reveal to you my
Whole soul, and to swear that all my preaching
About your guests--though perhaps over-reaching--
Was not caused by any anger or hate
But rather by a zeal that's passionate
And pure . . .
Elmire. I wholly understand and declare
My belief that you seek only my welfare.
Tartuffe [pressing the tips of her fingers]. Yes, madam, it's true; my devotion is such . . .
Elmire. You're hurting me.
Tartuffe. Passion pushes me too much.
I never wanted to hurt you, I swear,
And I would rather . . .
[He puts his hand on her knee.]
Elmire. Why is your hand there?
Tartuffe. I'm feeling your dress. Such fine dimity!
Elmire. Oh! Please let me go. You're tickling me.
[She pushes her chair back, and Tartuffe moves his forward.]
Tartuffe [putting his hand on her lacy collar]. Dear Lord! But this workmanship is marvelous!
Lacework nowadays is miraculous.
I've never seen anything quite so fine.
Elmire. That's true. But let's speak of this concern of mine.
I hear that my husband may be breaking his word
And giving you his daughter. What have you heard?
Tartuffe. In truth, madam, some such words did transpire,
But that is not the joy to which I aspire,
And I see elsewhere those splendid attractions
Which I seek to attain through all of my actions.
Elmire. Then all your earthly love has been overthrown?
Tartuffe. My breast does not hold a heart made of stone.
Elmire. I'm sure that all your thoughts are on salvation,
And nothing less holds any fascination.
Tartuffe. The love that attracts us to what's eternal
Does not stop our love for the merely temporal.
Our senses can be quite easily charmed
By the perfect Earthly works that God has formed.
His glory is mirrored in those like you,
But in you yourself we see its rarest hue.
He has molded your face with such sublime art
That it surprises the eye and transports the heart,
And I can't gaze upon you, you perfect creature,
Without worshipping in you both God and nature,
And sensing in my soul an ardent love
For this, the most beautiful portrait by God above.
At first I feared that my secret passion
Might be a tricky trap laid by Satan,
And I even resolved to flee f