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SCENE I. The same. A Room in a Senator's House. Enter a Senator, with Papers in his Hand.

Sen. And late, five thousand to Varro; and to Isidore, He owes nine thousand; besides my former sum, Which makes it five and twenty.-Still in motion Of raging waste? It cannot hold; it will not. If I want gold, steal but a beggar's dog, And give it Timon, why, the dog coins gold: If would sell my horse, and buy twenty more Better than he, why, give my horse to Timon, Ask nothing, give it him, it foals me, straight, And able horses: No porter at his gate; But rather one that smiles, and still invites All that pass by. It cannot hold; no reason Can found his state in safety. Caphis, ho! Caphis, I say!

Caph.

Enter CAPHIS.

Here, sir; What is your pleasure; Sen. Get on your cloak, and haste you to lord Timon; Impórtune him for my moneys; be not ceas'd

With slight denial; nor then silenc'd, when-
Commend me to your master-and the cap

Plays in the right hand, thus:-but tell him, sirralı,
My uses cry to me, I must serve my turn

Out of mine own; his days and times are past,
And my reliances on his fracted dates

Have smit my credit: I love, and honour him;
But must not break my back, to heal his finger:
Immediate are my needs; and my relief
Must not be toss'd and turn'd to me in words,
But find supply immediate. Get you gone:
Put on a most importunate aspect,

A visage of demand; for I do fear,
When every feather sticks in his own wing,
Lord Timon will be left a naked gull,
Which flashes now a phoenix. Get you gone.
Caph. I go, sir.

Sen. I go, sir?-take the bonds along with you,
And have the dates in compt.

Caph.
Sen.

I will, sir.

Go. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A Hall in TIMON's House.

Enter FLAVIUS, with many Bills in his Hand. Flav. No care, no stop! so senseless of expense, That he will neither know how to maintain it, Nor cease his flow of riot: Takes no account How things go from him; nor resumes no care Of what is to continue; Never mind

Was to be so unwise, to be so kind.

What shall be done? He will not hear, till feel:

I must be round with him, now he comes from hunting. Fie, fie, fie, fie!

Enter CAPHIS, and the Servants of ISIDORE and VARRO.

Caph.

Good even, Varro: What,

You come for money?

Var. Serv.

Is't not your business too?

Caph. It is;-And yours too, Isidore?

Isid. Serv.

Caph. 'Would we were all discharg'd!
Var. Serv.

Caph. Here comes the lord.

It is so.

I fear it.

Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, &c. Tim. So soon as dinner's done, we'll forth again, My Alcibiades.-With me? What's your will? Caph. My lord, here is a note of certain dues. Tim. Dues? Whence are you?

Caph.

Tim. Go to my steward.

Of Athens here, my lord.

Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off
To the succession of new days this month:
My master is awak'd by great occasion,
To call upon his own; and humbly prays you,
That with your other noble parts you'll suit,
In giving him his right.

Tim.
Mine honest friend,
I pr'ythee, but repair to me next morning.
Caph. Nay, good, my lord.

Tim.
Contain thyself, good friend.
Var. Serv. One Varro's servant, my good lord,—
Isid. Serv.

He humbly prays your speedy payment,

From Isidore;

Caph. If you did know, my lord, my master's wants, Var. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks, And past,

Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord;
And I am sent expressly to your lordship.
Tim. Give me breath:-

I do beseech you, good, my lords, keep on;

[Exeunt Alcibiades and Lords. I'll wait upon you instantly.-Come hither, pray you. [To Flavius. How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds, And the detension of long-since-due debts, Against my honour? Flav

Please you, gentlemen,

The time is unagreeable to this business:
Your importunacy cease, till after dinner;
That I may make his lordship understand
Wherefore you are not paid.

Tim.

See them well entertain'd.

Flav.

Do so, my friends:

[Exit Timon.

I pray, draw near.

[Exit Flavius.

Enter APEMANTUS and a Fool.

Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Apemantus; let's have some sport with 'em.

Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us.

Isid. Serv. A plague upon him, dog!
Var. Serv. How dost, fool?

Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow?
Var. Serv. I speak not to thee.

Apem. No; 'tis to thyself,-Come away. [To the Fool. Isid. Serv. [To Var. Serv.] There's the fool hangs on your back already.

Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou art not on him yet.

Caph. Where's the fool now?

Apem. He last asked the question.-Poor rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus?

Apem. Asses.

All Serv. Why?

Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves.-Speak to 'em, fool.

Fool. How do you, gentlemen?

All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: How does your mistress?

Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. 'Would, we could see you at Corinth.

Apem. Good! gramercy.

Enter Page.

Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page.

Page. [To the Fool] Why, how now, captain? what do you in this wise company?-How dost thou, Apemantus?

Apem. 'Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably.

Page. Pr'ythee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters; I know not which is which. Apem. Canst not read?

Page. No.

Apem. There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to lord 'Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou❜lt die a bawd.

Page. Thou wast whelped a dog; and thou shalt famish, a dog's death. Answer not, I am gone. [Exit Page. Apem. Even so thou out-run'st grace. Fool, I will go with you to lord Timon's.

Fool. Will you leave me there? Apem. If Timon stay at home. three usurers.

You three serve

All Serv. Ay; 'would they served us!

Apem. So would I,—as good a trick as ever hangman served thief.

Fool. Are you three usurers' men?

All Serv. Ay, fool.

Fool. I think, no usurer but has a fool to his servant: My mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly: The reason of this? Var. Serv. I could render one.

Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee a whoremaster, and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed.

Var. Serv. What is a whoremaster, fool?

Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. "Tis a spirit: sometime, it appears like a lord; sometime, like a lawyer; sometime, like a philosopher,

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