The intrigue is all to the credit of Dubois, who not only has to fan the flame of love in the heart of Araminte, but also finds himself obliged to rally his master's failing courage, as when Dorante objects that she is too much above him, since he has neither rank nor wealth, and the valet replies: "Point de bien! votre bonne mine est un Pérou. Tournez-vous un peu, que je vous considère encore; allons, monsieur, vous vous moquez; il n'y a point de plus grand seigneur que vous à Paris; voilà une taille qui vaut toutes les dignités possibles, et notre affaire est infaillible absolument infaillible." His genius for intrigue is certainly admirable, and, were that a sufficient claim for glory, we would chime in with him in his final cry of victory, as the piece closes: "Ouf! ma gloire m'accable. Je mériterais bien d'appeler cette femme-là ma bru." The plot is complicated by the rôle of Mlle. Marton, companion to Araminte, who is led by M. Remy, Dorante's uncle, to consider herself the object of the young man's affection, and thus to second his ambition. She is easily consoled for her disappointment, however, and all ends to the honor of Dorante, who frankly confesses to Araminte his share in the intrigue, but assures her that a desire for her hand and property has culminated in a more noble passion, and we have again the triumph of love.
Marivaux, made use of the same theme in a later comedy, le Préjugé vaincu, but the prejudice attacked was that of birth, instead of wealth, as here, where both parties belong to the world of the bourgeoisie.[121]
L'Épreuve has been called le chant du cygne of Marivaux. It was the last play he gave to the Théâtre-Italien, and was performed November 19, 1740. It is a little comedy in one act, and belongs to the small number of those that were enthusiastically received on their "first night." Marivaux admits this characteristic of his plays in the Avertissement to les Serments indiscrets. "Presque aucune des miennes n'a bien pris d'abord; leur succès n'est venu que dans la suite, et je l'aime bien autant venu de cette manière-là."
This time it is a question of a rich young man, Lucidor, who loses his heart to a poor girl, another Angélique, but, to test her love and to learn, if possible, whether her affection is for himself rather than for his wealth, he puts her to a cruel test. He informs her that he has in mind for her a wealthy party and an intimate friend of his. In her artlessness Angélique concludes from his description that he means himself. In her joy she confides the matter to Lisette.
LISETTE.
Hé bien! Mademoiselle, êtes-vous instruite? A qui vous marie-t-on?
ANGÉLIQUE.
A lui, ma chère Lisette, à lui-même, et je l'attends.
LISETTE. A lui, dites-vous? Et quel est donc cet homme qui s'appelle lui par excellence? Est-ce qu'il est ici?
A charming bit of dialogue, and but another proof of Marivaux's insight into a young girl's heart. What is her chagrin, therefore, when he presents his valet, Frontin, disguised as the rich Parisian! She refuses his offer, and in desperation is about to consent to marry the peasant farmer Blaise, who had long sighed for the five thousand livres which are her marriage portion. This character is the amusing factor of the play, Lucidor urges him to win her hand, but offers, as a compensation, if he loses, twelve thousand livres. This, of course, is sufficient to turn the tide and to enlist the interest of Blaise to fail, if possible, in his forced suit of Angélique. The trial proves Angélique superior to money considerations, and love triumphs.
Why does the money question occupy so important a place in the works of Marivaux? Is it not, as some one has suggested, because in his own life he constantly felt the lack of it? Lesage's Turcaret and Sedaine's le Philosophe sans le savoir indicate, likewise, the new importance of wealth in the eighteenth century, which Marivaux could not have failed to notice or to incorporate in his works.
I cannot pass over in silence la Mère confidente, which, as Sainte-Beuve claims, is of an "ordre à part" among his comedies, and in which "il a touché des cordes plus franches, plus sensibles et d'une nature meilleure."[122] Like so many of his best plays, it was first presented at the Comédie-Italienne, May 9, 1735. This too was one of the plays, the reception of which was favorable. The lesson that it intended to teach, for it has a lesson, was one that we have already seen emphasized, by Marivaux, the rights of children, the duty of parents to respect them, and the advisability of gaining their love and confidence.