If every one know us, and we know none, 'Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack and be
gone. S. Dro. As from a bear a man would run for life, So fly I from her that would be my wife. [Exit. S. Ant. There's none but witches do inhabit here And therefore 'tis high time that I were hence: She, that doth call me husband, even my foul Doth for a wife abhor. But her fair fifter, Poffeft with fuch a gentle fovereign grace, Of fuch inchanting prefence and difcourfe, Hath almost made me traitor to myself: But left myself be guilty of felf wrong. I'll ftop mine ears against the mermaid's fong. Enter Angelo, with a Chain.
Ang. Mafter Antipholis,
S. Ant. Ay, that's my name.
Ang. I know it well, Sir; lo, here is the chain ; I thought t' have ta'en you at the Porcupine; The chain, unfinish'd, made me ftay thus long.
S. Ant What is your will, that I fhall do with this? Ang. What please yourself, Sir; I have made it for you. S. Ant. Made it for me, Sir! I bespoke it not. Ang. Not once, nor twice, but twenty times, you have: Go home with it, and please your wife withal; And foon at fupper-time I'll vifit you,
And then receive my mony for the chain.
S. Ant. I pray you, Sir, receive the mony now; For fear you ne'er fee chain, nor mony, more. Ang. You are a merry man, Sir; fare
S. Ant. What I fhould think of this, I cannot tell : But this I think, there's no man is fo vain,
That would refuse so fair an offer'd chain. I fee, a man here needs not live by fhifts, When in the streets he meets fuch golden gifts: I'll to the mart, and there for Dromio ftay; If any fhip put out, then strait away.
SCENE, The Street.
Enter a Merchant, Angelo, and an Officer.
You know, fince Pentecoft the fum is due ;
And fince I have not much importun'd you; Nor now I had not, but that I'am bound To Perfia, and want gilders for my voyage: Therefore make prefent fatisfaction;
Or I il attach you by this officer.
Ang. Ev'n juft the fum, that I do owe to you, Is growing to me by Antipholis ;
And, in the inftant that I met with you, He had of me a chain: at five o'clock,
I shall receive the mony for the fame: Please you but walk with me down to his houfe, I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.
Enter Antipholis of Ephefus, and Dromio of Ephesus, as from the Courtezan's.
Off. That labour you may fave: fee, where he comes. E. Ant. While I go to the goldsmith's houfe, go thou And buy a rope's end; that will I beftow
Among my wife and her confederates,
For locking me out of my doors by day. But, foft; I fee the goldfinith: get thee gone, Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me.
E. Dro. I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a rope !
[Exit Dromio. E. Ant. A man is well holp up, that trufts to you: I promised your prefence, and the chain:
But neither chain, nor goldsmith, came to me:
Belike, you thought, our love would last too long If it were chain'd together; therefore came not.
Ang. Saving your merry humour, here's the note, How much your chain weighs to the utmost carrat ; The fineness of the gold, the chargeful fashion; Which do amount to three odd ducats more, Than I ftand debted to this gentleman;
I pray you, fee him prefently difcharg'd; For he is bound to fea, and ftays but for it.
E. Ant. I am not furnish'd with the present mony Befides, I have fome business in the town; Good Signior, take the ftranger to my house, And with you take the chain, and bid my wife. Disburse the fum on the receipt thereof; Perchance, I will be there as foon as you.
Ang. Then you will bring the chain to her yourself? E. Ant. No; bear it with you, left I come not time enough..
Ang. Well, Sir, I will: have you the chain about.
E. Ant. An if I have not, Sir, I hope, you have: Or else you may return without your mony.
Ang. Nay, come, I pray you, Sir give me the chain; Both wind and tide lay for this gentleman; And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
E. Ant. Good lord, you use this dalliance to excufe Your breach of promife to the Porcupine:
I should have chid you for hot bringing it; But, like a fhrew, you first begin to braw 1.
Mer. The hour fteals on; I pray you, Sir, difpatch. Ang. You hear, how he importunes me; the chain- E. Ant. Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your
Ang. Come, come, you know, I gave it you Or fend the chain, or fend me by fome token.
E. Ant. Fie, now you run this humour out of breath: Come, where's the chain? I pray you, let me fee it. Mer. My bufinefs cannot brook this dalliance: Good Sir, fay, whe'r you'll anfwer me, or no; I leave him to the officer.
E. Ant. I anfwer you? why should I answer you? Ang. The mony that you owe me for the chain. E. Ant. I owe you none, 'till I receive the chain. Ang. You know, I gave it you half an hour fincè. E. Ant. You gave me none; you wrong me much to fay fo.
Ang. You wrong me more, Sir, in denying it; Confider, how it stands upon my credit.
Mer. Well, officer, arreft him at my fuit.
Offi. I do, and charge you in the Duke's name to obey me.
Ang. This touches me in reputation. Either consent to pay the fum for me, Or I attach you by this officer.
E. Ant. Confent to pay for that I never had! Arreft me, foolish fellow, if thou dar'ft.
Ang. Here is thy fee, arreft him, officer; I would not spare my brother in this case, If he should fcorn me fo apparently.
Off. I do arreft you, Sir; you hear the fuit. E. Ant. I do obey thee, 'till I give thee bail. But, Sirrah, you fhall buy this sport as dear As all the metal in your fhop will answer.
Ang. Sir, Sir, I fhall have law in Ephesus, To your notorious fhame, I doubt it not.
Enter Dromio of Syracufe, from the Bay S. Dro. Mafter, there is a bark of Epidamnum, That ftays but till her owner comes aboard; Then, Sir, the bears away. Our fraughtage, Sir, I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought The Oyl, the Balfamum, and Aqua vita. The fhip is in her trim; the merry wind
Blows fair from land; they ftay for nought at all,
But for their owner, mafter, and yourself.
E. Ant. How now! a mad man! why, thou peevish Theep,
What fhip of Epidamnum ftays for me?
S. Dro A fhip you fent me to, to hire waftage. E. Ant. Thou drunken flave, I fent thee for a rope;
And told thee to what purpose, and what end. S. Dre. You fent me for a rope's-end as foon: You fent me to the bay, Sir, for a bark.
E. Ant. I will debate this matter at more leisure, And teach your ears to lift me with more heed. To Adriana, villain, hie thee ftrait, Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry, There is a purfe of ducats, let her fend it: Tell her, I am arrested in the street.
And that fhall bail me; hie thee, flave; be gone: On, officer, to prifon 'till it come.
S. Dro. To Adriana! that is where we din'd, Where Dowfabel did claim me for her husband; She is too big, I hope, for me to compass. Thither I muft, altho' against my will,
For fervants must their masters' minds fulfil.
SCENE changes to E. Antipholis's House.
Enter Adriana and Luciana.
Adr. H, Luciana, did he tempt thee fo?
Might at thou perceive aufterely in his eye
That de did plead in earneft, yea or no? Look'd he or red or pale, or fad or merrily? What obfervation mad it thou in this cafe, Of his heart's meteors tilting, in his face? Luc. First he deny'd, you had in him no right. Adr. He meant, he did me none, the more my fpight. Luc. Then fwore he, that he was a ftranger here. Adr. And true he fwore, though yet forfworn he
Luc. Then pleaded I for you.
Adr. And what faid he?
Luc. That love I begg'd for you, he begg'd of me. Adr. With what perfuafion did he tempt thy love? Luc. With words, that in an honeft fuit might move. First, he did praife my beauty, then my fpeech. Adr. Did'ft fpeak him fair?
Luc. Have patience, I beseech.
« IndietroContinua » |