES CONTRE-TEMPS_.)
ACT I.
SCENE I.--LELIO, _alone_.
LEL. Very well! Leander, very well! we must quarrel then,--we shall see
which of us two will gain the day; and which, in our mutual pursuit
after this young miracle of beauty, will thwart the most his rival's
addresses. Do whatever you can, defend yourself well, for depend upon
it, on my side no pains shall be spared.
SCENE II.--LELIO, MASCARILLE.
LEL. Ah! Mascarille!
MASC. What's the matter?
LEL. A great deal is the matter. Everything crosses my love. Leander is
enamoured of Celia. The Fates have willed it, that though I have changed
the object of my passion, he still remains my rival.
MASC. Leander enamoured of Celia!
LEL. He adores her, I tell you.
[Footnote: In French, _tu, toi_, thee, thou, denote either social
superiority or familiarity. The same phraseology was also employed in
many English comedies of that time, but sounds so stiff at present, that
the translator has everywhere used "you."]
MASC. So much the worse.
LEL. Yes, so much the worse, and that's what annoys me. However, I
should be wrong to despair, for since you aid me, I ought to take
courage. I know that your mind can plan many intrigues, and never finds
anything too difficult; that you should be called the prince of
servants, and that throughout the whole world....
MASC. A truce to these compliments; when people have need of us poor
servants, we are darlings, and incomparable creatures; but at other
times, at the least fit of anger, we are scoundrels, and ought to be
soundly thrashed.
LEL. Nay, upon my word, you wrong me by this remark. But let us talk a
little about the captive. Tell me, is there a heart so cruel, so
unfeeling, as to be proof against such charming features? For my part,
in her conversation as well as in her countenance, I see evidence of her
noble birth. I believe that Heaven has concealed a lofty origin beneath
such a lowly station.
MASC. You are very romantic with all your fancies. But what will
Pandolphus do in this case? He is your father, at least he says so. You
know very well that his bile is pretty often stirred up; that he can
rage against you finely, when your behaviour offends him. He is now in
treaty with Anselmo about your marriage with his daughter, Hippolyta;
imagining that it is marriage alone that mayhap can steady you: now,
should he discover that you reject his choice, and that you entertain a
passion for a person nobody knows anything about; that the fatal power
of this foolish love causes you to forget your duty and disobey him;
Heaven knows what a storm will then burst forth, and what fine lectures
you will be treated to.
LEL. A truce, I pray, to your rhetoric.
MASC. Rather a truce to your manner of loving, it is none of the best,
and you ought to endeavour.
LEL. Don't you know, that nothing is gained by making me angry, that
remonstrances are badly rewarded by me, and that a servant who counsels
me acts against his own interest?
MASC. (_Aside_). He is in a passion now. (_Aloud_). All that I
said was but in jest, and to try you. Do I look so very much like a
censor, and is Mascarille an enemy to pleasure? You know the contrary,
and that it is only too certain people can tax me with nothing but being
too good-natured. Laugh at the preachings of an old grey-beard of a
father; go on, I tell you, and mind them not. Upon my word, I am of
opinion that these old, effete and grumpy libertines come to stupify us
with their silly stories, and being virtuous, out of necessity, hope
through sheer envy to deprive young people of all the pleasures of life!
You know my talents; I am at your service.
LEL. Now, this is talking in a manner I like. Moreover, when I first
declared my passion, it was not ill received by the lovely object who
inspired it; but, just now, Leander has declared to me that he is
preparing to deprive me of Celia; therefore let us make haste; ransack
your brain for the speediest means to secure me possession of her; plan
any tricks, stratagems, rogueries, inventions, to frustrate my rival's
pretensions.
MASC. Let me think a little upon this matter. (_Aside_). What can I
invent upon this urgent occasion?
LEL. Well, the stratagem?
MASC. What a hurry you are in! My brain must always move slowly. I have
found what you want; you must... No, that's not it; but if you would
go...
LEL. Whither?
MASC. No, that's a flimsy trick. I thought that...
LEL. What is it?
MASC. That will not do either. But could you not...?
LEL. Could I not what?
MASC. No, you could not do anything. Speak to Anselmo.
LEL. And what can I say to him?
MASC. That is true; that would be falling out of the frying-pan into the
fire. Something must be done however. Go to Trufaldin.
LEL. What to do?
MASC. I don't know.
LEL. Zounds! this is too much. You drive me mad with this idle talk.
MASC. Sir, if you could lay your hand on plenty of pistoles, [Footnote:
The pistole is a Spanish gold coin worth about four dollars; formerly
the French pistole was worth in France ten _livres_--about ten
francs--they were struck in Franche-Comté.] we should have no need now
to think of and try to find out what means we must employ in compassing
our wishes; we might, by purchasing this slave quickly, prevent your
rival from forestalling and thwarting you. Trufaldin, who takes charge
of her, is rather uneasy about these gipsies, who placed her with him.
If he could get back his money, which they have made him wait for too
long, I am quite sure he would be delighted to sell her; for he always
lived like the veriest curmudgeon; he would allow himself to be whipped
for the smallest coin of the realm. Money is the God he worships above
everything, but the worst of it is that...
LEL. What is the worst of it?...
MASC. That your father is just as covetous an old hunk, who does not
allow you to handle his ducats, as you would like; that there is no way
by which we could now open ever so small a purse, in order to help you.
But let us endeavour to speak to Celia for a moment, to know what she
thinks about this affair; this is her window.
LEL. But Trufaldin watches her closely night and day; Take care.
MASC. Let us keep quiet in this corner. What luck! Here she is coming
just in the nick of time.
SCENE III.--CELIA, LELIO, MASCARILLE.
LEL. Ah! madam, what obligations do I owe to Heaven for allowing me to
behold those celestial charms you are blest with! Whatever sufferings
your eyes may have caused me, I cannot but take delight in gazing on
them in this place.
CEL. My heart, which has good reason to be astonished at your speech,
does not wish my eyes to injure any one; if they have offended you in
anything, I can assure you I did not intend it.
LEL. Oh! no, their glances are too pleasing to do me an injury. I count
it my chief glory to cherish the wounds they give me; and...
MASC. You are soaring rather too high; this style is by no means what we
want now; let us make better use of our time; let us know of her quickly
what...
TRUF. (_Within_). Celia!
MASC. (_To Lelio_). Well, what do you think now?
LEL. O cruel mischance! What business has this wretched old man to
interrupt us!
MASC. Go, withdraw, I'll find something to say to him.
SCENE IV.--TRUFALDIN, CELIA, MASCARILLE, _and_ LELIO _in a
corner_.
TRUF. (_To Celia_). What are you doing out of doors? And what
induces you to go out,--you, whom I have forbidden to speak to any one?
CEL. I was formerly acquainted with this respectable young man; you have
no occasion to be suspicious of him.
MASC. Is this Signor Trufaldin?
CEL. Yes, it is himself.
MASC. Sir, I am wholly yours; it gives me extreme pleasure to have this
opportunity of paying my most humble respects to a gentleman who is
everywhere so highly spoken of.
TRUF. Your most humble servant.
MASC. Perhaps I am troublesome, but I have been acquainted with this
young woman elsewhere; and as I heard about the great skill she has in
predicting the future, I wished to consult her about a certain affair.
TRUF. What! Do you dabble in the black art?
CEL. No, sir, my skill lies entirely in the white.
[Footnote: The white art (_magie blanche_) only dealt with
beneficent spirits, and wished to do good to mankind; the black art
(_magie noire_) invoked evil spirits.]
MASC. The case is this. The master whom I serve languishes for a fair
lady who has captivated him. He would gladly disclose the passion which
burns within him to the beauteous object whom he adores, but a dragon
that guards this rare treasure, in spite of all his attempts, has
hitherto prevented him. And what torments him still more and makes him
miserable, is that he has just discovered a formidable rival; so that I
have come to consult you to know whether his love is likely to meet with
any success, being well assured that from your mouth I may learn truly
the secret which concerns us.
CEL. Under what planet was your master born?
MASC. Under that planet which never alters his love.
CEL. Without asking you to name the object he sighs for, the science
which I possess gives me sufficient information. This young woman is
high-spirited, and knows how to preserve a noble pride in the midst of
adversity; she is not inclined to declare too freely the secret
sentiments of her heart. But I know them as well as herself, and am
going with a more composed mind to unfold them all to you, in a few
words.
MASC. O wonderful power of magic virtue!
CEL. If your master is really constant in his affections, and if virtue
alone prompts him, let him be under no apprehension of sighing in vain:
he has reason to hope, the fortress he wishes to take is not averse to
capitulation, but rather inclined to surrender.
MASC. That's something, but then the fortress depends upon a governor
whom it is hard to gain over.
CEL. There lies the difficulty.
MASC. (_Aside, looking at Lelio_). The deuce take this troublesome
fellow, who is always watching us.
CEL. I am going to teach you what you ought to do.
LEL. (_Joining them_). Mr. Trufaldin, give yourself no farther
uneasiness; it was purely in obedience to my orders that this trusty
servant came to visit you; I dispatched him to offer you my services,
and to speak to you concerning this young lady, whose liberty I am
willing to purchase before long, provided we two can agree about the
terms.
MASC. (_Aside_). Plague take the ass!
TRUF. Ho! ho! Which of the two am I to believe? This story contradicts
the former very much.
MASC. Sir, this gentleman is a little bit wrong in the upper story: did
you not know it?
TRUF. I know what I know, and begin to smell a rat. Get you in (_to
Celia_), and never take such a liberty again. As for you two, arrant
rogues, or I am much mistaken, if you wish to deceive me again, let your
stories be a little more in harmony.
SCENE V.--LELIO, MASCARILLE.
MASC. He is quite right. To speak plainly, I wish he had given us both a
sound cudgelling. What was the good of showing yourself, and, like a
Blunderer, coming and giving the lie to all that I had been saying?
LEL. I thought I did right.
MASC. To be sure. But this action ought not to surprise me. You possess
so many counterplots that your freaks no longer astonish anybody.
LEL. Good Heavens! How I am scolded for nothing! Is the harm so great
that it cannot be remedied? However, if you cannot place Celia in my
hands, you may at least contrive to frustrate all Leander's schemes, so
that he cannot purchase this fair one before me. But lest my presence
should be further mischievous, I leave you.
MASC. (_Alone_). Very well. To say the truth, money would be a sure
and staunch agent in our cause; but as this mainspring is lacking, we
must employ some other means.
SCENE VI.--ANSELMO, MASCARILLE.
ANS. Upon my word, this is a strange age we live in; I am ashamed of it;
there was never such a fondness for money, and never so much difficulty
in getting one's own. Notwithstanding all the care a person may take,
debts now-a-days are like children, begot with pleasure, but brought
forth with pain. It is pleasant for money to come into our purse; but
when the time comes that we have to give it back, then the pangs of
labour seize us. Enough of this, it is no trifle to receive at last two
thousand francs which have been owing upwards of two years. What luck!
MASC. (_Aside_). Good Heavens! What fine game to shoot flying!
Hist, let me see if I cannot wheedle him a little. I know with what
speeches to soothe him. (_Joining him_). Anselmo I have just
seen....
ANS. Who, prithee?
MASC. Your Nerina.
ANS. What does the cruel fair one say about me?
Pages:
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6
