As her character is built up to this point, it would seem that Célimène would take delight in leaving Arsinoé and Alceste together because she knows that the older woman has a crush on Alceste and she also knows that Alceste is interested only in Célimène. The impending confrontation would surely amuse her. On the basic plot level, she goes off to write letters (perhaps the ones that trap her later in the play).
Arsinoé commits the obvious error of trying to sidle up to Alceste and to offer him the most blatant and false compliments. At first she tries the most obvious method of winning his favor — speaking of the need of the court to recognize Alceste. To any other person, this connection with the royal court would make a great impression, but to Alceste, any honors from the court would be superficial, and as he honestly evaluates himself, he tells Arsinoé that he has done nothing to warrant the esteem of the court. He has performed no brilliant deeds and therefore has no right to distinction in anyone's eyes.
When Arsinoé tries to say how she has heard men at court praise Alceste, he is once again true to his principles by saying that it is the custom today to praise a man whether he deserves it or not, and he himself is, therefore, not impressed by the praise.
