ACT V.
SCENE I.—MRS. JOURDAIN, MR. JOURDAIN.
MRS. JOUR. Goodness gracious me! Lord, have mercy on us! What can this be? What a figure! Is it a momon [Footnote: Apparently there is no English equivalent to momon in this sense.] you have in hand, and is this carnival time? Do speak! What does all this mean? Who trussed you up in this manner?
MR. JOUR. Just see the impertinent woman, to speak after such a manner to a mamamouchi.
MRS. JOUR. What do you say?
MR. JOUR. Yes, you must show me respect now; I have just been made a mamamouchi.
MRS. JOUR. What can you possibly mean with your mamamouchi?
MR. JOUR. Mamamouchi, I tell you; I am a mamamouchi.
MRS. JOUR. What kind of a beast is that?
MR. JOUR. Mamamouchi; which in our language means paladin.
MRS. JOUR. Ballet in? Are you of an age to be dancing ballets?
MR. JOUR. What an ignorant woman you are! I say "paladin," which is a dignity which has just been conferred upon me with all due ceremony.
MRS. JOUR. What ceremony?
MR. JOUR. Mahameta per Jordina.
MRS. JOUR. What does that mean?
MR. JOUR. Jordina, that is to say Jourdain.
MRS. JOUR. Well? What, Jourdain?
MR. JOUR. Voler far un paladina de Jordina.
MRS. JOUR. What?
MR. JOUR. Dar turbanta con galera.
MRS. JOUR. What does that mean?
MR. JOUR. Per deffender Palestina.
MRS. JOUR. Tell me what you mean then.
MR. JOUR. Dara, dara bastonnara.
MRS. JOUR. What is all this jargon?
MR. JOUR. Non tener honta, questa star l'ultima affronta.
MRS. JOUR. Whatever is all this?
MR. JOUR. (singing and dancing). Hou la ba, ba la chow, ba la ba, ba la da. (Falls to the ground.)
MRS. JOUR. Alas, alas! my husband is gone out of his mind.
MR. JOUR. (getting up and walking off). Peace! Show respect to the mamamouchi.
MRS. JOUR. (alone). Where can he have lost his senses? I must run after him and prevent him from going out! (Seeing DORIMÈNE and DORANTE.) Oh dear! Oh dear! Here's the last straw! I see nothing but trouble and disgrace everywhere!