MARIANE
You must claim
Great glory from this honourable act.
TARTUFFE
The act cannot be aught but honourable,
Coming from that high power which sends me here.
ORGON
Ungrateful wretch, do you forget 'twas I
That rescued you from utter misery?
TARTUFFE
I've not forgot some help you may have given;
But my first duty now is toward my prince.
The higher power of that most sacred claim
Must stifle in my heart all gratitude;
And to such puissant ties I'd sacrifice
My friend, my wife, my kindred, and myself.
ELMIRE
The hypocrite!
DORINE
How well he knows the trick
Of cloaking him with what we most revere!
CLEANTE
But if the motive that you make parade of
Is perfect as you say, why should it wait
To show itself, until the day he caught you
Soliciting his wife? How happens it
You have not thought to go inform against him
Until his honour forces him to drive you
Out of his house? And though I need not mention
That he'd just given you his whole estate,
Still, if you meant to treat him now as guilty,
How could you then consent to take his gift?
TARTUFFE (to the Officer)
Pray, sir, deliver me from all this clamour;
Be good enough to carry out your order.
THE OFFICER
Yes, I've too long delayed its execution;
'Tis very fitting you should urge me to it;
So therefore, you must follow me at once
To prison, where you'll find your lodging ready.
TARTUFFE
Who? I, sir?
THE OFFICER
You.
TARTUFFE
By why to prison?
THE OFFICER
You
Are not the one to whom I owe account.
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