Adr. [within.] Who is that at the door, that keeps all this noise? Dro. S. By my troth, your town is troubled with unruly boys. Ant. E. Are you there, wife? you might have come before. Adr. Your wife, sir knave! go, get you from the door. Dro. E. If you went in pain, master, this knave would go sore. Ang. Here is neither cheer, sir, nor welcome; we would fain have either. Bal. In debating which was best, we shall part with neither." Dro. E. They stand at the door, master; bid them welcome hither. Ant. E. There is something in the wind, that we cannot get in. Dro. E. You would say so, master, if your garments were thin. Your cake here is warm within: you stand here in the cold: It would make a man mad as a buck, to be so bought and sold. Ant. E. Go, fetch me something, I'll brake ope the gate. Dro. S. Break any breaking here, and I'll break your knave's pate. Dro. E. A man may break a word with you, sir; and words are but wind ; Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind. Dro. S. It seems, thou wantest breaking; Out upon n thee hind! Dro. E. Here's too much, out upon thee! I pray thee, let me in. Dro. S. Ay, when fowls have no feathers, and fish have Ant. E. Well, I'll break in; Go, borrow me a crow. we shall part with neither.] To part does not signify to share or divide, but to depart or go away; and Balthazar means to say, that whilst debating which is best, they should go away without either.-M. MASON. For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a feather: Once this,-Your long experience of her wisdom, Plead on her part some cause to you unknown; And let us to the Tiger all to dinner : For ever hous'd, where it once gets possession. Ant., E. You have prevail'd; I will depart in quiet, • Once this,-] Once this, may mean, once for all, at once. P - the doors are made against you.] To make the door is the expression used to this day in some counties of England, instead of to bar the door.STEEVENS. ¶ And in despight of mirth,] Though mirth has withdrawn herself from me, and seems determined to avoid me, yet in despight of her, and whether she will or not, I am resolved to be merry.-HEATH. Bring it, I pray you, to the Porcupine; Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste: SCENE II. The same. Enter LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse. Luc. And may it be that you have quite forgot A husband's office? shall, Antipholus hate, Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot? Shall love, in building, grow so ruinate? If you did wed my sister for her wealth, Then, for her wealth's sake, use her with more kindness: Or, if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth; Muffle your false love with some show of blindness: Let not my sister read it in your eye; Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator; Bear a fair pretence, though your heart be tainted; Be secret-false: what need she be acquainted: r We in your motion turn, and you may move us. Being compact of credit,]-means, being made altogether of eredulity.— STEEVENS. Then, gentle brother, get you in again; Comfort my sister, cheer her, call her wife: 'Tis holy sport, to be a little vain,' When the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife. Ant. S. Sweet mistress, (what your name is else, I know not, Nor by what wonder you do hit on mine,) Less, in your knowledge, and your grace, you show not, Your weeping sister is no wife of mine, Spread o'er the silver waves thy golden hairs, And, in that glorious supposition, think He gains by death, that hath such means to die : sight. Ant. S. As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night. vain,]-is light of tongue, not veracious.-JOHNSON. t sweet mermaid,] Mermaid is only another name for syren. u mated;] This word means not only married but stupified, from the French mater to confound. Luc. Why call you me love? call my sister so. Ant. S. Thy sister's sister. Luc. Ant. S. That's my sister. No; It is thyself, mine own self's better part; Mine eye's clear eye, my dear heart's dearer heart; Luc. O, soft, sir, hold you still; I'll fetch my sister, to get her good will. [Exit Luc. Enter from the House of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, DROMIO of Syracuse. Ant. S. Why, how now, Dromio? where run'st thou so fast? Dro. S. Do you know me, sir? am I Dromio? am I your man? am I myself? Ant. S. Thou art Dromio, thou art my man, thou art thyself. Dro. S. I am an ass, I am a woman's man, and besides myself. Ant. S. What woman's man? and how besides thyself? Dro. S. Marry, sir, besides myself, I am due to a woman; one that claims me, one that haunts me, one that will have me. Ant. S. What claim lays she to thee? Dro. S. Marry, sir, such claim as you would lay to your horse; and she would have me as a beast not that, I being a beast, she would have me; but that she, being a very beastly creature, lays claim to me. Ant. S. What is she? * My sole earth's heaven, and my heaven's claim.] When he calls the girl his only heaven on the earth, he utters the common cant of lovers. When he calls her his heaven's claim, I cannot understand him. Perhaps he means that which he asks of heaven.-JOHNSON. |