Did I not order you to receive them
as persons whom I intended for your husbands?
MAD. Dear father, what consideration do you wish us to entertain for the
irregular behaviour of these people?
CAT. How can a woman of ever so little understanding, uncle, reconcile
herself to such individuals?
GORG. What fault have you to find with them?
MAD. Their's is fine gallantry, indeed. Would you believe it? they began
with proposing marriage to us.
GORG. What would you have them begin with--with a proposal to keep you
as mistresses? Is not their proposal a compliment to both of you, as
well as to me? Can anything be more polite than this? And do they not
prove the honesty of their intentions by wishing to enter these holy
bonds?
MAD. O, father! Nothing can be more vulgar than what you have just said.
I am ashamed to hear you talk in such a manner; you should take some
lessons in the elegant way of looking at things.
GORG. I care neither for elegant ways nor songs. I tell you marriage is
a holy and sacred affair; to begin with that is to act like honest
people.
[Footnote: The original has a play on words. Madelon says, in addressing
her father, _vous devriez un pen vous faire apprendre le bel air des
choses_, upon which he answers, _je n'ai que faire ni d'air ni de
chanson_.
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