Enter the Abbess. Abb. Be quiet, people; Wherefore throng you hither? Adr. To fetch my poor distracted husband hence : Let us come in, that we may bind him fast, Ang. I knew, he was not in his perfect wits. man ? Adr. This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, And much, much different from the man he was; But, till this afternoon, his passion Ne'er brake into extremity of rage. Abb. Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck at sea? Bury'd some dear friend? Hath not else his eye A sin, prevailing much in youthful men, Adr. To none of these, except it be the last; Namely, some love, that drew him oft from home. Abb. You should for that have reprehended him. Adr. Why, so I did. Abb. Ay, but not rough enough. Adr. As roughly, as my modesty would let me. Abb. Haply, in private. Adr. And in assemblies too. Abb. Ay, but not enough. Adr. It was the copy 2 of our conference: 2 The theme. In company, I often glanced it; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad. Abb. And thereof came it, that the man was mad: The venom clamours of a jealous woman Poison more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. Unquiet meals make ill digestions, Thereof the raging fire of fever bred; (Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair ;) Why bear you these rebukes, and answer not? Abb. No, not a creature enters in my house. Abb. Neither; he took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands, Till I have brought him to his wits again, Or lose my labour in assaying it. Adr. I will attend my husband, be his nurse, Diet his sickness, for it is my office, And will have no attorney but myself; And therefore let me have him home with me. It is a branch and parcel of mine oath, A charitable duty of my order; Therefore depart, and leave him here with me. Adr. I will not hence, and leave my husband here; And ill it doth beseem your holiness, To separate the husband and the wife. Abb. Be quiet, and depart, thou shalt not have him. [Exit Abbess. Luc. Complain unto the duke of this indignity. Adr. Come, go; I will fall prostrate at his feet, And never rise until my tears and prayers Have won his grace to come in person hither, And take perforce my husband from the abbess. Mer. By this, I think, the dial points at five: Anon, I am sure, the duke himself in person Comes this way to the melancholy vale; The place of death and sorry + execution, Behind the ditches of the abbey here. Ang. Upon what cause? Mer. To see a reverend Syracusan merchant, Who put unluckily into this bay Against the laws and statutes of this town, Beheaded publickly for his offence. Ang. See, where they come; we will behold his death. Luc. Kneel to the duke, before he 3 i. e. To bring him back to his senses. Enter Duke attended; ÆGEON bare-headed; with the Headsman and other Officers. Duke. Yet once again proclaim it publickly, If any friend will pay the sum for him, He shall not die, so much we tender him. Adr. Justice, most sacred duke, against the abbess! Duke. She is a virtuous and a reverend lady; It cannot be, that she hath done thee wrong. Adr. May it please your grace, Antipholus, my husband, Whom I made lord of me and all I had, 5 At your important letters, this ill day By rushing in their houses, bearing thence Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. s Importunate. 6 i. e. To take measures. 7 Know. Duke. Long since, thy husband serv'd me in my wars; And I to thee engag'd a prince's word, When thou didst make him master of thy bed, Enter a Servant. Serv. O mistress, mistress, shift and save yourself! My master and his man are both broke loose, Beaten the maids a-row, and bound the doctor, Whose beard they have singed off with brands of fire; And ever as it blazed, they threw on him Great pails of puddled mire to quench the hair: My master preaches patience to him, while His man with scissars nicks him like a fool: And, sure, unless you send some present help, Between them they will kill the conjurer. Adr. Peace, fool, thy master and his man are here; And that is false thou dost report to us. Serv. Mistress, upon my life, I tell you true; [Cry within. Hark, hark, I hear him, mistress; fly, be gone. Duke. Come, stand by me, fear nothing: Guard with halberts. Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, That he is borne about invisible : Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here; And now he's there, past thought of human rea son. i. e. Successively, one after anothe |