Cle. I, father? I play; and as I am very lucky, I spend in clothes all the money I win.
Har. It is very wrong. If you are lucky at play, you should profit by it, and place the money you win at decent interest, so that you may find it again some day. I should like to know, for instance, without mentioning the rest, what need there is for all these ribbons with which you are decked from head to foot, and if half a dozen tags are not sufficient to fasten your breeches. What necessity is there for anyone to spend money upon wigs, when we have hair of our own growth, which costs nothing. I will lay a wager that, in wigs and ribbons alone, there are certainly twenty pistoles spent, and twenty pistoles brings in at least eighteen livres six sous eight deniers per annum, at only eight per cent interest.
Cle. You are quite right.
Har. Enough on this subject; let us talk of something else. (Aside, noticing Cléante and Élise, who make signs to one another) I believe they are making signs to one another to pick my pocket. (Aloud) What do you mean by those signs?
Eli. We are hesitating as to who shall speak first, for we both have something to tell you.
Har. And I also have something to tell you both.
Cle. We wanted to speak to you about marriage, father.
Har. The very thing I wish to speak to you about.
Eli. Ah! my father!
Har. What is the meaning of that exclamation? Is it the word, daughter, or the thing itself that frightens you?