A hush fell over the glittering salon at the Palace of Versailles in May 1664 as King Louis XIV and his courtiers gathered for a new play by the royal troupe’s leading playwright. On stage, a wealthy gentleman named Orgon was shown falling under the spell of a seemingly pious houseguest, Tartuffe, who spouted sanctimonious platitudes while secretly coveting Orgon’s wife and fortune. Laughter rippled through the audience at Tartuffe’s over-the-top displays of religious devotion and Orgon’s absurd gullibility. The king himself chuckled – Louis XIV enjoyed a good comedy – but not everyone was amused. Some devout members of the court looked positively scandalized. When the final act unveiled Tartuffe’s hypocrisy in full and a character representing the King swooped in to dispense justice, the audience applauded. Yet within hours, whispers of outrage  ...