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Home  »  Tartuffe  »  Act V Scene VIII

Robert Browning (1812–1889). A Blot in the ’Scutcheon.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

Act V Scene VIII

MADAME PERNELLE,ORGON,ELMIRE,MARIANE,CLÉANTE,VALÈRE,DAMIS,DORINE Cléante
Brother, hold!—and don’t

Descend to such indignities, I beg you.

Leave the poor wretch to his unhappy fate,

And let remorse oppress him, but not you.

Hope rather that his heart may now return

To virtue, hate his vice, reform his ways,

And win the pardon of our glorious prince;

While you must straightway go, and on your knees

Repay with thanks his noble generous kindness.

Orgon
Well said! We’ll go, and at his feet kneel down

With joy to thank him for his goodness shown;

And this first duty done, with honours due,

We’ll then attend upon another, too.

With wedded happiness reward Valère,

And crown a lover noble and sincere.