But, though thou art adjudged to the death, Gaol. I will, my lord. Ege. Hopeless and helpless doth Ægeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. [Exeunt. SCENE II. The Mart. Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, DROMIO of Syracuse, and First Merchant. First Mer. Therefore give out you are of Epidamnum, Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. Is apprehended for arrival here; And, not being able to buy out his life, Ant. S. Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host, Get thee away. Dro. S. Many a man would take you at your word, And go indeed, having so good a mean. Ant. S. A trusty villain, sir; that very oft, When I am dull with care and melancholy, [Exit. What, will you walk with me about the town, First Mer. I am invited, sir, to certain merchants, I crave your pardon. Soon at five o'clock, Ant. S. Farewell till then I will go lose myself, First Mer. Sir, I commend you to your own content. Ant. S. He that commends me to mine own content Enter DROMIO of Ephesus. What now? how chance thou art return'd so soon? Dro. E. Return'd so soon! rather approach'd too late: The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit; The clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell,— You come not home, because you have no stomach; Ant. S. Stop in your wind, sir: tell me this, I pray,— Where have you left the money that I gave you? Dro. E. 0,-sixpence, that I had o' Wednesday last To the saddler for my mistress' crupper:pay The saddler had it, sir; I kept it not. Ant. S. I am not in a sportive humour now: Tell me, and dally not, where is the money? Dro. E. I pray you, jest, sir, as you sit at dinner : If I return, I shall be post indeed, For she will score your fault upon my pate. Methinks your maw, like mine, should be your clock,(18) And strike you home without a messenger. Ant. S. 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. E. To me, sir! why, you gave no gold to me. Ant. S. Come on, sir knave, have done your foolishness, And tell me how thou hast dispos'd thy charge. Dro. E. My charge was but to fetch you from the mart Ant. S. Now, as I am a Christian, answer me, Dro. E. I have some marks of yours upon my pate, Ant. S. Thy mistress' marks! what mistress, slave, hast Dro. E. Your worship's wife, my mistress at the Phoenix ; She that doth fast till you come home to dinner, And prays that you will hie you home to dinner. Ant. S. What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave. [Beating him. Dro. E. What mean you, sir? for God's sake, hold your hands! Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels. Ant. S. Upon my life, by some device or other [Exit. The villain is o'er-raught of all my money. [Exit. ACT II. SCENE I. Before the house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus. Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA. Adr. Neither my husband nor the slave return'd, That in such haste I sent to seek his master! Sure, Luciana, it is two o'clock. Luc. Perhaps some merchant hath 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: Time is their master; and when they see time, Adr. Why should their liberty than ours be more? There's nothing situate under heaven's eye Lords(21) of the wide world and wild watery seas, Of more pre-eminence than fish and fowls, Adr. This servitude makes you to keep unwed. Adr. But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway. They can be meek that have no other cause. But were we burden'd with like weight of pain, Luc. Well, I will marry one day, but to try.- your Enter DROMIO of Ephesus. Adr. Say, is your tardy master now at hand? pause; Dro. E. Nay, he's at two hands with me, and that my two ears can witness. Adr. Say, didst thou speak with him? know'st thou his mind? Dro. E. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear: Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he so doubtfully,(22) thou couldst not feel his meaning? Dro. E. 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 prithee, is he coming home? It seems he hath great care to please his wife. Dro. E. Why, mistress, sure my master is horn-mad. |