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THE IMAGINARY INVALID.

(LE MALADE IMAGINAIRE.)

by

MOLIERE,

Translated into English Prose.

With Short Introductions and Explanatory Notes.

by

CHARLES HERON WALL.







This is the last comedy written by Moliere. He was very ill, nearly
dying, at the time he wrote it. It was first acted at the Palais Royal
Theatre, on February 10, 1673.

Moliere acted the part of Argan.




PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ARGAN, _an imaginary invalid_.

BELINE, _second wife to_ ARGAN.

ANGELIQUE, _daughter to_ ARGAN, _in love with_ CLEANTE.

LOUISON, ARGAN'S _young daughter, sister to_ ANGELIQUE.

BERALDE, _brother to_ ARGAN.

CLEANTE, _lover to_ ANGELIQUE.

MR. DIAFOIRUS, _a physician_.

THOMAS DIAFOIRUS, _his son, in love with_ ANGELIQUE.

MR. PURGON, _physician to_ ARGAN.

MR. FLEURANT, _an apothecary_.

MR. DE BONNEFOI, _a notary_.

TOINETTE, _maid-servant to_ ARGAN.




ACT I.

SCENE I.--ARGAN (_sitting at a table, adding up his apothecary's
bill with counters_).


ARG. Three and two make five, and five make ten, and ten make twenty.
"Item, on the 24th, a small, insinuative