MAS. They are magnificent.
MR. JOUR. (opening his gown, and showing his tight breeches of scarlet velvet, and a green velvet morning jacket which he is wearing). This is a kind of deshabille to go about early in the morning.
MUS. MAS. It is charming.
MR. JOUR. I say! lackey!
1ST LACK. Sir.
MR. JOUR. The other.
2ND LACK. Sir.
MR. JOUR. (taking off his dressing-gown). Hold my dressing-gown. (To the TWO MASTERS) Do you think I look well so?
DAN. MAS. Perfectly well; nothing could be better.
MR. JOUR. Now let us see a little of this affair of yours.
MUS. MAS. I should like, first of all, for you to hear an air which he (pointing to his PUPIL) has just composed for the serenade you asked of me. He is one of my pupils, who has an admirable talent for this kind of thing.
MR. JOUR. Yes; but you should not have had it done by a pupil; you were not too good for the business yourself.
MUS. MAS. You must not be deceived, Sir, by the name of pupil. These kind of pupils know sometimes as much as the greatest masters; and the air is as beautiful as possible. Only just listen to it.
MR. JOUR. (to his SERVANTS). Hand me my dressing-gown, so that may hear better… Stay, I believe that I shall be better without… No, give it me back again; that will be best.
THE PUPIL
All night and day I languish on;
the sick man none can save
Since those bright eyes have laid him low,
to your stern laws a slave;
If thus to those you love
a meed of care you bring,
What pain, fair Iris, will you find
your foemen's hearts to wring?
MR. JOUR. This song seems to me rather dismal; it sends one to sleep; could you not enliven it a bit here and there?
MUS. MAS. We must, Sir, suit the air to the words.
MR. JOUR. I was taught a very pretty one quite lately; stop a moment … ahem … What is it? How does it begin?
DAN. MAS. Upon my word, Sir, I do not know.
MR. JOUR. There is some lamb in it.
DAN. MAS. Lamb?
MR. JOUR. Yes, ah! I have it. (He sings.) /
When I had Jenny seen,
I thought her kind as fair,
I thought she'd gentler been
Than lambkin on the green;
But ah! but ah! she's far less mild,
Far sterner, I declare,
Than tigers are in forests wild.
Now, isn't it pretty?
MUS. MAS. The prettiest thing in the world.
DAN. MAS. And you sing it very well.
MR. JOUR. Do I? I have never learnt music.
MUS. MAS. You ought to learn it, Sir, as you do dancing. These are two arts which are closely bound together.
DAN. MAS. And which open the human mind to the beauty of things.
MR. JOUR. Do people of rank learn music also?
MUS. MAS. Yes, Sir.
MR. JOUR. I will learn it, then; but I hardly know how I shall find time for it; for, besides the fencing master who teaches me, I have engaged a professor of philosophy, who is to begin this morning.
MUS. MAS. Philosophy is something, no doubt; but music, Sir, music…
DAN. MAS. Music and dancing, Sir; in music and dancing we have all that we need.
MUS. MAS. There is nothing so useful in a state as music.
DAN. MAS. There is nothing so necessary to men as dancing.
MUS. MAS. Without music no kingdom can exist.
DAN. MAS. Without dancing a man can do nothing.
MUS. MAS. All the disorders, all the wars that happen in the world, are caused by nothing but the want of music.
DAN. MAS. All the sorrows and troubles of mankind, all the fatal misfortunes which fill the pages of history, the blunders of statesmen, the failures of great captains, all these come from the want of a knowledge of dancing.
MR. JOUR. How is that?
MUS. MAS. Does not war arise from a want of concord between them?
MR. JOUR. True.
MUS. MAS. And if all men learnt music, would not this be the means of keeping them in better harmony, and of seeing universal peace reign in the world?
MR. JOUR. You are quite right.
DAN. MAS. When a man has committed some fault, either in the management of his family affairs, or in the government of a state, or in the command of an army, do we not say, "So-and-so has made a false step in such an affair"?
MR. JOUR. Yes, we do say so.
DAN. MAS. And from whence can proceed the false step if it is not from ignorance of the art of dancing?
MR. JOUR. This is true, and you are both right.
DAN. MAS. This will give you an idea of the excellence and importance of dancing and music.
MR. JOUR. I understand it now.
MUS. MAS. Will you look at our two compositions?
MR. JOUR. Yes.
MUS. MAS. I have already told you that it is a short attempt which I made some time since to represent the different passions which can be expressed by music.
MR. JOUR. Very well.
MUS. MAS. (to the SINGERS). Come forward. (To MR.
JOURDAIN) You must fancy that they are dressed like shepherds.
MR. JOUR. Why always shepherds? One sees nothing but that everywhere.
DAN. MAS. When we make people speak to music, we must, for the sake of probability, adopt the pastoral. Singing has always been affected by shepherds, and it is not very likely that our princes or citizens would sing their passions in dialogue.
MR. JOUR. Well! well! Go on.
LADY SINGER.
The realm of passion in a loving heart
Full many a care may vex, full many a smart;
In vain we fondly languish, softly sigh;
We
