Act IV. Scene VI. Molière, Jean Baptiste Poquelin. 1909-14. Tartuffe. The Harvard Classics

Jean Baptiste Poquelin Molière (1622–1673). Tartuffe.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14.

Act IV

Scene VI


ORGON, ELMIRE Orgon (crawling out from under the table) That is, I own, a man … abominable!
I can’t get over it; the whole thing floors me.

Elmire What? You come out so soon? You cannot mean it!
Get back under the table; ’tis not time yet;
Wait till the end, to see, and make quite certain,	5
And don’t believe a thing on mere conjecture.

Orgon Nothing more wicked e’er came out of Hell.

Elmire Dear me! Don’t go and credit things too lightly.
No, let yourself be thoroughly convinced;
Don’t yield too soon, for fear you’ll be mistaken.	10

(As TARTUFFE enters, she makes her husband stand behind her.)