Among the small farces said to have been sketched by Molière duringhis stay in the provinces, two only which seem genuine have come downto us, and have been published for the last thirty years with hiscomedies. These are, 'La Jalousie du Barbouillé,' and 'Le MédecinVolant.' Molière has made use of the former in the third act of thecomedy called 'George Dandin.'
Molière acted the part of Le Barbouillé.
Le Barbouillé, husband toAngélique.
The Doctor.
Angélique.
Valère, lover to Angélique.
Cathau, maid to Angélique.
Gorgibus, father to Angélique.
Villebrequin.
La Vallée.
Bar. Everybody must acknowledge that I am the most unfortunate of men!I have a wife who plagues me to death; and who, instead of bringing mecomfort and doing things as I like them to be done, makes me swear ather twenty times a day. Instead of keeping at home, she likes gaddingabout, eating good dinners, and passing her time with people of Idon't know what description. Ah! poor Barbouillé, how much you are tobe pitied! But she must be punished. Suppose you killed her?… Itwould do no good, for you would be hung afterwards. If you were tohave her sent to prison?… The minx would find means of coming out.What the deuce are you to do?—But here is the doctor coming out thisway; suppose I ask his advice on my difficulties.
Bar.I was going to fetch you, to beg for your opinion on a questionof great importance to me.
Doc.You must be very ill-bred, very loutish, and very badly taught,my friend, to speak to me in that fashion, without first taking offyour hat, without observing rationem loci, temporis et personæ.What! you begin by an abrupt speech, instead of saying Salve, velsalvus sis, doctor doctorum eruditissime. What do you take me for,eh?
Bar.Really, doctor, I am very sorry; the fact is that I am almostbeside myself, and did not think of what I was doing; but I know youare a gallant man.
Doc.Do you know what gallant man comes from?
Bar.It matters little to me whether it comes from Villejuif orAubervilliers.
Doc.Know that the word gallant man comes from elegant. By takingthe g and the a of the last syllable, that makes ga; then bytaking the two ll's, adding a and the two last letters nt, thatmakes gallant; then by adding man you have gallant man. But tocome back to what I said; What do you take me for?
Bar.I take you for a doctor. But let us speak a little of what I haveto propose to you. You must know that …