Page images
PDF
EPUB

my long ears.1 I have served him from the hour of my nativity to this instant, and have 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 from home; welcomed home with it, when I return. Nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a beggar wont her brat; and, I think, when he hath lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door.

Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, and the Courtesan, with PINCH,2 and others.

Ant. E. Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder.

Dro. E. Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; or rather the prophecy, like the parrot, Beware the rope's end.

Ant. E. Wilt thou still talk?.

[Beats him. Cour. How say you now? is not your husband

mad?

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

And I will please you what you will demand.

Luc. Alas, how fiery and how sharp he looks!
Cour. Mark, how he trembles in his ecstasy! 3
Pinch. Give me your hand, and let me feel your
pulse.

Ant. E. There is my hand, and let it feel your ear. Pinch. I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man, To yield possession to my holy prayers,

And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight;

I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven.

1 Long from frequent pulling.

2 In the old copy-"and a schoolmaster, called Pinch." As learning was necessary for an exorcist, the schoolmaster was often employed.

3 This tremor was anciently thought to be a sure indication of being possessed by the devil.

Ant. E. Peace, doting wizard, peace; I am not

mad.

Adr. O that thou wert not, poor, distressed soul! Ant. E. You minion, you, are these your custom

ers ?1

Did this companion2 with a saffron face
Revel and feast it at my house to-day,
Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut,
And I denied to enter in my house?

Adr. O husband, God doth know you dined at home,

Where 'would, you had remained until this time,
Free from these slanders, and this open shame!

Ant. E. Dined at home! Thou villain, what say'st thou?

Dro. E. Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home. Ant. E. Were not my doors locked up, and I shut out?

Dro. E. Perdy, your doors were locked, and you shut out.

Ant. E. And did not she herself revile me there? Dro. E. Sans fable, she herself reviled you there. Ant. E. Did not her kitchen maid rail, taunt, and scorn me?

Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scorned

you.

Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from thence? Dro. E. In verity you did;-my bones bear wit

ness,

That since have felt the vigor of his rage.

Adr. Is't good to soothe him in these contraries? Pinch. It is no shame; the fellow finds his vein, And, yielding to him, humors well his frenzy.

Ant. E. Thou hast suborned the goldsmith to arrest

me.

1 "A customer was a familiar, an intimate, a customary haunter of any place."

2 Companion is a word of contempt, anciently used as we now use fellow.

3 A corruption of the common French oath, par dieu.

VOL. III.

20

Adr. Alas, I sent you money to redeem you, By Dromio here, who came in haste for it.

Dro. E. Money by me! Heart and good-will you might,

But, surely, master, not a rag of money.

Ant. E. Went'st not thou 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. E. God and the rope-maker bear me witness, That I was sent for nothing but a rope!

Pinch. Mistress, both man and master is possessed;

I know it by their pale and deadly looks.

They must be bound, and laid in some dark room. Ant. E. 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. E. And, gentle master, I received no gold; But I confess, sir, that we were locked out.

Adr. Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in

both.

Ant. E. 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 these false eyes,
That would behold in me this shameful sport.

[PINCH and his Assistants bind ANT. and DRO. Adr. O, bind him, bind him; let him not come near

me.

Pinch. More company;-the fiend is strong within

him.

Luc. Ah me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks! Ant. E. What, will you murder me? Thou jailer, thou,

I am thy prisoner; wilt thou suffer them

To make a rescue?

Off.

Masters, let him go;

He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him.
Pinch. Go, bind this man, for he is frantic too

Adr. What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer?
Hast thou delight to see a wretched man
Do outrage and displeasure to himself?

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

Adr. I will discharge thee, ere I go from thee;
Bear me forthwith unto his creditor,

And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it.
Good master doctor, see him safe conveyed
Home to my house.-O most unhappy day!
Ant. E. O most unhappy1 strumpet!

Dro. E. Master, I am here entered in bond for you. Ant. E. Out on thee, villain! Wherefore dost thou mad me?

Dro. E. Will you be bound for nothing? Be mad, Good master; cry, the devil.

Luc. God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk! Adr. Go, bear him hence.-Sister, go you with

me.

[Exeunt PINCH and Assistants, with ANT. and DRO.

Say now, whose suit is he arrested at?

Off. One Angelo, a goldsmith. Do you know him?

Adr. I know the man.

What is the sum he owes?

Say, how grows it due?

Off. Two hundred ducats.

Adr.

Off. Due for a chain your husband had of him.
Adr. He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it

not.

Cour. 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 a chain.

Adr. It may be so, but I did never see it. Come, jailer, bring me where the goldsmith is; I long to know the truth hereof at large.

1 Unhappy for unlucky, i. e. mischievous.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, with his rapier drawn, and DROMIO of Syracuse.

Luc. God, for thy mercy! they are loose again. Adr. And come with naked swords; let's call more

help,

To have them bound again.

Off. Away, they'll kill us.

[Exeunt Officer, ADR., and Luc. Ant. S. I see, these witches are afraid of swords. Dro. S. She, that would be your wife, now ran from you.

Ant. S. Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff1 from thence.

I long that we were safe and sound aboard.

Dro. S. Faith, stay here this night; they will surely do us no harm; you saw, they speak us fair, give us gold. Methinks they are such a gentle nation, that but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here still, and turn witch.

Ant. S. I will not stay to-night for all the_town ; Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard.

[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I. The same.

Enter Merchant and ANGElo.

Ang. I am sorry, sir, that I have hindered you;
But, I protest, he had the chain of me,
Though most dishonestly he doth deny it.

Mer. How is the man esteemed here in the city?

1 i. e. baggage. Stuff is the genuine old English word for all movables.

« PreviousContinue »