The same. SCENE IV. Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, and an Officer. Ant. E. Fear me not, man, I will not break away; I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money To warrant thee, as I am 'rested for. My wife is in a wayward mood to-day; And will not lightly trust the messenger, That I should be attach'd in Ephesus: I tell you, 'twill sound harshly in her ears. Enter DROMIO of Ephesus, with a rope's end. Here comes my man; I think, he brings the money. -How now, sir? have you that I sent you for? Dro.E. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay them all. Ant. E. But where's the money ? Dro.E. Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope. Ant.E. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? Dro.E. I'll serve you, sir, five hundred at the rate. Ant. E. To what end did I bid thee hie thee home? Dro.E. To a rope's end, sir; and to that end am I returned. Ant.E. And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. Offi. Good sir, be patient. [Beating him. Dro.E. Nay,'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity. Offi. Good now, hold thy tongue. Dro.E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands. Ant.E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain ! Dro.E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows. Ant.E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass. Dro.E. I am an ass, indeed; you may prove it by my long ears. I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his hands for my service, but blows: when I am cold, he heats me with beating when I am warm, he cools me with beating: I am waked with it, when I sleep; raised with it, when I sit; driven out of doors with it, when I go from home; welcomed home with it, when I return: nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar wont her brat ; and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door. Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, and the Courtezan, with PINCH, and others. Ant.E. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder. Dro.E. Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, Beware the rope's end. Ant. E. Wilt thou still talk? [Beats him. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband mad ? Adr. His incivility confirms no less. -Good doctor Pinch, you are a conjurer; And I will please you what you will demand. And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight; Ant.E. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not mad. Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut, Adr. O, husband, God doth know, you din'd at home; An.E. I din'd at home? Thou villain, what say'st thou? you. Dr. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scorn'd Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from thence? Dro.E. In verity, you did ;-my bones bear witness, That since have felt the vigour of his rage. [9] Her charge being, like that of the vestal virgins, to keep the fire burn ing. JOHNSON. Adr. Is't good to sooth him in these contraries? Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his vein, And, yielding to him, humours well his frenzy. Ant.E. Thou hast suborn'd the goldsmith to arrest me. Adr. Alas, I sent you money to redeem you, By Dromio here, who came in haste for it. Dro.E. Money by me? heart and good-will you might, But, surely, master, not a rag of money. Ant.E. Went'st not thou to her for a purse of ducats? Adr. He came to me, and I deliver'd it. Luc. And I am witness with her, that she did. Dro. E. God and the rope-maker, bear me witness, That I was sent for nothing but a rope! Pinch. Mistress, both man and master is possess'd; I know it by their pale and deadly looks : They must be bound, and laid in some dark room. Ant. E. Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth to-day? -And why dost thou deny the bag of gold? Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. Dro.E. And, gentle master, I receiv'd no gold ; But, I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in both. Ant. E. Dissembling harlot, thou art false in all ; And art confederate with a damned pack, To make a loathsome abject scorn of me: [Pinch and his Assistants bind ANT.E. and DRO.E. Adr. O, bind him, bind him, let him not come near me. Pinch. More company;-the fiend is strong within him. Luc. Ah me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks! Ant. E. What, will you murder me ?-Thou gaoler, thou, I am thy prisoner; wilt thou suffer them To make a rescue? Offi. Masters, let him go: He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. Pinch. Go, bind this man, for he is frantic too. Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer ?1 Hast thou delight to see a wretched man Do outrage and displeasure to himself? Offi. He is my prisoner; if I let him go, [1] This is the second time that, in the course of this play, peevish has been used for foolish. STEEVENS. The debt he owes, will be requir'd of me. Adr. I will discharge thee, ere I go from thee: And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it. Dro.E. Master, I am here enter'd in bond for you. Ant.E. Out on thee, villain wherefore dost thou mad me? Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, Luc. God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk! -Say now, whose suit is he arrested at? Offi. One Angelo, a goldsmith; Do you know him? Adr. I know the man: What is the sum he owes? Offi. Two hundred ducats. Adr. Say, how grows it due ? Offi. Due for a chain, your husband had of him. Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it not. Cour. When as your husband, all in rage, to-day Came to my house, and took away my ring, (The ring I saw upon his finger now,) Straight after, did I meet him with a chain. Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, with his rapier drawn, and DROMIO of Syracuse. Luc. God, for thy mercy! they are loose again. Adr. And come with naked swords; let's call more help, To have them bound again. Offi. Away, they'll kill us. [Exe.Offi. ADR. and Luc. Ant.S. I see, these witches are afraid of swords. Dro.S. She, that would be your wife, now ran from you. Ant. S. Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff from thence : I long, that we were safe and sound aboard. Dro.S. Faith, stay here this night, they will surely do us no harm; you saw, they speak us fair, give us gold: methinks, they are such a gentle nation, that but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here still, and turn witch. Ant. S. I will not stay to-night for all the town; Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard. ACT V. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. Enter Merchant and ANGELO. Angelo. I AM sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd you; But, I protest, he had the chain of me, Though most dishonestly he doth deny it. Mer. How is the man esteem'd here in the city? Of credit infinite, highly belov'd, Second to none that lives here in the city`; Mer. Speak softly: yonder, as I think, he walks. That you would put me to this shame and trouble; Mer. Yes, that you did, sir; and forswore it too. Ant. S. Who heard me to deny it, or forswear it ? Mer. These ears of mine, thou knowest, did hear thee: Fie on thee, wretch ! 'tis pity, that thou liv'st To walk where any honest men resort. Ant. S. Thou art a villain, to impeach me thus: '11 prove mine honour and mine honesty Against thee presently, if thou dar❜st stand. 38 VOL. I. |