MAR. And to show you how I despise you, here, take back your half
hundred of Paris pins, which you gave me yesterday with so much
bragging.
GR.-RE. Take back your knife too; a thing most rich and rare; it cost
you about twopence when you made me a present of it.
MAR. Take back your scissors with the pinchbeck chain.
GR.-RE. I forgot the piece of cheese you gave me the day before
yesterday--here it is; I wish I could bring back the broth you made me
eat, so that I might have nothing belonging to you.
MAR. I have none of your letters about me now, but I shall burn every
one of them.
GR.-RE. And do you know what I shall do with yours?
MAR. Take care you never come begging to me again to forgive you.
GR. RE. (_Picking up a bit of straw_). To cut off every way of
being reconciled, we must break this straw between us; when a straw is
broken, it settles an affair between people of honour.
[Footnote: A wisp of straw, or a stick, was formerly used as a symbol of
investiture of a feudal fief. According to some authors the breaking of
the straw or stick was a proof that the vassals renounced their homage;
hence the allusion of Moliere. The breaking of a staff was also typical
of the voluntary or compulsory abandonment of power.
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