Enter the Abbess, with ANTIPHOLUS Syracusan, and DROMIO Syracusan. Abb. Most mighty duke, behold a man much [All gather to see him. wrong'd. Adr. I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me. Duke. One of these men is Genius to the other; And so of these: Which is the natural man, here? Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds, And gain a husband by his liberty:Speak, old Ægeon, if thou be'st the man That had'st a wife once called Æmilia, That bore thee at a burden two fair sons: O, if thou be'st the same Ægeon, speak, And speak unto the same Æmilia! Æge. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia; Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, I, to this fortune that you see me in. Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right; These two Antipholus's, these two so like, And these two Dromio's, one in semblance, Besides her urging of her wreck at sea, These are the parents to these children, Which accidentally are met together. Antipholus, thou cam'st from Corinth first. Ant. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse. Duke. Stay, stand apart; I know not which is which. Ant. E. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord. Dro. E. And I with him. Ant. E. Brought to this town with that most fa mous warrior, Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-day? Ant. S. I, gentle mistress. Adr. And are not you my husband? Ant. E. No, I say nay to that. Ant. S. And so do I, yet did she call me so; And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here, I hope, I shall have leisure to make good; Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me. Adr. I sent you money, sir, to be your bail, By Dromio; but I think he brought it not. Ant. S. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from you, And Dromio my man did bring them me: Ant. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here. good cheer. Abb. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pains To go with us into the abbey here, And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes:And all that are assembled in this place, That by this sympathized one day's error Have suffer'd wrong, go, keep us company, And we shall make full satisfaction. Twenty-five years have I but gone in travail 40 Of you, my sons; nor, till this present hour, My heavy burdens are delivered :The duke, my husband, and my children both, And you, the calendars of their nativity, Go to a gossip's feast, and go with me"; After so long grief, such nativity 42! Duke. With all my heart, I'll gossip at this feast. [Exeunt Duke, Abbess, Ægeon, Courtezan, Merchant, Angelo, and Attendants. |