OURDAIN: (Looking at the tailor's suit) Ah! Ah! Monsieur
Tailor, here's the material from the last suit you made for me. I
know it well.
MASTER TAILOR: You see, the material seemed so fine that I wanted a
suit made of it for myself.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: Yes, but you should not have cut it out of
mine.
MASTER TAILOR: Do you want to put on your suit?
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: Yes, give it to me.
MASTER TAILOR: Wait. That's not the way it's done. I have brought
men to dress you in a cadence; these kinds of suits are put on with
ceremony. Hey there! Come in, you! Put this suit on the gentleman
the way you do with people of quality.
(Four APPRENTICE TAILORS enter, two of them pull off Monsieur
Jourdain's breeches made for his morning exercises, and two others
pull off his waistcoat; then they put on his new suit; Monsieur
Jourdain promenades among them and shows them his suit for their
approval. All this to the cadence of instrumental music.)
APPRENTICE TAILOR: My dear gentleman, please to give the
apprentices a small tip.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: What did you call me?
APPRENTICE TAILOR: My dear gentleman.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: My dear gentleman! That's what it is to dress
like people of quality! Go all your life dressed like a bourgeois
and they'll never call you "My dear gentleman." Here, take this for
the "My dear gentleman."
APPRENTICE TAILOR: My Lord, we are very much obliged to you.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: "My Lord!" Oh! Oh! "My Lord!" Wait, my friend.
"My Lord" deserves something, and it's not a little word, this "My
Lord." Take this. That's what "My Lord" gives you.
APPRENTICE TAILOR: My Lord, we will drink to the health of Your
Grace.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: "Your Grace!" Oh! Oh! Oh! Wait, don't go. To me,
"Your Grace!" My faith, if he goes as far as "Highness," he will
have all my purse. Wait. That's for "My Grace."
APPRENTICE TAILOR: My Lord, we thank you very humbly for your
liberality.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: He did well, I was going to give him
everything. (The four Apprentice Tailors celebrate with a dance,
which comprises the Second Interlude.)
ACT THREE
SCENE I (Monsieur Jourdain and his two Lackeys)
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: Follow me, I am going to show off my clothes a
little about town. And above all both of you take care to walk
close at my heels, so people can see that you are with me.
LACKEYS: Yes, Sir.
MONSIEUR JOURDAIN: Call Nicole for me, so I can give her some
orders. Don't bot
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