The Village Coquette; Or, The Supposed Lottery Part 6

Argon How charming Lisette is. I am not blind, I see clearly that Lisette prefers me to a far richer man. What love! What wit!

Lisette I have no wit. Love has added to my customary want of it.

Argon We must secretly--

Lisette Yes, but let's separate. I will go alone, in secret, to your place for a short while.

Argon Without your father--

Lisette He's coming. Leave me, for I tremble if the Baron and he should see us together.

(Exit Argon. Enter Lucas and the Baron.)

Lisette (aside) Here I am sure of one, but he's my second choice. Let's retake the other one. He's back to speak to me.

Lucas She must have gone crazy and what she said astonishes me. You say she doesn't love you and refuses to be a Baroness?

Baron (to Lisette) You have just revived my wrath. Ah, how I ought to kill my love for you. How can you, at your age, have the audacity to give me the lie-- me, and look in my face, and tell me that you don't love me?

Lisette (pretending to have a grudge against him) Yes, I have maintained it to your face, for it is true.

Baron Without doubt, it happened unexpectedly to you, some vapor which disturbed your senses and memory. For how else could I believe that, after the ardent love you've shown me?

Lisette (adding to her simulated scorn) I never loved you.

Baron Still? I am outraged. You have told me a hundred times, and before your father.

Lisette I never said it to you.

Baron She makes me despair.

Lisette (softening) No, never, or at least--

Baron At least?

Lisette If I said it, I repent it so much. I have so much scorn, that if I said it, I will say the contrary, always to the whole wide world, to yourself, to my father. (pretending tenderness) What the world will know, that I loved you, and that, when I cried from love, you didn't want to marry me. No, no, and against you, my courage has returned.

Me! I love you? I would indeed have little heart. My love was honest and yours was deceitful.

Lucas (who has softened, taken in and almost crying) I've seen--she's right.

Baron Then it's from rage, suspecting my love is not sincere, that you have told me you don't love me?

Lisette Yes, exactly. Am I wrong?

Baron You love me then?

Lisette Alas!

Baron Let's forget all this, Lisette, let's go quickly to a notary. May a contract be the prize of your sincere love. Let's hurry.

(Exit Baron.)

Lucas (transported with joy) Quickly, quickly!

Lisette (low to her father, holding him by the arm) Let's go softly.

Lucas I'm going to be papa to a Baroness.

Lisette Oh, I doubt it.

Lucas Why? He's making you his wife and says so.

Lisette No, I can see some trick.

Lucas He marries, and that's that.

Lisette I don't believe a word of it, father.

Lucas To not believe the wedding, when it's come?

Lisette I believe he's deceiving me. First, I saw the Widow when Argon spoke of the business in a fret with Girard. Raging, despairing--and now she's just embraced me, knowing that I deceived her, she comes to caress me.

Lucas Yes, it's treason.

Lisette The Baron refused me. Then, suddenly, he changes and wants me.

Lucas It's a trick.

Lisette (after having dreamed) If the Widow and Girard, who know how to trick, said to the Baron: pretend to marry her and as soon as she agrees, won't Argon be disgusted?

Lucas Oh--that's it! I see clearly.

Lisette (dreaming again) For me, I don't see. For, on the other side, perhaps the Baron really wanted to marry me. That would embarra.s.s, no, yes, the more I think about it-- May I have enough wit and not be too clever by half.

Lucas Listen to my good advice. I have marvelous ideas. For, in the state where things are perilous, you have wit, but in a family affair, a father, as they say, is older than his daughter. Here then is my good advice. Let's go find the Baron. He's the most important.

Lisette No.

Lucas No?

Lisette No.

Lucas It's the second who is good. Lets go find Argon.

Lisette No.

Lucas Then I don't know any more than an animal? Oh, my third advice, it's to have a tete-a-tete.

Lisette Go find the Baron alone.