Harpagon. Will you hold your tongue?

La Flèche. Yes, against my will.

Harpagon. Ah! Ah!

La Flèche (showing Harpagon a pocket in his doublet). Just look, there is another pocket; are you satisfied?

Harpagon. Come, you had better give it up without my searching you.

La Flèche. What?

Harpagon. What you have taken from me.

La Flèche. I have taken nothing at all from you.

Harpagon. Assuredly?

La Flèche. Assuredly.

Harpagon. Good-bye, then, and go to the devil.

La Flèche (aside). That is a pretty dismissal.

Harpagon. I leave you to your own conscience, at least.

Scene IV.—Harpagon, alone.

There is a hang-dog of a valet who is very much in my way; I do not at all care to see this limping cur about the place. It is certainly no small trouble to keep such a large sum of money in one’s house; and he is a happy man who has all his well laid out at interest, and keeps only so much by him as is necessary for his expenses. One is not a little puzzled to contrive, in the whole house, a safe hiding-place; for, as far as I am concerned, I distrust safes, and would never rely on them. I look upon them just as a distinct bait to burglars; for it is always the first thing which they attack.

Scene V.—Harpagon; Elise and Cléante conversing together at the farther end of the stage.

Harpagon (still thinking himself alone). For all that, I am not quite sure if I have done right in burying in my garden these ten thousand crowns, which were paid to me yesterday. Ten thousand golden crowns in one’s house is a sum sufficient.… (aside, perceiving Elise and Cléante). Oh, Heavens! I have betrayed myself! The excitement has carried me too far, and I verily believe I have spoken aloud, while arguing to myself. (To Cléante and Elise). What is the matter?

Cléante. Nothing, father?

Harpagon. Have you been there long?

Elise. We were just coming in.

Harpagon. You have heard …

Elise. What?

Harpagon. What I said just now.

Cléante. No.