Ant. S. What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face, 91 Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave. Dro. E. What mean you, sir? for God's sake hold your hands! Nay, an you will not, sir, I'll take my heels. [Exit. Ant. S. Upon my life, by some device or other The villain is o'er-raught of all my money. They say this town is full of cozenage; As, nimble jugglers that deceive the eye, Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind, Soul-killing witches that deform the body, 100 Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks, And many such-like liberties of sin: If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner. I'll to the Centaur, to go seek this slave; I greatly fear my money is not safe. VI-2 [Exit. ACT SECOND SCENE I The house of Antipholus of Ephesus Adr. Neither my husband nor the slave return'd, 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, They'll go or come: if so, be patient, sister. Adr. Why should their liberty than ours be more? Luc. Because their business still lies out o' door. 11 Adr. Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill. Luc. O, know he is the bridle of your will. Adr. There's none but asses will be bridled so. Luc. Why, headstrong liberty is lash'd with woe. There's roung situate under heaven's eye But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky: The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls, Are their males' subjects and at their controls: Men more divine, the masters of all these, 20 Lords of the wide world and wild watery seas, Of more pre-eminence than fish and fowls, Are masters to their females, and their lords: Then let your will attend on their accords. Adr. This servitude makes you to keep unwed. Luc. Not this, but troubles of the marriage-bed. Adr. But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway. Luc. Ere I learn love, I 'll practise to obey. Adr. How if your husband start some other where? Luc. Till he come home again, I would forbear. 31 Adr. Patience unmoved! no marvel though she pause; They can be meek that have no other cause. But were we burden'd with like weight of pain, So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee, With urging helpless patience wouldst relieve me; But, if thou live to see like right bereft, 40 This fool-begg'd patience in thee will be left. 41. Probably meaning a patience so foolish as to cause one to be begged for a fool; referring to the old custom of soliciting the guardianship of fools and idiotic persons with a view to come at their revenues. The king, being the legal guardian of such persons, might make over the trust to whom he pleased; and relatives or other interested parties would beg the office, and, no doubt, often made or imagined the folly they wanted to have the care of. See Love's Labour's Lost, Act v. sc. 2, note 31.-H. N. H. Luc. Well, I will marry one day, but to try. Here comes your man; now is your husband nigh. Enter Dromio of Ephesus. Adr. Say, is your tardy master now at hand? 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. Aye, aye, he told his mind upon mine ear: Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not 50 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 hornmad. Adr. Horn-mad, thou villain! Dro. E. I mean not cuckold-mad; When I desired him to come home to dinner, 60 'Your meat doth burn,' quoth I; 'My gold!' 'Will you come home?' quoth I; 'My gold?' quoth he, 'Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain?' “The pig,' quoth I, ‘is burn'd;' 'My gold!' quoth he: 'My mistress, sir,' quoth I; 'Hang up thy mistress! I know not thy mistress; out on thy mistress!' Luc. Quoth who? Dro. E. Quoth my master: 70 'I know,' quoth he, ‘no house, no wife, no mistress.' So that my errand, due unto my tongue, I thank him, I bare home upon my shoulders; Adr. Go back again, thou slave, and fetch him home. Dro. E. Go back again, and be new beaten home? For God's sake, send some other messenger. Adr. Back, slave, or I will break thy pate across. Dro. E. And he will bless that cross with other beating: Between you I shall have a holy head. 80 Adr. Hence, prating peasant! fetch thy master home. Dro. E. Am I so round with you as you with me, That like a football you do spurn me thus? You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither: 82. He plays upon the word round, which signifies spherical, as applied to himself; and free in speech, as regards his mistress. To be round with anyone is to be plain spoken.-H. N. H. |