I see the jewel best enameled
Will lose its lustre-So doth Adriana,
Whom once, unwearied with continual gazing,
He fondly call'd the treasure of his life!
Now, since my beauty cannot please his eye,
I'll weep what's left away, and, weeping, die. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

The Mart.

Enter ANTIPHOLIS, of Syracuse.

Ant. of Syr. The gold I gave to Dromio is laid up Safe at the Centaur, and the heedful slave Is wander'd forth in care to seek me out. Oh, here he comes !

Enter DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.
How now, sir? is your merry humour alter'd?
As you love strokes, so jest with me again.
You knew no Centaur! you receiv'd no gold!
Your mistress sent, to have me home to dinner!
My house was at the Phoenix! wert thou mad,
That thus, so strangely thou didst answer me?

Dro. of Syr. What answer, sir? when spake I such a word?

Ant. of Syr. Ev'n now, ev'n here; not half an hour

since.

Dro. of Syr. I did not see you, since you sent me

hence

Home, to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me. Ant. of Syr. Villain, thou didst deny the gold's receipt,

And told'st me of a mistress, and a dinner;
For which, I hope, thou felt'st, I was displeased.
Dro. of Syr. I'm glad to see you in this merry vein;
What means this jest, I pray you, master, tell me?
Ant. of Syr, What, dost thou jeer, and flout me in
the teeth?

Think'st thou, I jest? there, take thou that, and that! Dro. of Syr. Hold, sir, for Heaven's sake!-now your jest is earnest

Upon what bargain do you give it me?

Ant. of Syr. Because that I, familiarly, sometimes,
Do use you for my fool, and chat with you,
Your sauciness will jest upon my love,

And make a common of my serious hours.
When the sun shines, let foolish gnats make sport,
But creep in crannies, when he hides his beams.
you will jest with me, then know my aspect,
And fashion your demeanor to my

If

looks.

Dro. of Syr. I pray, sir, why am I beaten?
Ant. of Syr. Dost thou not know?

Dro. of Syr. Nothing, but that I am beaten.
Ant. of Syr. Why, first, for flouting me, and then,
for urging

It, in spite of my assertion to the contrary.

Is dinner ready?

Dro. of Syr. No, sir, I think the meat wants what I've got.

Ant. of Syr. What's that?

Dro. of Syr. Why, basting, sir.

Ant. of Syr. No more, thou knave! for see, who wafts us yonder,

This way they haste, and, by their gestures, seem To point out me—what should they mean, I trow?

Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA.

Adr. Ay, ay, Antipholis, look strange and frown, Some other mistress hath some sweeter aspect: I am not Adriana, nor thy wife.

The time was once, when thou, unurg'd, would'st vow,
That never words were music to thine ear,
That never object, pleasing in thine eye,
That never touch were welcome to thine hand,
That never food, well savour'd to the taste,
Unless I spake, or look'd, or touch'd, or carv'd.
How comes it now, my husband, oh! how comes it,
That thou art thus estranged to thyself?
Thyself, I call it, being strange to me-
Oh, do not tear thyself away from me!
For know, my love, as easy may'st thou fall
A drop of water in the breaking gulf,

And take unmingled thence, that drop again,
As take from me thyself.

Ant. of Syr. Plead you to me, fair dame? I know you not;

In Ephesus, I am but two hours old,

As strange unto your town, as to your talk.

Luc. Fie, brother! how the world is chang'd with you!

When were you wont to use my sister thus ?
She sent for you, by Dromio, home to dinner.
Ant. of Syr. By Dromio ?

Adr. By thee, and thus thou didst return from him, That he did buffet thee, and in his blows,

Denied my house for his, me, for his wife.

Ant. of Syr. Did you converse, sir, with this gen tlewoman?

Dro. of Syr.. I, sir? I never saw her till this moment!

Ant. of Syr. Villain, thou liest! for even her very words

Didst thou deliver to me on the mart.

Dro. of Syr. I never spoke with her in all my life. Ant. of Syr. How can she then thus call us by

Adr. How ill agrees it with your gravity,
To counterfeit thus grossly with your slave,
Abetting him to thwart me in my mood!
Come, I will fasten thus upon thy arm;
Thou art an elm, my husband, I, a vine,
Whose weakness, married to thy stronger state,
Shares in thy virtues, and partakes thy strength.
If ought possess thee from me, it is dross,
Usurping ivy, idle moss, or briar,

Who, all for want of pruning, with intrusion
Infect thy sap, and live on thy destruction.

Ant. of Syr. To me she speaks-she moves me for

her theme

What, was I married to her, in my sleep?
Or sleep I now, and dream I hear all this?
What error thus deceives our eyes and ears?
Yet, that the mystery I may explore,

I'll seem to entertain the fallacy.

Luc. Dromio, go bid the servants spread for dinner. Dro. of Syr. Meaning me?

Luc. Ay, thee, thou slug!

Dro. of Syr. Spread for dinner?

Ant. of Syr. Am I alive? Am I Antipholis? Sleeping, or waking? Mad, or well-advis'd? Known unto these, yet to myself unknown;

Fain would I learn from whence these wonders flow; But, that I almost fear to trace the source,

So strange is every thing I see and hear.

Adr. Come, come, no longer will I be a fool,

To put the finger in the eye. and weep.

While man and master laugh my woes to scorn.
Come, sir, to dinner-Dromio, keep the gate-
Husband, I'll dine above with you, to-day,
And shrive you of a thousand idle pranks.
Sirrah, if any ask you for your master,
Say, he dines forth, and let no creature enter.
Come, sister-Dromio, play the porter well.

[Exit, with LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLIS.

Dro. of Syr. Spread for dinner! I am afraid I shall Be somewhat awkward, as I am not Acquainted with the ways of the house; Though, I suppose they'll be so courteous As to instruct a new comer.

Ay, there they go ;—

The house with the green doors, and have taken
My master with them; I must follow--Sure
We are in the fairy land, and converse with
'Sprites and goblins. I wish they mayn't have
Infected my poor master already; for, even
Now, he swore to a discourse, I held with him
On the Mart: when I can swear, I was talking
To the strong box at the Centaur.-Mighty odd
All this! However, my comfort is, that, whatsoever
Mischief we light on, the master takes place
Of the servant, and must fall into it first.

[Exit.

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

1

A Street, with a View of ANTIPHOLIS's House.

Enter ANTIPHOLIS OF EPHESUS, DROMIO OF EPHESUS, ANGELO, and BALTHASAR.

Ant. of Eph. Good Signor Angelo, you must ex

cuse us;

My wife is shrewish, when I keep not hours.
Say, that I linger'd with you at your shop,

D