: Off. Good sir, be patient. Dro. E. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in ad versity. Off. Good now, hold thy tongue. Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands. 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 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 ; Establish him in his true sense again, And I will please you what you will demand. 5 -by my long ears.] He means, that his master had lengthened his ears by frequently pulling them. STEEVENS. Luc. Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks! To yield possession to my holy prayers, Ant. E. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not mad. Ant. E. You minion, you, are these your customers ? Did this companion with the saffron face Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut, Adr. O, husband, God doth know, you din'd at home, 6 Ant. E. I din'd at home+! Thou villain, what say'st thou? Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home. Ant. E. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I shut out ? Dro. E. Perdy', your doors were lock'd, and you shut out. Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? Ant. E. Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and scorn me? Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen vestal scorn'd you. companion-] A word of contempt, anciently used as we now use-fellow. STEEVENS. + "Din'd at home!"-MALONE. 1 Perdy,] A corruption of the common French oath-Par dieu. Chaucer's personages are frequent in their use of it. 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. 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 ar rest 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 ? 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. But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out. Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in both. And art confederate with a damned pack, [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, He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. Adr. I will discharge thee, ere I go from thee: Bear me forthwith unto his creditor, And knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it. Dro. E. Master, I am here enter'd in bond for you. mad me? Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, Good master; cry, the devil. Luc. God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk ? Adr. Go bear him hence, -Sister, go you with me.[Exeunt PINCH and Assistants, with ANT. E. and DRO. E. Say now, whose suit is he arrested at ? 1 Off. One Angelo, a goldsmith; Do you know him ? Adr. I know the man: What is the sum he owes? Off. Two hundred ducats. Adr. Say, how grows it due? Off. Due for a chain, your husband had of him. Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it not. --- unhappy strumpet!] Unhappy is here used in one of the senses of unlucky; i. e. mischievous. STEEVENS. Cour. When as your husband, all in rage, to-day Came to my house, and took away my ring, Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, with his rapier drawn, and DROMIO of Syracuse. Luc. God, for thy mercy! they are loose again. help, To have them bound again. Off. Away, they'll kill us. Ant. S. I see, these witches are afraid of swords. 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. [Exeunt. 2 - our stuff-] i. e. our baggage. In the orders that were issued for the Royal Progresses in the last century, the king's baggage was always thus denominated. MALONE. |