The Shopkeeper Turned Gentleman Part 20

COV. Yes.

MR. JOUR. I suppose it is a very far-off country.

COV. Very far off. I only returned four days ago, and owing to the interest I take in all that concerns you, I have come to give you the best news possible.

MR. JOUR. What can it be?

COV. You know that the son of the Grand Turk is here. [Footnote: There seems to have been a Turkish envoy in Paris at that time.]

MR. JOUR. No, I didn't know.

COV. You didn't know! He has a most magnificent retinue of attendants.

Everybody goes to see him, and he has been received in this country as a personage of the greatest importance.

MR. JOUR. Indeed? I have heard nothing of it.

COV. What is of great concern to you is that he is in love with your daughter.

MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk?

COV. Yes, and that he wishes to, become your son-in-law.

MR. JOUR. My son-in-law, the son of the Grand Turk!

COV. The son of the Grand Turk your son-in-law When I went to see him, as I understand his language perfectly, we had a long chat together; and after having talked of different things, he told me, _Acciam croc soler onch alla moustaph gidelum amanahem varahini oussere carbulath_? that is to say, "Have you not seen a beautiful young girl who is the daughter of Mr. Jourdain, a n.o.bleman of Paris?"

MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk said that of me?

COV. Yes. Then I answered him that I knew you perfectly well, and that I had seen your daughter. Ah! said he, _marababa sahem_! which is to say, "Ah! how much I love her!"

MR. JOUR. _Marababa sahem_! means, "Ah! how I love her!"

COV. Yes.

MR. JOUR. Indeed, you do right to tell me; for I should never have known that _Marababa sahem_! meant, "Ah I how much I love her!"

This Turkish language is admirable.

COV. More admirable than you would ever imagine. For instance, do you know what _Cacaracamouchen_ means?

MR. JOUR. _Cacaracamouchen_? No.

COV. It means, "My dear love."

MR. JOUR. _Cacaracamouchen_ means, "My dear love"?

COV. Yes.

MR. JOUR. It is wonderful! _Cacaracamouchen_, "My dear love." Who would ever have thought it? I am perfectly astounded.

COV. In short, in order to end my emba.s.sy, I must tell you that he is coming to ask your daughter in marriage; and in order to have a father-in-law worthy of him, he wants to make you a _mamamouchi_, which is a great dignity in his country.

MR. JOUR. _Mamamouchi_?

COV. _Mamamouchi_; that is to say in our own language, a paladin.

Paladin, you know those ancient paladins; in short, there is nothing more n.o.ble than that in the whole world, and you will take rank with the greatest lords upon the earth.

MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk honours me greatly, and I beg of you to take me to his house, that I may return him my thanks.

COV. Not at all; he is just coming here.

MR. JOUR. He is coming here?

COV. Yes, and he is bringing with him everything necessary for the ceremony.

MR. JOUR. It is doing things rather quickly.

COV. Yes, his love will suffer no delay.

MR. JOUR. All that perplexes me in this affair is that my daughter is a very obstinate girl, who has taken it into her head to have a certain Cleonte for her husband, and vows she will marry no other.

COV. She is sure to change her mind when she sees the son of the Grand Turk; besides, wonderful to relate, the son of the Grand Turk has a strong likeness to that very Cleonte. People showed him to me, and I have just seen him; the love she feels for the one is sure to pa.s.s to the other, and ... I hear him coming! Lo, here he is.

SCENE VI.--CLeONTE (_dressed as a Turk_), THREE PAGES (_carrying the vest of_ CLeONTE), MR. JOURDAIN, COVIELLE.

CLE. _Ambousahim oqui boraf, Giourdina, salamatequi_.

COV. (_to_ MR. JOURDAIN). That is to say, "Mr. Jourdain, may your heart be all the year round a budding rose tree." It is a way of speaking they have in that country.

MR. JOUR. I am your Turkish highness's humble servant.

COV. _Carigar camboto oustin moraf_.

CLE. _Oustin yoc catamalequi basum base alla moran_.

COV. He says, "May heaven grant you the strength of the lion and the prudence of the serpent."

MR. JOUR. His Turkish highness does me too much honour, and I wish him all manner of prosperity.

COV. _Ossa binamen sadoc baballi oracaf ouram_.

CLE. _Belmen_.

COV. He says you must go quickly with him to prepare for the ceremony, in order afterwards to see your daughter and conclude the marriage.

MR. JOUR. So many things comprised in two words?

COV. Yes, The Turkish language is like that, it says a good deal in a few words. Go quickly where he wishes you.