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SCENE VII.--COVIELLE (_alone_).
Ah! ah! ah! Upon my soul, this is most absurd. What a dupe! Had he learnt his part by heart, he would not have played it better. Ah! ah!
ah!
SCENE VIII.--DORANTE, COVIELLE.
COV. I beg of you, Sir, to help us here in a little affair we have in hand.
DOR. Hallo! Covielle, who would have known you again? What a get up!
COV. As you see. Ah! ah! ah!
DOR. What are you laughing at?
COV. At a thing worth laughing at, I can tell you.
DOR. What is it?
COV. You would never guess the stratagem we have invented to induce Mr. Jourdain to give my master his daughter in marriage.
DOR. I certainly can't guess what it is, but I can guess that it will succeed since you are at the head of affairs.
COV. I know, Sir, that the animal is appreciated by you.
DOR. Tell me what you are about.
COV. Kindly go a little on one side to make room for what I see coming. You will be able to have a view of a part of the business whilst I explain the rest to you.
SCENE IX.--THE TURKISH CEREMONY. [Footnote: Lulli composed the music, and acted the part of the Mufti.]
THE MUFTI, DERVISHES, TURKS (_a.s.sisting the_ MUFTI), SINGERS and DANCERS.
SIX TURKS _enter gravely, two and two at the sound of instruments.
They carry three carpets which they lift very high as they dance several dances The_ TURKS _pa.s.s under the carpets, singing and range themselves on each side of the stage. The_ MUFTI, _accompanied by_ DERVISHES, _closes the march. The_ TURKS _then spread the carpets on the ground, and kneel down upon them. The_ MUFTI _and the_ DERVISHES _stand up in the middle of them; and while the_ MUFTI _invokes Mahomet in dumb contortions and grimaces the_ TURKS _prostrate themselves to the ground, singing_ Alli, _raising their hands to heaven, singing_ Alla, _and continue so alternately to the end of the invocation; after which they all rise up, singing_, Alla eckber, _and two_ DERVISHES _go and fetch_ MR. JOURDAIN.
SCENE X.--THE MUFTI, DERVISH, TURKISH SINGERS _and_ DANCERS. MR.
JOURDAIN, _dressed like a Turk, his head shaved, without any turban or sword_.
THE MUFTI (_to_ MR. JOURDAIN).
[1] Se ti sabir, Ti respondir; Se non sabir, Tazir, tazir.
Mi star muphti, Ti qui star si?
Non intendir; Tazir, tazir. [2]
[1]
_Lingua franca,_ jargon composed of Italian, Spanish, &c., and spoken in the Levant.
[2]
If you understand, Answer; If you do not understand, Hold thy peace, hold thy peace.
I am the Mufti
(TWO DERVISHES _retire with_ MR. JOURDAIN.)
SCENE XI.--THE MUFTI, DERVISHES, TURKS, _singing and dancing_.
MUF. Dice, Turque, qui star quista? Anabatista? anabatista? [Say, Turk, who is this? Is he Anabaptist? Anabaptist?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Zuinglista? [A Zwinglian?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Coffita? [A Capht?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Hussita? Morista? Fronista? [A Hussite? a Moor? a Phronist?]
TUR. Ioc, ioc; ioc. [No, no, no.]
MUF. Ioc, ioc, ioc. Star pagana? [No, no, no. Is he a pagan?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Luterana? [A Lutheran?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Puritana? [A Puritan?]
TUR. Ioc. [No.]
MUF. Bramina? Moffina? Zurina? [A Brahmin? a Moffian? a Zurian?]
TUR. Ioc, ioc, ioc. [No, no, no.]
