I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money
To warrant thee, as I'm 'rested for.
My wife is in a wayward mood to-day,
And will not lightly trust the messenger.
That I should be attached in Ephesus,
I tell you will sound harshly in her ears.
Here comes my man; I think he brings the money.

Enter DROMIO OF EPHESUS, with a Rope.

Ant. of Eph. How now, sir, have you that I sent you for?

Dro. of Eph. Here's that, I'll warrant you, will pay

them all.

Ant. of Eph. But where's the money?

Dro. of Eph. Why, sir, I gave the money for the

rope.

Ant. of Eph. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope?

Dro. of Eph. I'll serve you, sir, five thousand at that

rate.

Ant. of Eph. To what end did I bid thee hie thee hence?

Dro. of Eph. To a rope's end, sir, and to that end am I return'd.

Ant. of Eph. And to that end, sir, will I welcome

[Beats him.

you.

Offi. Good sir, be patient.

Dro. of Eph. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient, I am in adversity.

it by my endurance. I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have had 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 abroad, welcomed home with it when I return; nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar does her brat-and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door.

Ant. of Eph. Well, we'll along; my wife is coming yonder.

Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, LESBIA, DR. PINCH, &c.

Dro. of Eph. Mistress, respice finem, respect your end-or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, beware of the rope's end.

Ant. of Eph. Wilt thou still prate? art thou not quieted?

[Beats him.

Then take thou that, and that.

Offi. Good sir, be patient.

Lesbia. How say you now? Is not your husband

mad?

Adr. His incivility confirms no less; Good Dr. Pinch, you are a skilful man, Establish him in his true sense again,

And I will pay you what you shall demand.

Luc. Alas! how fiery and how fierce he looks! Lesbia. Mark how he trembles in his ecstacy! Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your pulse.

Ant. of Eph. There is my hand, and let it feel

ear!

Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, hous'd within this

man,

your

[Strikes.

To yield possession to my holy prayers;
And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight.

Ant. of Eph. Peace, doting wizard, peace! I am not mad!

Adr. Oh, that thou wert not, poor distressed soul! Ant. of Eph. You minion, you, are these your cus

tomers?

Did this companion, with the saffron face,
Revel and feast it at my house to-day?
While upon me the guilty doors were shut,
And I denied to enter in my house?

Adr. Oh, husband! Heaven doth know you din'd at home,

Where, would you had remain'd until this time,
Free from these slanders, and this open shame.

Ant. of Eph. Din'd at home!-Thou villain, what say'st thou ?

Dro. of Eph. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home.

Ant. of Eph. Were not my doors lock'd up, and I

shut out?

Dro. of Eph. In sooth, your doors were lock'd, and you shut out.

Ant. of Eph. And did not she herself revile me there?

Dro. of Eph. Sans fable, she herself revil'd you there.

Ant. of Eph. And did not I, in rage, depart from thence ?

Dro. of Eph. In verity you did-my bones bear witness,

Ant. of Eph. Went'st thou not to her for a purse of

ducats?
Adr. He came to me, and I delivered it.
Luc. And I am witness with her, that she did.
Dro. of Eph. Heaven, and the rope-maker, can bear

me witness
That I was sent for nothing but a rope.
Pinch. Mistress, both man and master are pos.

sess'd,
I know it by their pale and deadly looks ;
They must be bound, and laid in some dark room.
Ant. of Eph. 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.
Dro. of Eph. And, gentle master, I received no

gold;
But I can swear, sir, that we were locked out.
Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in

both, Ant. of Eph. 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 those false eyes, That would behold me in this shameful sort. Adr. Oh, hold him, hold him ! let him not come near me!

[ATTENDANTS seize him. Pinch. More company! the fiend is strong within

him.
Ant. of Eph. 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 that man, for he is frantic too.
Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer?

a

Hast thou delight to see a wretched man
Do outrage and displeasure to himself?

Offi. He is my prisoner; if I let him go, The debt he owes will be required of me.

Adr. Good master doctor, see him safe convey'd
Home to thy house-Oh, most unhappy day!
Ant. of Eph. Oh, most unhappy strumpet!
[ATTENDANTS force off ANTIPHOLIS OF
EPHESUS, DROMIO, and PINCH.
Adr. I will discharge thee-

Bear me forthwith unto his creditor-
But say, 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,

Due for a bracelet, which your husband had.

Adr. He did bespeak't for me, but had it not. Lesbia. When, as your husband, all in rage, to-day Came to my house, and took away my ring, (The ring I saw upon his finger now) Straight after did I meet him with the bracelet. Adr. It may be so, but I did never see it. Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith is ; I long to know the truth hereof at large.

Luc. Heaven, for thy mercy! they are loose again! Adr. And come with naked swords!

Enter ANTIPHOLIS OF SYRACUSE and DROMIO OF SYRACUSE, with drawn Swords.

Let's call more help, to have them bound again.
Offi. Away! they'll kill us?

[Exeunt. Dro. of Syr. She, that would be your wife, now ran from you.

Ant. of Syr. Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff from thence.

I long that we were safe and sound aboard.

Dro. of Syr. 'Faith, stay here this night-they will surely do us no harm-you saw they spake us fair,