And I, to blame, have held him here too long. Ant. E. Good lord, you use this dalliance, to ex cuse Your breach of promise to the Porcupine: Mer. The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, despatch. Ang. You hear, how he impórtunes me; the chain Ant. E. Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money. Ang. Come, come, you know, I gave it you even now; Either send the chain, or send me by some token. Ant. E. Fie! now you run this humour out of breath: Come, where's the chain? I pray you, let me see it. Ant. E. I answer you! What should I answer you? Ang. You wrong me more, sir, in denying it: Consider, how it stands upon my credit. Mer. Well officer, arrest him at my suit. Off. I do; and charge you, in the duke's name, to obey me. Ang. This touches me in reputation:Either consent to pay this sum for me, Or I attach you by this officer. Ant. E. Consent to pay thee that I never had! Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar'st. Ang. Here is thy fee; arrest him officer;- Off. I do arrest you, sir; you hear the suit. Ang. Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus, To your notorious shame, I doubt it not. Enter Dromio of Syracuse. Dro. S. Master, there is a bark of Epidamnum, The ship is in her trim; the merry wind Ant. E. How now! a madman! Why thou peevish What ship of Epidamnum stays for me? Dro. S. A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage. Ant. E. Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope; And told thee to what purpose, and what end. Dro. S. You sent me, sir, for a rope's end as soon: You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark. Ant. E. I will debate this matter at more leisure, Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk [Exeunt Merchant, Angelo, Officer, and Ant. E. SCENE II. THE SAME. Enter Adriana and Luciana. Adr. Ah, Luciana, did he tempt thee so? Might'st thou perceive austerely in his eye That he did plead in earnest, yea or no? Look'd he or red, or pale; or sad, or merrily? What observation mad'st thou in this case, Of his heart's meteors tilting in his face? Luc. First, he denied you had in him no right. Adr. He meant, he did me none; the more my spite. Luc. Then swore he, that he was a stranger here. Adr. And true he swore, though yet forsworn he were. Luc. Then pleaded I for you. Adr. And what said he? Luc. That love I begg'd for you, he begg'd of me. Adr. With what persuasion did he tempt thy love? Luc. With words, that in an honest suit might move. First, he did praise my beauty; then, my speech. Adr. Did'st speak him fair? Luc. Have patience, I beseech. Adr. I cannot, nor I will not, hold me still; My tongue, though not my heart, shall have his will. Luc. Who would be jealous then of such a one? No evil lost is wail'd when it is gone. Adr. Ah! but I think him better than I say, And yet would herein others' eyes were worse: Far from her nest the lapwing cries away; My heart prays for him, though my tongue do curse. Enter Dromio of Syracuse. Dro. S. Here, go; the desk, the purse; sweet now, make haste. Luc. How hast thou lost thy breath? Dro. S. By running fast. Adr. Where is thy master, Dromio? is he well? Dro. S. No, he's in Tartar limbo, worse than hell: A devil in an everlasting garment hath him, One, whose hard heart is button'd up with steel; A fiend, a fairy, pitiless and rough; A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff; A back-friend, a shoulder-clapper, one that countermands The passages of allies, creeks, and narrow lands; A hound that runs counter, and yet draws dry-foot well; One that, before the judgment, carries poor souls to hell. Adr. Why, man, what is the matter? Dro. S. I do not know the matter; he is 'rested on the case. Adr. What, is he arrested? tell me, at whose suit. Dro. S. I know not at whose suit he is arrested, well; But he's in a suit of buff, which 'rested him, that can I tell: Will you send him, mistress, redemption, the money in the desk? Adr. Go fetch it, sister.-This I wonder at, [Exit Luciana. That he, unknown to me, should be in debt:— Tell me, was he arrested on a band? Dro. S. Not on a band, but on a stronger thing; A chain, a chain; do you not hear it ring? Adr. What, the chain? |