SCENE VI.——BÉLINE, ARGAN.

ARG.
Ah! come near, my wife.

BEL.
What ails you, my poor, dear husband?

ARG.
Come to my help.

BEL.
What is the matter, my little darling child?

ARG.
My love.

BEL.
My love.

ARG.
They have just put me in a rage.

BEL.
Alas! my poor little husband! How was that, my own dear pet?
ARG.
That jade of yours, Toinette, has grown more insolent than ever.

BEL.
Don't excite yourself.

ARG.
She has put me in a rage, my dove.

BEL.
Gently, my child.

ARG.
She has been thwarting me for the last hour about everything I want to do.

BEL.
There, there; never mind.

ARG.
And has had the impudence to say that I am not ill.

BEL.
She is an impertinent hussy.

ARG.
You know, my soul, what the truth is?
BEL.
Yes, my darling, she is wrong.

ARG.
My own dear, that jade will be the death of me.

BEL.
Now, don't, don't.

ARG.
She is the cause of all my bile.

BEL.
Don't be so angry.

ARG.
And I have asked you ever so many times to send her away.

BEL.
Alas! my child, there is no servant without defects. We are obliged to put up at times with their bad qualities on account of their good ones. The girl is skilful, careful, diligent, and, above all, honest; and you know that in our days we must be very careful what people we take into our house. I say, Toinette.