Chapter: SCENE VII

  TARTUFFE, ELMIRE, ORGON


  TARTUFFE (not seeing Orgon)
  All things conspire toward my satisfaction,
  Madam, I've searched the whole apartment through.
  There's no one here; and now my ravished soul ...

  ORGON (stopping him)
  Softly! You are too eager in your amours;
  You needn't be so passionate. Ah ha!
  My holy man! You want to put it on me!
  How is your soul abandoned to temptation!
  Marry my daughter, eh?--and want my wife, too?
  I doubted long enough if this was earnest,
  Expecting all the time the tone would change;
  But now the proof's been carried far enough;
  I'm satisfied, and ask no more, for my part.

  ELMIRE (to Tartuffe)
  'Twas quite against my character to play
  This part; but I was forced to treat you so.

  TARTUFFE
  What? You believe ... ?

  ORGON
  Come, now, no protestations.
  Get out from here, and make no fuss about it.

  TARTUFFE
  But my intent ...

  ORGON
  That talk is out of season.
  You leave my house this instant.

  TARTUFFE
  You're the one
  To leave it, you who play the master here!
  This house belongs to me, I'll have you know,
  And show you plainly it's no use to turn
  To these low tricks, to pick a quarrel with me,
  And that you can't insult me at your pleasure,
  For I have wherewith to confound your lies,
  Avenge offended Heaven, and compel
  Those to repent who talk to me of leaving.

 Tartuffe comes in, ready to go. Everything is clear. He does not see Orgon. Orgon comes out, guns blazing. Well, not literally. He starts chewing Tartuffe out, and claims to have "long suspected" him . It seems Tartuffe doesn't have a monopoly on lying. When Orgon tells Tartuffe to hit the road, Tartuffe turns the tables. Before running he declares, "This house belongs to me, I'll have you know."

