I should go up to her, or wait a little,

To gather something more from her discourse?
Soph. Could he be found, my fears were at an end.
Chre. "Tis she. I'll speak with her.

Soph. overhearing.] Whose voice is that!

Chre. Sophrona !

Soph. Ha! my name too?

Chre. Look this way.

Soph. turning.] Good heav'n have mercy on us!

Stilpho!

Chre. No.

Soph. Deny your own name?

Chre. in a low voice.] This way, Sophrona !---A little further from that door!---this

way!-

And never call me by that name, I charge you.

Soph. What! ar'n't you then the man you said

were ?

Chre. Hist! hist!

[aloud.

you

Soph. What makes you fear those doors so much?
Chre. I have a fury of a wife within:

And formerly I went by that false name,
Lest ye should indiscreetly blab it out,

And so my wife might come to hear of this.

Soph. Ah! thus it was, that we, alas, poor souls, Could never find you out here.

Chre. Well, but tell me,

What business have you with that family? [pointing. -Where is your mistress and her daughter?

Soph. Ah!

Chre.

388

Chre. What now? are they alive?
Soph. The daughter is :

The mother broke her heart with grief.

Chre. Alas!

Soph. And I, a poor, unknown, distress'd old woman, Endeavouring to manage for the best,

Contriv'd to match the virgin to a youth,

Son to the master of this house.

པ

Chre. To Antipho ?

Soph. The very same.

Chre. What! has he two wives then?

Soph. No, mercy on us! he has none but her.
Chre. What is the other then, who, they pretend,

Is a relation to him?

Soph. This is she.

Chre. How say you?

Soph. It was all a mere contrivance ;

That he, who was in love, might marry her
Without a portion.

Chre. O ye pow'rs of heaven,

How often fortune blindly brings about

More than we dare to hope for! Coming home,
I've found my daughter, even to my wish,
Match'd to the very person I desir'd.

What we have both been labouring to effect,
Has this poor woman all alone accomplish'd.

Soph. But now consider what is to be done!
The bridegroom's father is return'd: and he,
They say, is much offended at this marriage.

Chre. Be of good comfort: there's no danger there.
But, in the name of heav'n and earth, I charge you,
Let nobody discover she's my daughter.

Soph.

Soph. None shall discover it from me.

Chre. Come then!

Follow me in, and you shall hear the rest.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV. SCENE I.

DEMIPHO, Geta.

Dem. 'Tis our own fault, that we encourage rogues,

By over-straining the due character

Of honesty and generosity.

"Shoot not beyond the mark,"" the proverb goes.

Was't not enough that he had done us wrong,

But we must also throw him money too,

To live till he devises some new mischief?

Geta. Very right!

Dem. Knavery's now its own reward.

Geta. Very true!

Dem. How like fools have we behav'd!

Geta. So as he keeps his word, and takes the girl,

'Tis well enough.

Dem. Is that a doubt at present?

Geta. A man, you know, may change his mind.

Dem. How! change?

Geta. That I can't tell but, if perhaps, I say.

Dem. I'll now perform my promise to my brother,
And bring his wife to talk to the young woman.
You, Geta, go before, and let her know
Nausistrata will come and speak with her.

[Exit Demipho.

SCENE

390

SCENE II.

GETA alone.

The money's got for Phædria: all is hush'd:

And Phanium is not to depart as yet.

What more then? where will all this end at last ?
--Alas, you're sticking in the same mire still :

52

You've only chang'd hands, " Geta. The disaster,
That hung but now directly over you,

Delay perhaps will bring more heavy on you.
You're quite beset, 53 unless you look about.
-Now then I'll home, to lesson Phanium;
That she mayn't stand in fear of Phormio,
Nor dread this conference 54 with Nausistrata.

[Exit.

SCENE III.

DEMIPHO and NAUSISTRATA.

Dem. Come then, Nausistrata, afford us now
A little of your usual art, and try

To put this woman in good humour with us:
That what is done she may do willingly.
Nau. I will.

Dem. ---And now assist us with your counsel,
As with your cash a little while ago ".

Nau. With all my heart: and I am only sorry
That 'tis my husband's fault I can't do more.
Dem. How so?

Nau. Because he takes such little care

Of the estate my father nurs'd so well:

For

For from these very farms he never fail'd

To draw two talents by the year. But ah!
What difference between man and man!

Dem. Two talents?

Nau. Ay-in worse times than these and yet two talents.

Dem. Huy!

Nau. What, are you surpriz❜d?

Dem. Prodigiously.

Nau. Would I had been a man! I'd shew

Dem. No doubt.

Nau. By what means

Dem. Nay, but spare yourself a little

For the encounter with the girl: lest she,
Flippant and young, may weary you too much.
Nau. Well, I'll obey your orders: but I see
My husband coming forth.

Chre. Ha! Demipho!

Has Phormio had the money yet?

Dem. I paid him

Immediately.

Chre. I'm sorry for't.---[seeing Nausistrata. ]---My

wife!

I'd almost said too much.

Dem. Why sorry, Chremes?

Chre. Nothing.---No matter.

[aside.

Dem. Well, but hark ye, Chremes.