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Dro. S. I know not at whose suit he is arrested,

1

well;

But is1 in a suit of buff, which 'rested him; that can

I tell.

Will you send him, mistress, redemption, the money in

his desk?

Adr. Go fetch it, sister.-This I wonder at,

[Exit LUCIANA. That he, unknown to me, should be in debt.

Tell me, was he arrested on a band?2

Dro. S. Not on a band, but on a stronger thing; A chain, a chain; do you not hear it ring

Adr. What, the chain?

Dro. S. No, no, the bell; 'tis time that I were gone. It was two ere I left him, and now the clock strikes one. Adr. The hours come back! that did I never hear. Dro. S. O yes, if any hour meet a sergeant, a' turns back for very fear.

Adr. As if time were in debt! how fondly dost thou reason!

Dro. S. Time is a very bankrupt, and owes more than he's worth to season.

Nay, he's a thief too.

Have not heard men say, you That time comes stealing on by night and day?

3

If he be in debt, and theft, and a sergeant in the way, Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?

Enter LUCIANA.

Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the money; bear it

straight;

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And bring thy master home immediately.

4

Come, sister; I am pressed down with conceit; *
Conceit, my comfort, and my injury.

[Exeunt

1 Thus the old authentic copy. The omission of the personal pronoun

was formerly very common; we should now write he's.

2 i. e. a bond. Shakspeare takes advantage of the old spelling to pro duce a quibble.

3 The old copy reads, “If Ì‚” &c.

4 Fanciful conception.

SCENE III. The same.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse.

Ant. S. There's not a man I meet, but doth salute

me

As if I were their well-acquainted friend;

And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender money to me, some invite me;
Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;
Some offer me commodities to buy.
Even now a tailor called me in his shop,

And showed me silks that he had bought for me,
And, therewithal, took measure of my body.
Sure, these are but imaginary wiles,

And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.

Enter DROMIO of Syracuse.

Dro. S. Master, here's the gold you sent me for. What, have you got the picture of old Adam new apparelled?1

Ant. S. What gold is this? What Adam dost thou mean?

Dro. S. Not that Adam that kept the paradise, but that Adam that keeps the prison; he that goes in the calf's-skin that was killed for the prodigal; he that came behind you, sir, like an evil angel, and bid you forsake your liberty.

Ant. S. I understand thee not.

Dro. S. No? why, 'tis a plain case. He that went like a base-viol, in a case of leather; the man, sir, that, when gentlemen are tired, gives them a fob, and 'rests them; he, sir, that takes pity on decayed men, and gives them suits of durance; he that sets up

1 Theobald reads, "What, have you got rid of the picture of old Adam?" The emendation is approved and adopted by Malone Johnson thinks that the text does not require interpolation.

his rest1 to do more exploits with his mace than a morris-pike.2

Ant. S. What! thou mean'st an officer?

Dro. S. Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band; he that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his band; one that thinks a man always going to bed, and says, God give you good rest.

Ant. S. Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there any ship puts forth to-night? May we begone? Dro. S. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since, that the bark Expedition put forth to-night; and then were you hindered by the sergeant, to tarry for the hoy Delay. Here are the angels that you sent for, to deliver you.

Ant. S. The fellow is distract, and so am I; And here we wander in illusions.

Some blessed power deliver us from hence!

Enter a Courtesan.

Cour. Well met, well met, master Antipholus.

I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now;

Is that the chain you promised me to-day?

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Ant. S. Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not. Dro. S. Master, is this mistress Satan?

Ant. S. It is the devil.

Dro. S. Nay, she is worse; she is the devil's dam; and here she comes in the habit of a light wench; and thereof comes, that the wenches say, God damn me, that's as much as to say, God make me a light wench. It is written, they appear to men like angels of light. Light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn; ergo, light wenches will burn. Come not near her.

Cour. Your man and you are marvellous merry, sir. Will you go with me? We'll mend our dinner here.

1 This is a metaphorical expression for being determined, or resolutely bent to do a thing, taken from the game of Primero.

2 A morris-pike is a moorish pike, commonly used in the 16th century. It was not used in the morris dance, as Johnson erroneously supposed.

Dro. S. Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat, or bespeak a long spoon.

Ant. S. Why, Dromio?

Dro. S. Marry, he must have a long spoon, that must eat with the devil.

Ant. S. Avoid then, fiend! what tell'st thou me of supping?

Thou art, as you are all, a sorceress.

I conjure thee to leave me and be gone.

Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner, Or, for my diamond, the chain you promised;

And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.

Dro. S. Some devils ask but the parings of one's nail, A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,

A nut, a cherry-stone; but she, more covetous,
Would have a chain.

Master, be wise; an if you give it her,

The devil will shake her chain, and fright us with it. Cour. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain;

I hope you do not mean to cheat me so.

Ant. S. Avaunt, thou witch!

us go.

Come, Dromio, let

Dro. S. Fly pride, says the peacock.

Mistress,

that you know. [Exeunt ANT. and DRO.
Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholus is mad
Else would he never so demean himself.
A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the same he promised me a chain;
Both one, and other, he denies me now.
The reason that I gather he is mad,
(Besides this present instance of his rage,)
Is a mad tale, he told to-day at dinner,

Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.
Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now, to hie home to his house,.
And tell his wife, that, being lunatic,
He rushed into my house, and took perforce
My ring away. This course I fittest choose;
For forty ducats is too much to lose.

[Exit

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Ant. E. Fear me not, man; I will not break away; I'll give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money To warrant thee, as I am '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, 'twill sound harshly in her ears.

Enter DROMIO of Ephesus, with a rope's end. Here comes my man; I think he brings the money. How now, sir? have you that I sent you for? Dro. E. Here's that, I warrant you, will pay all.

Ant. E. But where's the money?

them

Dro. E. Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope. Ant. E. Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope? Dro. E. I'll serve you, sir, five hundred at the rate. Ant. E. To what end did I bid thee hie thee home? Dro. E. To a rope's end, sir; and to that end am I returned.

Ant. E. And to that end, sir, I will welcome you. [Beating him.

Off. Good sir, be patient.

Dro. E. Nay, 'tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity.

Off. Good now, hold thy tongue.

Dro. E. Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands.

Ant. E. Thou whoreson, senseless villain!

Dro. E. I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel your blows.

Ant. E. Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an ass.

Dro. E. I am an ass indeed; you may prove it by

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