- I can’t believe I swallowed all those...

• I can’t believe I swallowed all those lies!
• But pretty soon you’ll get your just deserts --
• It’s my stupidity that really hurts.
• To let myself be made the tool and toy
• Of a mere fop -- a callow, impish boy!
• Have I offended you? I don’t recall
• Doing you any serious harm at all.
• I’ve always been as lenient as I could --
• I spanked you sometimes, but it did you good.
• If you were so revolted by Clarice
• You should have said -- why fool about like this?
• I only wanted you to be content --
• I proved it, too, by giving my consent
• To your marrying a girl I’d never seen.
• And yet, what use has all this kindness been,
• If insults and deceit are your idea
• Of gratitude? And now, get out of here --
• I wash my hands of you.

Corneille, Pierre. Two Plays: The Liar, The Illusion. trans. Ranjit Bolt. Absolute Classics, Bath, England. 1989. p. 62.