only, sets folks talking, with no profit to you, and little honour to her.

Fabrizio (aside). What can this mean? Either the woman is mad, or she takes me for somebody else. But I will see what will come of it. Let us go, then.

Pasquella. Oh! I think I hear people in the house. Stop a moment. I will see if Isabella is alone, and will make a sign to you if the coast is clear.

Fabrizio. I will see the end of this mystery. Perhaps it is a scheme to get money of me: but I am, as it were, a pupil of the Spaniards, and am more likely to get a crown from them, than they are to get a carlin from me. I will stand aside a little, to see who goes into or out of the house, and judge what sort of lady she may be.

Scene VI.

GHERARDO, VIRGINIO, and PASQUELLA.

Gherardo. Pardon me. If this is so, I renounce her. If Lelia has done this, it must be, not merely because she will not have me, but because she has taken somebody else. Virginio. Do not believe it, Gherardo.

not spoil what has been done.

I pray you, do

Gherardo. And I pray you to say no more about it.

Virginio. Surely you will not be wanting to your word. Gherardo. Yes, where there has been a wanting in deed. Besides, you do not know if you can recover her. You are selling the bird in the bush. I heard your talk with Cle

mentia.

Virginio. If I do not recover her, I cannot give her to you. But if I do recover her, will you not have her? And that immediately?

Gherardo. Virginio, I had the most honourable wife in Modena. And I have a daughter who is a dove. How can

I bring into my house one who has run away from her father, and gone heaven knows where in masculine apparel? Whom should I find to marry my daughter?

Virginio. After a few days nothing will be thought of it. And I do not think any one knows it, except ourselves. Gherardo. The whole town will be full of it.

Virginio. No, no.

Gherardo. How long is it since she ran away?

Virginio. Yesterday, or this morning.

Gherardo. Who knows that she is still in Modena?
Virginio. I know it.

Gherardo. Find her, and we will talk it over again.
Virginio. Do you promise to take her?

Gherardo. I will see.

Virginio. Say, yes.

Gherardo. I will not say yes: but

Virginio. Come, say it freely.

Gherardo. Softly. What are you doing here, Pasquella? What is Isabella about?

Pasquella. Kneeling before her altar.

Gherardo. Blessings on her. A daughter who is always at her devotions is something to be proud of.

Pasquella. Ay, indeed. She fasts on all fast-days, and says the prayers of the day like a little saint.

Gherardo. She resembles that blessed soul of her mother. Virginio. Oh, Gherardo! Gherardo! this is she, of whom we have been speaking. She seems to be hiding or running away, for having seen me. Let us go up to her.

Gherardo. Take care not to mistake. Perhaps it is not she? Virginio. Who would not know her? And have I not all the signs which Sister Novellante gave me?

Pasquella. Things are going ill. I will take myself off.

Scene VII.

VIRGINIO, GHERARDO, and FABRIZIO.

Virginio. So, my fine miss, do you think this is a befitting dress for you? This is the honour you do to my house. This is the content you give to a poor old man. Would I had been dead before you were born, for you were only born to disgrace me to bury me alive. And you, Gherardo, what say you of your betrothed? Is she not a credit to you? Gherardo. She is no betrothed of mine.

Virginio. Impudent minx! What would become of you, if this good man should reject you for a wife? But he overlooks your follies, and is willing to take you.

Gherardo. Softly, softly.

Virginio. Go indoors, hussy.

Fabrizio. Old man, have you no sons, friends, or relations in this city whose duty it is to take care of you?

Virginio. What an answer! Why do you ask this?

Fabrizio. Because I wonder that, having so much need of a doctor, you are allowed to go about, when you ought to be locked up, and in a strait-waistcoat.

Virginio. You ought to be locked up, and shall be, if I do not kill you on the spot, as I have a mind to do.

Fabrizio. You insult me, because, perhaps, you think me a foreigner; but I am a Modenese, and of as good a family as

you.

Virginio (taking GHERARDO aside). Gherardo, take her into your house. Do not let her be seen in this fashion. Gherardo. No, no; take her home. Virginio. Listen a little, and keep an eye on her, that she does not run away. [They talk apart.

Fabrizio. I have seen madmen before now, but such a madman as this old fellow I never saw going at large. What a comical insanity, to fancy that young men are girls! I would not for a thousand crowns have missed this drollery, to make a story for evenings in carnival. They are coming this way. I will humour their foolery, and see what will come of it. Virginio. Come here.

Fabrizio. What do you want?
Virginio. You are a sad hussy.

Fabrizio. Do not be abusive: for I shall not stand it.
Virginio. Brazen face.

Fabrizio. Ho! ho! ho!

Gherardo. Let him speak. Do you not see that he is angry? Do as he bids.

Fabrizio. What is his anger to me? What is he to me, or you either?

Virginio. You will kill me before my time.

Fabrizio. It is high time to die, when you have fallen into dotage. You have lived too long already.

Gherardo. Do not speak so, dear daughter, dear sister. Fabrizio. Here is a pretty pair of doves! both crazy with one conceit. Ha! ha! ha ha!

Virginio. Do you laugh at me, impudence?

Fabrizio. How can I help laughing at you, brainless old goose?

Gherardo. I am afraid this poor girl has lost her wits. Virginio. I thought so at first, when I saw with how little patience she received me. Pray take her into your house. I

VOL. III.

20

cannot take her to my own, without making myself the sight of the city.

Fabrizio. About what are these brothers of Melchisedech laying together the heads of their second babyhood?

Virginio. Let us coax her indoors; and as soon as she is within, lock her up in a chamber with your daughter. Gherardo. Be it so.

Virginio. Come, my girl, I will not longer be angry with you. I pardon everything. Only behave well for the future. Fabrizio. Thank you.

Gherardo. Behave as good daughters do.

Fabrizio. The other chimes in with the same tune.
Gherardo. Go in, then, like a good girl.

Virginio. Go in, my daughter.

Gherardo. This house is your own. You are to be my wife. Fabrizio. Your wife and his daughter? Ha! ha! ha! Gherardo. My daughter will be glad of your company. Fabrizio. Your daughter, eh? Very good. I will go in. Virginio. Gherardo, now that we have her safe, lock her up with your daughter, while I send for her clothes.

Gherardo. Pasquella, call Isabella, and bring the key of her

room.

ACT IV.

Scene I.-Scene continues.

MESSER PIERO and STRAGUALCIA.

Messer Piero. You ought to have fifty bastinadoes, to teach you to keep him company when he goes out, and not to get drunk and sleep, as you have done, and let him go about alone.

Stragualcia. And you ought to be loaded with birch and broom, sulphur, pitch, and gunpowder, and set on fire, to teach you not to be what you are.

Messer Piero. Sot, sot.

Stragualcia. Pedant, pedant.

Messer Piero. Let me find your master.

Stragualcia. Let me find his father.

Messer Piero. What can you say of me to his father?

Stragualcia. And what can you say of me?

Messer Piero. That you are a knave, a rogue, a rascal, a

sluggard, a coward, a drunkard. That is what I can say.

Stragualcia. And I can say that you are a thief, a gambler, a slanderer, a cheat, a sharper, a boaster, a blockhead, an impostor, an ignoramus, a traitor, a profligate. That is what I can say. Messer Piero. Well, we are both known.

Stragualcia. True.

Messer Piero. No more words. I will not place myself on a footing with you.

Stragualcia. Oh! to be sure; you have all the nobility of the Maremma. I am better born than you. What are you, but the son of a muleteer? This upstart, because he can say cujus masculini, thinks he may set his foot on every man's neck.

Messer Piero. Naked and poor go'st thou, Philosophy.* To what have poor letters come? Into the mouth of an ass. Straqualcia. You will be the ass presently. I will lay a load of wood on your shoulders.

Messer Piero. Furor fit læsa sæpius sapientia.+ For the sake of your own shoulders, let me alone, base groom, poltroon, arch-poltroon.

Stragualcia. Pedant, pedant, arch-pedant. What can be said worse than pedant? Can there be a viler, baser, more rubbishy race? They go about puffed up like bladders because they are called Messer This, Maestro That. . . .

[STRAGUALCIA ends with several terms of untranslatable abuse.

Messer Piero. Tractant fabrilia fabri. You speak like what you are. Either you shall leave this service, or I will. Stragualcia. Who would you have in his house, and at his table, except my young master, who is better than bread?

Messer Piero. Many would be glad of me. No more words. Go to the hotel, take care of your master's property. By-andby we will have a reckoning.

Stragualcia. Yes, we will have a reckoning, and you shall

pay it.

Messer Piero. Fruella told me Fabrizio was gone towards the Piazza. I will follow him.

[Exit.

Stragualcia. If I did not now and then make head against this fellow, there would be no living with him. He has no more valour than a rabbit. When I brave him, he is soon

* Povera e nuda vai, Filosofia.-Petrarca, p. 1, s. 7.
Wisdom frequently injured becomes fury.
Workmen speak according to their art.