Moliere 1

Colinge, sit down.
La Forest
Well, sit down; can't you hear, Colinge?

Moliere
La Forest, I'll call you when I'm ready.
La Forest
See that you are not too long about it or I'll not
listen to your stupid old comedy at all.
[She exits.]



44 MOLIERE [Act I

MOLIERE ,

Well, Colinge, what is it?

COLINGE
Master — I — I —

MOLIERE

Yes?

Colinge

[Hesitantly.]
Monday at rehearsal when I forgot my lines you
didn't seem to notice it and yesterday when I
couldn't get the words you passed it over tho the
company sat snickering in the comer.
MOLIERE

I've written so many lines that I think the world
can spare a few.
[And he scratches out several on the page
before him.}

Colinge

Master, that was at rehearsal; what- — what —
[and he is almost afraid to say it] — what if I
should forget some day during a performance?

MOLIERE

They'll bless you if you slice it. Most plays
are twice as good when half as long.
Act I] MOLIERE 45

COLINGE

That is true of Racine maybe, but not Moliere.
Master, what if all of the speeches should some day
go from me? Last night I woke suddenly from a
dream; the play had broken and the people jeered
because Colinge could not go on.
Moliere

[Kindly, sweetly.]
Colinge, you were only dreaming. If that
should happen they would never know. Just turn
about and say: " 'Twas Wednesday last" or "Sir,
your ribbons are awry" — or this or that, — ^just say
it deeply with your voice in some new register and
they will think the play's beginning over.
