Charles Heron Wall - The Impostures of Scapin (Act 2 Scene 9) lyrics

ARGANTE, SCAPIN, SILVESTRE, dressed out as a bravo. SIL Scapin, show me that Argante who is the father of Octave. SCA What for, Sir? SIL I have just been told that he wants to go to law with me, and to have my sister's marriage annulled. SCA I don't know if such is his intention, but he won't consent to give the two hundred pistoles you asked; he says it's too much. SIL S'd**h! s'blood! If I can but find him, I'll make mince-meat of him, were I to be broken alive on the wheel afterwards. (ARGANTE hides, trembling, behind SCAPIN.) SCA Sir, the father of Octave is a brave man, and perhaps he will not be afraid of you. SIL Ah! will he not? S'blood! s'd**h! If he were here, I would in a moment run my sword through his body. (Seeing ARGANTE.) Who is that man? SCA He's not the man, Sir; he's not the man. SIL Is he one of his friends? SCA No, Sir; on the contrary, he's his greatest enemy. SIL His greatest enemy? SCA Yes. SIL Ah! zounds! I am delighted at it. (To ARGANTE) You are an enemy of that scoundrel Argante, are you? SCA Yes, yes; I a**ure you that it is so. SIL (shaking ARGANTE'S hand roughly). Shake hands, shake hands. I give you my word, I swear upon my honour, by the sword I wear, by all the oaths I can take, that, before the day is over, I shall have delivered you of that rascally knave, of that scoundrel Argante. Trust me. SCA But, Sir, violent deeds are not allowed in this country. SIL I don't care, and I have nothing to lose. SCA He will certainly take his precautions; he has relations, friends, servants, who will take his part against you. SIL Blood and thunder! It is all I ask, all I ask. (Drawing his sword.) Ah! s'd**h! ah! s'blood! Why can I not meet him at this very moment, with all these relations and friends of his? If he would only appear before me, surrounded by a score of them! Why do they not fall upon me, arms in hand? (Standing upon his guard.) What! you villains! you dare to attack me? Now, s'd**h! k** and slay! (He lunges out on all sides; as if he were fighting many people at once.) No quarter; lay on. Thrust. Firm. Again. Eye and foot. Ah! knaves! ah! rascals! ah! you shall have a taste of it. I'll give you your fill. Come on, you rabble! come on. That's what you want, you there. You shall have your fill of it, I say. Stick to it, you brutes; stick to it. Now, then, parry; now, then, you. (Turning towards ARGANTE and SCAPIN.) Parry this; parry. You draw back? Stand firm, man! S'd**h! What! Never flinch, I say. SCA Sir, we have nothing to do with it. SIL That will teach you to trifle with me.