PSYCHE
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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PSYCHE: Princes, you both display to my eyes a choice
so precious and dazzling that it would satisfy the proudest heart.
But your passion, your friendship, your supreme virtue, all increase
the value of your vows of fidelity, and make it a merit that
I should oppose myself to what you ask of me. I must not listen
to my heart only before engaging in such a union, but my hand
must await my father's decision before it can dispose of itself,
and my sisters have rights superior to mine. But if I were referred
absolutely to my own wishes, you might both have too great a
share in them, and my entire esteem be so evenly balanced between
you that I should not be able to decide in favour of either.
I would indeed respond with most affectionate interest to the
ardour of your suit, but amid so much merit two hearts are too
much for me, one heart too little for you. The accomplishment
of my dearest wishes would be to me a burden were it granted
to me by your love. Yes, Princes, I should greatly prefer you
to all those whose love will follow yours, but I could never
have the heart to prefer one of you to the other. My tenderness
would be too great a sacrifice to the one whom I might choose,
and I should think myself barbarously unjust to inflict so great
a wrong upon the other. Indeed, you both possess such greatness
of soul that it would be wrong to make either of you miserable,
and you must seek in love the means of being both happy. If your
hearts honour me enough to give me the right of disposing of
them, I have two sisters well fitted to please, who might make
your destinies happy, and whom friendship endears to me enough
for me to wish that you should be their husbands.
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