The Shopkeeper Turned Gentleman

COV. More admirable than you would ever imagine. For instance, do you know what Cacaracamouchen means?

MR. JOUR. Cacaracamouchen? No.

COV. It means, "My dear love."

MR. JOUR. Cacaracamouchen means, "My dear love"?

COV. Yes.

MR. JOUR. It is wonderful! Cacaracamouchen, "My dear love." Who would ever have thought it? I am perfectly astounded.

COV. In short, in order to end my embassy, I must tell you that he is coming to ask your daughter in marriage; and in order to have a father-in-law worthy of him, he wants to make you a mamamouchi, which is a great dignity in his country.

MR. JOUR. Mamamouchi?

COV. Mamamouchi; that is to say in our own language, a paladin. Paladin, you know those ancient paladins; in short, there is nothing more noble than that in the whole world, and you will take rank with the greatest lords upon the earth.

MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk honours me greatly, and I beg of you to take me to his house, that I may return him my thanks.

COV. Not at all; he is just coming here.

MR. JOUR. He is coming here?

COV. Yes, and he is bringing with him everything necessary for the ceremony.

MR. JOUR. It is doing things rather quickly.

COV. Yes, his love will suffer no delay.

MR. JOUR. All that perplexes me in this affair is that my daughter is a very obstinate girl, who has taken it into her head to have a certain Cléonte for her husband, and vows she will marry no other.

COV. She is sure to change her mind when she sees the son of the Grand Turk; besides, wonderful to relate, the son of the Grand Turk has a strong likeness to that very Cléonte. People showed him to me, and I have just seen him; the love she feels for the one is sure to pass to the other, and … I hear him coming! Lo, here he is.

SCENE VI.

– CLÉONTE (dressed as a Turk), THREE PAGES (carrying the vest of CLÉONTE), MR. JOURDAIN, COVIELLE.

CLE. Ambousahim oqui boraf, Giourdina, salamatequi.

COV. (to MR. JOURDAIN). That is to say, "Mr. Jourdain, may your heart be all the year round a budding rose tree." It is a way of speaking they have in that country.

MR. JOUR. I am your Turkish highness's humble servant.

COV. Carigar camboto oustin moraf.

CLE. Oustin yoc catamalequi basum base alla moran.

COV. He says, "May heaven grant you the strength of the lion and the prudence of the serpent."

MR. JOUR. His Turkish highness does me too much honour, and I wish him all manner of prosperity.

COV. Ossa binamen sadoc baballi oracaf ouram.

CLE. Belmen.

COV. He says you must go quickly with him to prepare for the ceremony, in order afterwards to see your daughter and conclude the marriage.

MR. JOUR. So many things comprised in two words?

COV. Yes, The Turkish language is like that, it says a good deal in a few words. Go quickly where he wishes you.

SCENE VII.

– COVIELLE (alone).

Ah! ah! ah! Upon my soul, this is most absurd. What a dupe! Had he learnt his part by heart, he would not have played it better. Ah! ah! ah!

SCENE VIII.

– DORANTE, COVIELLE.

COV. I beg of you, Sir, to help us here in a little affair we have in hand.

DOR. Hallo! Covielle, who would have known you again? What a get up!

COV. As you see. Ah! ah! ah!

DOR. What are you laughing at?

COV. At a thing worth laughing at, I can tell you.

DOR. What is it?

COV. You would never guess the stratagem we have invented to induce Mr. Jourdain to give my master his daughter in marriage.

DOR. I certainly can't guess what it is, but I can guess that it will succeed since you are at the head of affairs.

COV. I know, Sir, that the animal is appreciated by you.

DOR. Tell me what you are about.

COV. Kindly go a little on one side to make room for what I see coming. You will be able to have a view of a part of the business whilst I explain the rest to you.

SCENE IX.

– THE TURKISH CEREMONY. [Footnote: Lulli composed the music, and acted the part of the Mufti.]

THE MUFTI, DERVISHES, TURKS (assisting the MUFTI), SINGERS and DANCERS.