SCENE III.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, TWO SWISS.

1ST SWISS (_without seeing_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC). Come you, make haste, mein comrad, ve vill, both of us, go to ze market-place; to zee dis Porcegnac at de chustice, which him contemns to pe hung py de neck.

2ND SWISS. (_without seeing_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC). Ve moost hire one vindow to zee dis chustice.

1ST SWISS. Man says dat zey alreaty a great new gallow plant hafe, to hang dis Porcegnac to it.

2ND SWISS. It will pe, yes, a great pleazure to see dis Limossin hung.

1ST SWISS. Ja! to see him vaggle de feet up zere pefor all de peoples!

2ND SWISS. He pe one funny man, he pe; man says dat he married dree times hafe.

1ST SWISS. Ze room fellow! he vant dree wifes all to himself! one fery much pe quite enough for him.

2ND SWISS (_perceiving_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC.) Ah! goot tay, missy.

1ST SWISS. Vat do you zere all by self.

MR. POUR. I am waiting for my servants, gentlemen.

2ND SWISS. You pe prooty, missy?

MR. POUR. Gently, sirs.

1ST SWISS. Missy, vill you come and amuse you on de market-place? Ve will make you zee one little hanging fery prooty.

MR. POUR. I am much obliged to you.

2ND SWISS. It is a Limossin chentleman vat will hung pe fery prootily at a great gallow.

MR. POUR. I am not desirous to see it.

1ST SWISS. You hafe one much funny prest....

MR. POUR. Ah! this is too much! and such odious things are not said to a woman of my position.

2ND SWISS. You go avay.

1ST SWISS. Me vill let not you.

2ND SWISS. Put I vill, I tell ye. (_Both lay hold of_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC _roughly._)

1ST SWISS. I vill not let you.

2ND SWISS. You hafe told one fery mooch lie.

1ST SWISS. You hafe told one lie yourself.

MR. POUR. Help! help! police!

SCENE IV.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, THREE POLICE OFFICERS, TWO SWISS.

OFF. What is it? what is the meaning of this violence? and what are you doing to this lady? Be off at once, unless you wish to be put in prison.

1ST SWISS. Goot, you gone, you vill not hafe her.

2ND SWISS. Goot, you gone too, you vill not hafe her also.

SCENE V.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, THREE POLICE OFFICERS.

MR. POUR. I am much obliged to you, Sir, for saving me from those insolent fellows.

OFF. Oh! oh! This is a face which is deucedly like that which was described to me.

MR. POUR. It is not I, I a.s.sure you.

OFF. Oh! oh! what does this mean?

MR. POUR. I don't know.

OFF. What is it, then, that makes you say that?

MR. POUR. Nothing.

OFF. This manner of speaking is somewhat ambiguous, and you are my prisoner.

MR. POUR. O, Sir, I pray!

OFF. No, no; to judge by your appearance and your manner of speaking, you must be that Mr. de Pourceaugnac we are looking for, although you are disguised in this manner, and you must come to prison at once.

MR. POUR. Alas!

SCENE VI.--MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC, SBRIGANI, THREE POLICE OFFICERS.

SBRI. (_to_ MR. DE POURCEAUGNAC). Heavens! what does this mean?

MR. POUR. They have discovered who I am.

OFF. Yes, yes; I am delighted about it.

SBRI. (_to the_ OFFICER). Ah, Sir! for my sake! do not take him to prison; you know that we have been friends a long while.

OFF. I cannot help it.