swindler's threats.
Damis. What! Does his boldness have no boundaries yet?
Elmire. For myself, I don't believe it's possible;
His ingratitude would be too visible.
Cleante [to Orgon]. Don't put your faith in that. He will find ways
To gild with reason all the things he says;
And with less than this the people in power
Have forced their foes to cringe and cower.
I tell you again: well-armed as they are,
You should never have pushed him quite so far.
Orgon. True, but what could I do? Facing that bastard,
I felt resentment that I never mastered.
Cleante. I deeply desire to arrange between you
Some shadow of peace, however untrue.
Elmire. If I had known that he possessed such arms,
I would never have set off these alarms,
And my . . .
Orgon [to Dorine, seeing Monsieur Loyal enter]. What does this man want? Go and see.
I don't wish to have anyone meet with me!

SCENE IV
Monsieur Loyal, Madame Pernelle, Orgon, Damis, Mariane, Dorine, Elmire, Cleante

Monsieur Loyal [to Dorine]. Hello, my dear sister. Could you please see
If your master is in?
Dorine. He has company,
And I doubt he'll be able to see you now.
Monsieur Loyal. I have not come here to cause a row.
I don't think that my presence will displease
Him; I come, in fact, to put him at ease.
Dorine. Your name?
Monsieur Loyal. Tell him only that I've come here
For Monsieur Tartuffe, and to give him cheer.
Dorine [to Orgon]. It's a man who has come quite civilly,
On behalf of Monsieur Tartuffe, to see,
He says, to your pleasure.
Cleante [to Orgon]. You'd best find out
Who he is and what he has come here about.
Orgon [to Cleante]. Perhaps he has come here to reconcile us.
How should I act and what should we discuss?
Cleante. Don't let any of your anger appear,
And if he speaks of a deal, make him be clear.
Monsieur Loyal [to Orgon]. Greetings, sir. May God destroy all your foes
And favor you as much as I propose!
Orgon [aside to Cleante]. This civil start meets my approbation
And foreshadows some accommodation.
Monsieur Loyal. At one time I was your father's employee,
And this whole house is very dear to me.
Orgon. I ask your pardon, sir, but to my shame
I'm totally ignorant of your name.
Monsieur Lo