What, will you walk with me about the town, Ant. of Syr. Farewell till then.-I will go lose myself, And wander up and down to view the city. Cleon. Sir, I commend you to your own content. [Exit Cleon, L. Ant. of Syr. He, that commends me to my own content Commends me to the thing I cannot get. I, to the world, am like a drop of water, That in the ocean seeks another drop; Who, failing there to find his fellow out, Unseen, inquisitive, confounds himself: So I, to find a mother, and a brother, In search of them, unhappy, lose myself.— Enter DROMIO OF EPHESUS, R. How now! How chance thou art return'd so soon? Dro. of Eph. Return'd so soon! Rather approach'd too late The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit, Ant. of Syr. Stop in your wind, sir ;-tell me this, I pray, Where have you left the money, that I gave you? Dro. of Eph. Money!-Oh, the money that I had on Wednesday last, to pay for mending my Mistress's saddle. The saddler had it, sir; Ant. of Syr. I am not in a sportive humour now; Dro. of Eph. I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner. I, from my mistress, come to you in haste. Methinks your stomach, like mine, should be your clock, And send you home without a messenger. Ant. of Syr. Come, Dromio, come, these jests are out of season; Reserve them till a merrier hour than this. Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee? Dro. of Eph. To me, sir!-Why, you gave no gold to me! Ant. of Syr. (L.) Come, come, have done your foolish ness, And tell me how thou hast disposed my charge. Dro. of Eph. (R.) My charge was but to fetch you from the mart, Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner; Ant. of Syr. Now, as I am a Christian, answer me, Where are the thousand marks thou had'st of me? Dro. of Eph. I have some marks of yours upon my pate, Some of my mistress' marks upon my shoulders: Between you both, they make, perhaps, a thousand : If I should pay your worship these again, Perchance you will not take it patiently. Ant. of Syr. Thy mistress' marks !—What mistress, slave, hast thou? Dro. of Eph. Your worship's wife, my mistress, at the Phoenix, She, that doth fast till you come home to dinner, And prays that you will haste you. Ant. of Syr. (L.) What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, Being forbid ?-There, take you that, sir knave! [Beats him round. Dro. of Eph. (R.) What mean you, sir?-for Heaven's sake, hold your hands Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels. [Exit, R. Ant. of Syr. Upon my life, by some device or other, The villain has been trick'd of all my money. May not the cruel hand of destiny, Ere this, have render'd all my searches vain? END OF ACT 1. [Exit, R. ACT II. SCENE I.-A Chamber in Antipholis of Ephesus's House. Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA, R. Adr. (L.) Neither my husband nor the slave return'd, That, in such haste, I sent to seek him? Sure, Luciana, it is two o'clock. Luc. (R.) Perhaps some merchant has invited him, And, from the mart, he's somewhere gone to dinner. Good sister, let us dine, and never fret ; A man is master of his liberty, Will come, or go-therefore, be patient, sister. Luc. Why, headstrong liberty belongs to man, Adr. This servitude makes you remain unwed. Luc. Not this, but troubles of the marriage state. Adr. But were you wedded, you would bear some rule. Luc. Before I wed, I'll practise to obey. Adr. How, if your husband start some other where ? Luc. With all the gentle, artificial means, That patient meekness, and domestic cares, Could bring to my relief, I would beguile The intervening hours, till he, tired out With empty, transient pleasures, should return To seek content and happiness at homeWith smiles I'd welcome him, and put in practice Each soothing art, that kindness could suggest, To wean his mind from such delusive joys. Adr. O, special reasoning! well may they be patient, But, were we burden'd with like weight of woe, Enter DROMIO OF EPHESUS, L. Adr. Say, is your tardy master now at hand? my two ears can witness. me, and that Adr. Say, didst thou speak with him? know'st thou his mind? Dro. of Eph. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon my ear; Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it! . Luc. Spake he so doubtfully, thou could'st not find his meaning? Dro. of Eph. (Crosses to c.) Nay, he struck so plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal so doubtfully, that I could scarce understand them. Adr. But say, I pray thee, is he coming home? It seems he hath great care to please his wife. Dro. of Eph. Why, mistress, sure my master is hornmad! Luc. Horn-mad, thou villain! Dro. of Eph. I mean not cuckold-mad, but sure he's stark-mad! When I desired him to come home to dinner, He ask'd me for a thousand marks in gold. "Tis dinner time, quoth I-my gold, quoth he― Dro. of Eph. Quoth my master I know, quoth he, no house, no wife, no mistress ! I thank him, I bare home upon my shoulders— Adr. Go back again, thou slave, and fetch him home. Dro. of Eph. Go back again, and be new beaten home! For Heaven's sake, send some other messenger. Adr. Hence, prating peasant! fetch thy master home. Dro. of Eph. Am I so round with you, as you with me, That, like a foot-ball, you do spurn me thus? [Crosses, L. You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither. If I last in this service, you must case me in leather. [Exit, L. Luc. (B) Fie! how impatience lowereth on your brow! Adr. (L.) His company must do his minions grace, While I, at home, starve for a cheerful look. Hath homely age th' alluring beauty stole From my poor cheek? no, he hath wasted it. Are my discourses low? barren my wit? If voluble and sharp discourse be dull'd, Unkindness blunts it more than marble hard. Do their gay vestments his affections bait? That's not my fault-he's master of my fortunes. What ruins are in me, that can be found By him not ruin'd ?—Then is he the cause Of my defeatures-my decayed beauty, A sunny look of his would soon repair: But, too unruly deer! he breaks the pale, And feeds from home-poor I am left despised. [Crosses, T. Luc. Self-harming jealousy! fie! beat it hence. |