Virtue is all she cares for; and her heart is so
deeply steeped in it, that she is offended if a man merely looks at her.
SCENE V.--ISABELLA, SGANARELLE.
ISA. (_Aside, as she enters_). I fear that my lover, full of his
passion, has not understood my message rightly! Since I am so strictly
guarded, I must risk one which shall make my meaning clearer.
SGAN. Here I am, returned again.
ISA. Well?
SGAN. Your words wrought their full purpose; I have done his business.
He wanted to deny that his heart was touched; but when I told him I came
from you, he stood immediately dumbfounded and confused; I do not
believe he will come here any more.
ISA. Ah, what do you tell me? I much fear the contrary, and that he will
still give us more trouble.
SGAN. And why do you fear this?
ISA. You had hardly left the house when, going to the window to take a
breath of air, I saw a young man at yonder turning, who first came, most
unexpectedly, to wish me good morning, on the part of this impertinent
man, and then threw right into my chamber a box, enclosing a letter,
sealed like a love-letter.
[Footnote: The original has _un poulet_, literally "a chicken,"
because love-letters were folded so as to represent a fowl, with two
wings; this shape is now called _cocotte_, from _coq_, and,
though no longer used to designate a billet-doux, is often employed in
familiar phraseology, in speaking of a girl who does not lead a moral
life.
Pages:
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39