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. Luc. Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks! And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight; Ant.E. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not mad. Adr. O, that thou wert not, poor distressed soul ! Ant.E. You minion, you, are these your customers? Did this companion with the saffron face Revel and feast it at my house to-day, 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 ? Dr. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scorn'd you. 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. Adr. I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth. 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: But with these nails I'll pluck out these false eyes, That would behold me in this shameful sport. [Pinch and his Assistants bind ANT.Ê. 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. Came to my house, and took away my ring, (The ring I saw upon his finger now,) Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith is, 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 ; 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. Mer. I dare, and do defy thee for a villain. [They Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, Courtezan, and ot This is some priory ;-In, or we are spoil'd. [Exeunt ANT.S. and DRO.S. to the P Enter the Abbess. Abb. Be quiet, people; Wherefore throng you hither? Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband hence : Let us come in, that we may bind him fast, And bear him home for his recovery. Ang. I knew, he was not in his perfect wits. Mer. I am sorry now that I did draw on him. Abb. How long hath this possession held the man ? Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, And much, much different from the man he was ; But, till this afternoon, his passion Ne'er brake into extremity of rage. Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck at sea? Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? A sin, prevailing much in youthful men, Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; Abb. Ay, but not rough enough. Adr. As roughly, as my modesty would let me. Adr. And in assemblies too. Abb. Ay, but not enough. Adr. It was the copy of our conference :4 In bed, he slept not for my urging it; At board, he fed not for my urging it; [2] i. e. close with him, grapple with him. STEEVENS. [3] i. e. go into a house. So, we say-a dog takes the water. STEEV. Ai.e. the theme. We still talk of setting copies for boys. STEEVENS. |