Whilst to take order* for the wrongs I went, He broke from those that had the guard of him; Chas'd us away; till raising of more aid, Nor send him forth, that we may bear him hence. 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 broken 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 i. e. To take measures. + Know. i. e. Successively, one after another. 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, bark, I hear him, mistress; fly, be gone. Duke. Come, stand by me, fear nothing: Guard with halberds. Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here; Enter Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke, oh, grant Even for the service that long since I did thee, Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that wo- She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife; That hath abused and dishonour'd me, Even in the strength and height of injury! Beyond imagination is the wrong, That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. While she with harlots feasted in my house. so? * Harlot was a term of reproach applied to choats among men as well as to wantons among women. Adr. No, my good lord;-myself, he, and my sister, To-day did dine together: So befal my soul, Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, But she tells to your highness simple truth! Ang. O perjur'd woman! They are both forsworn, In this the madman justly chargeth them. Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say; There did this perjur'd goldsmith swear me down, ` He did arrest me with an officer. I did obey; and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: he with none return'd. Then fairly I bespoke the officer, To go in person with me to my house. By the way we met My wife, her sister, and a rabble more Of vile confederates; along with them They brought one Pinch; a hungry lean-fac'd villain, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; Cries out, I was possess'd: then all together There left me and my man, both bound together; Ran bither to your grace; whom I beseech For these deep shames and great indignities. him; That he dined not at home, but was lock'd out. Duke. But had he such a chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord; and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck. Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, these ears of mine Heard you confess you had the chain of him, From whence, I think, you are come by miracle. Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! Dro. E. Sir, he dined with her there, at the Porcupine. Cour. He did; and from my finger snatch'd that ring. Ant. E. 'Tis true, my liege, this ring I had of her. Duke. Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here? Cour. As sure, my liege, as I do see your grace, Duke. Why, this is strange :-Go call the abbess hither; I think you are all mated*, or stark mad. [Exit an attendant. Ege. Most mighty duke, vouchsafe me speak a word; Haply I see a friend will save my life, And pay the sum that will deliver me. Duke, Speak freely, Syracusan, what thou wilt. Ege. Is not your name, sir, call'd Antipholus? And is not that your bondman Dromio? Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir, But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords; Now am I Dromio, and his man, unbound. Ege. I am sure, you both of you remember me. Dro. E. Ourselves we do remember, sir, by you; For lately we were bound as you are now. You are not Pinch's patient, are you, sir? Ege. Why look you strange on me? you know me well. Ant. E. I never saw you in my life, till now. Ege. Oh! grief hath chang'd me, since you saw me last; And careful hours, with Time's deformed hand, But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? Æge. Dromio, nor thou? I am sure, thou dost. Dro. No, trust me, sir, nor I. Ege. Dro. E. Ay, sir? but I am sure, I do not; and whatsoever a man denies, you are now bound to be lieve him. Ege. Not know my voice! O, time's extremity! Hast thou so crack'd and splitted my poor tongue, In seven short years, that here my only son Knows not my feeble key of untun'd cares? Confounded, + Alteration of features. |