Chapter: SCENE II    TARTUFFE, DORINE


  TARTUFFE (speaking to his valet, off the stage, as soon as he sees
  Dorine is there)
  Lawrence, put up my hair-cloth shirt and scourge,
  And pray that Heaven may shed its light upon you.
  If any come to see me, say I'm gone
  To share my alms among the prisoners.

  DORINE (aside)
  What affectation and what showing off!

  TARTUFFE
  What do you want with me?

  DORINE
  To tell you ...

  TARTUFFE (taking a handkerchief from his pocket)
  Ah!
  Before you speak, pray take this handkerchief.

  DORINE
  What?

  TARTUFFE
  Cover up that bosom, which I can't
  Endure to look on. Things like that offend
  Our souls, and fill our minds with sinful thoughts.

  DORINE
  Are you so tender to temptation, then,
  And has the flesh such power upon your senses?
  I don't know how you get in such a heat;
  For my part, I am not so prone to lust,
  And I could see you stripped from head to foot,
  And all your hide not tempt me in the least.

  TARTUFFE
  Show in your speech some little modesty,
  Or I must instantly take leave of you.

  DORINE
  No, no, I'll leave you to yourself; I've only
  One thing to say: Madam will soon be down,
  And begs the favour of a word with you.

  TARTUFFE
  Ah! Willingly.

  DORINE (aside)
  How gentle all at once!
  My faith, I still believe I've hit upon it.

  TARTUFFE
  Will she come soon?

  DORINE
  I think I hear her now.
  Yes, here she is herself; I'll leave you with her.

 Tartuffe enters, talking loudly to his servant Laurent, who is off-stage; he's going to go to the prison, he says, to give money to the prisoners. Dorine can't stand his pretentiousness. Tartuffe can't stand the sight of Dorine's breasts, and he gives her a handkerchief to cover her bosom; he says the sight of it creates unclean thoughts - no doubt in his dirty mind. Dorine calls him out and says that she would feel nothing if he were prancing around naked. Tartuffe doesn't want to listen to her jibes - and he doesn't have to; Dorine is on her way out. Elmire, she tells him, is headed downstairs to have a chat with him. When Tartuffe gets too excited about this, Dorine thinks her suspicions have been confirmed. She leaves.

