THE MISER
A monologue from the
play by Molière
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NOTE: This monologue is reprinted
from The Dramatic Works of Molière, Vol. III. Ed.
Charles Heron Wall. London: George Bell & Sons, 1891. |
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HARPAGON: Thieves! Thieves! Assassins! Murder! Justice,
just heavens! I am undone; I am murdered; they have cut my throat;
they have stolen my money! Who can it be? What has become of
him? Where is he? Where is he hiding himself? What shall I do
to find him? Where shall I run? Where shall I not run? Is he
not here? Who is this? Stop! [To himself, taking hold of his
own arm] Give my back my money, wretch . . . . Ah! . . .
. it is myself . . . . My mind is wandering, and I know not where
I am, who I am, and what I am doing. Alas! my poor money! my
poor money! my dearest friend, they have bereaved me of thee;
and since thou art gone, I have lost my support, my consolation,
and my joy. All is ended for me, and I have nothing more to do
in the world! Without thee it is impossible for me to live. It
is all over with me; I can bear it no longer. I am dying; I am
dead; I am buried. Is there nobody who will call me from the
dead, by restoring my dear money to me, or by telling me who
has taken it? Ah! what is it you say? It is no one. Whoever has
committed the deed must have watched carefully for his opportunity,
and must have chosen the very moment when I was talking with
my miscreant of a son. I must go. I will demand justice, and
have the whole of my house put to the torture--my maids and my
valets, my son, my daughter, and myself too. What a crowd of
people are assembled here! Everybody seems to be my thief. I
see no one who does not rouse suspicion in me. Ha! What are they
speaking of there? Of him who stole my money? What noise is that
up yonder? Is it my thief who is there? For pity's sake, if you
know anything of my thief, I beseech you to tell me. Is he hiding
there among you? They all look at me and laugh. We shall see
that they all have a share in the robbery. Quick! Magistrates,
police, provosts, judges, racks, gibbets, and executioners. I
will hang everybody, and if I do not find my money, I will hang
myself afterwards.
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