SCENE IV.

The same.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, and an Officer. 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 attach'd 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

them all.1

Ant. E. But where's the money?

gave the

pay

money

for the

rope.

Dro. E. Why, sir, I
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 [Beating him.

you.

Off. Good sir, be patient.

- will

pay them all.] i. e. serve to hit, strike, correct them all. So, in Twelfth-Night: "He pays you as surely as your feet hit the ground they step on." STEEVENS.

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 my long ears.5 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 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 Courtezan, with PINCH, 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.

by my long ears.] He means, that his master had lengthened his ears by frequently pulling them. STEEvens.

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 extacy!
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, hous'd 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.

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 customers?

Did this companion with the 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 din'd at home,

Where 'would you had remain'd until this time, Free from these slanders, and this open shame! Ant. E. I din'd 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 lock'd up, and I shut out?

companion] A word of contempt, anciently used as

we now use-fellow. STEEVENS.

Dro. E, Perdy, your doors were lock'd, and you shut out.

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

8

Dro. E. Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal9 scorn'd you.

Ant. E. And did not I in rage depart from thence?

Dro. E. In verity, you did;-my bones bear witness,

That since have felt the vigour of his rage.

Adr. Is't good, to sooth 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 suborn'd the goldsmith to

arrest me.

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 deliver'd it.

Luc. And I am witness with her, that she did. Dro. E. God and the rope-maker, bear me wit

ness,

That I was sent for nothing but a rope!

Pinch. Mistress, both man and master is possess'd;

Perdy,] A corruption of the common French oath-Pardieu. Chaucer's personages are frequent in their use of it.

8 Certes,] i. e. certainly.

9

kitchen-vestal] Her charge being like that of the vestal virgins, to keep the fire burning. JOHNSON.

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 receiv'd no gold; But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd 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 me in this shameful sport.

[PINCH and his Assistants blind ANT. E. and DRO. E.

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
gaoler, thou,

I am thy prisoner: wilt thou suffer them
To make a rescue?

go:

Off Masters, let him He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him. Pinch. Go, bind this man, for he is frantick 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 requir'd of me.

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