BER. I have read wonderful stories about such resemblances; and we
have seen some in our day that have taken in everybody.
ARG. For my part, I should have been deceived this time, and sworn
that the two were but one.
SCENE XIV.--ARGAN, BERALDE, TOINETTE (_as a doctor_).
TOI. Sir, I beg your pardon with all my heart.
ARG. (_to_ BERALDE). It is wonderful.
TOI. You will not take amiss, I hope, the curiosity I feel to see such
an illustrious patient; and your reputation, which reaches the
farthest ends of the world, must be my excuse for the liberty I am
taking.
ARG. Sir, I am your servant.
TOI. I see, Sir, that you are looking earnestly at me. What age do you
think I am?
ARG. I should think twenty-six or twenty-seven at the utmost.
TOI. Ah! ah! ah! ah! ah! I am ninety years old.
ARG. Ninety years old!
TOI. Yes; this is what the secrets of my art have done for me to
preserve me fresh and vigorous as you see.
ARG. Upon my word, a fine youthful old fellow of ninety!
TOI. I am an itinerant doctor, and go from town to town, from province
to province, from kingdom to kingdom, to seek out illustrious material
for my abilities; to find patients worthy of my attention, capable of
exercising the great and noble secrets which I have discovered in
medicine. I disdain to amuse myself with the small rubbish of common
diseases, with the trifles of rheumatism, coughs, fevers, vapours,
and headaches.
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