Luc. Who would be jealous then of such a one? No evil lost is wail'd when it is gone.

Adr. Ah! but I think him better than I say, And yet would herein others' eyes were worse: Far from her nest the lapwing cries away;9 My heart prays for him, though my tongue do

curse.

Enter DROMIO of Syracuse.

Dro. S. Here, go; the desk, the purse; sweet now, make haste.

Luc. How hast thou lost thy breath?

Dro. S. By running fast. Adr. Where is thy master, Dromio? is he well? Dro. S. No, he's in tartar limbo, worse than hell: A devil in an everlasting garment1 hath him, One, whose hard heart is button'd up with steel; A fiend, a fairy, pitiless and rough;

A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff;

A back-friend, a shoulder-clapper, one that countermands

The passages of alleys, creeks, and narrow lands. Adr. Why, man, what is the matter?

Dro. S. I do not know the matter: he is 'rested

on the case.

Adr. What, is he arrested? tell me, at whose suit. Dro. S. I know not at whose suit he is arrested,

well;

But he's in a suit of buff, which 'rested him, that can I tell :

Will you send him, mistress, redemption, the money in the desk?

Adr. Go fetch it, sister. - This I wonder at.

[Exit LUCIANA.

9 Who crieth most where her nest is not.

The officers in those days were clad in buff, which is also a cant expression for a man's skin.

That he, unknown to me, should be in debt:
Tell me, was he arrested on a band?2

Dro. S. Not on a band, but on a stronger thing;
A chain, a chain; do you not hear it ring?
Adr. What, the chain?

Dro. S. No, no, the bell; 'tis time that I were

gone.

It was two ere I left him, and now the clock strikes

one.

Adr. The hours come back, that did I never hear. Dro. S. O yes, if any hour meet a sergeant, a'turns back for very fear.

Adr. As if time were in debt! how fondly dost thou reason?

Dro. S. Time is a very bankrupt, and owes more than he's worth to season.

Nay, he's a thief too: Have you not heard men say,
That time comes stealing on by night and day?
If he be in debt, and theft, and a sergeant in the way,
Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?
Enter LUCIANA.

Adr. Go, Dromio; there's the money, bear it straight;

And bring my master home immediately. — Come, sister; I am press'd down with conceit;3 Conceit, my comfort, and my injury. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The same.

Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse.

Ant. There's not a man I meet, but doth salute

me

As if I were their well-acquainted friend;

2 i. e. Bond.

3 Fanciful conception.

And every one doth call me by my name.
Some tender money to me, some invite me;
Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;
Some offer me commodities to buy:
Even now a tailor call'd me in his shop,
And show'd me silks that he had bought for me,
And, therewithal, took measure of my body.
Sure, these are but imaginary wiles,
And Lapland sorcerers inhabit here.

Enter DROMIO of Syracuse.

Dro. S. Master, here's the gold you sent me for: What, have you got the picture of old Adam new apparel'd?

Ant. S. What gold is this? what Adam dost thou mean?

Dro. S. He that came behind you, sir, like an evil angel, and bid you forsake your liberty.

Ant. S. I understand thee not.

Dro. S. No? why, 'tis a plain case: he that went like a base-viol, in a case of leather; the man, sir, that when gentlemen are tired, gives them a fob, and 'rests them; he, sir, that takes pity on decayed men, and gives them suits of durance; he that sets up his rest to do more exploits with his mace, than a morris-pike.

Ant. S. What! thou mean'st an officer?

Dro. S. Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band; he, that brings any man to answer it, that breaks his band: one that thinks a man always going to bed, and says, God give you good rest.

Ant. S. Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there any ship puts forth to-night? may we be gone. Dro. S. Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since, that the bark Expedition put forth to-night, and then were you hindred by the sergeant, to tarry for the hoy, Delay: Here are the angels that you sent for, to deliver you.

Ant. S. The fellow is distract, and so am I; And here we wander in illusions;

Some blessed power deliver us from hence!

Enter a Courtezan.

Cour. Well met, well met, master Antipholus. I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now; Is that the chain, you promis'd me to-day?

Ant. S. I conjure thee to leave me, and be gone. Cour. Give me the ring of mine you had at din

ner,

Or, for my diamond, the chain you promis'd;
And I'll be gone, sir, and not trouble you.

Dro. S. Some devils ask but the paring of one's nail,

A rush, a hair, a drop of blood, a pin,

A nut, a cherry-stone: but she, more covetous, Would have a chain.

Master, be wise; and if you give it her,

The devil will shake her chain, and freight us with it. Cour. I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain; I hope, you do not mean to cheat me so.

Ant. S. Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, let

us go.

Dro. S. Fly pride, says the peacock: Mistress, that you know. [Exeunt ANT. and DRO.

Cour. Now, out of doubt, Antipholus is mad,
Else would he never so demean himself:
A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,
And for the same he promis'd me a chain;
Both one, and other, he denies me now.
The reason that I gather he is mad,
(Besides this present instance of his rage,)
Is a mad tale, he told to-day at dinner,

Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.
Belike, his wife, acquainted with his fits,
On purpose shut the doors against his way.
My way is now, to hie home to his house,

And tell his wife, that, being lunatick,
He rush'd into my house, and took perforce
My ring away: This course I fittest choose;
For forty ducats is too much to lose.

[Exit.

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 pay them all.4

Ant. E. But where's the money? ?

Dro. E. Why, sir, I gave the money for the

rope.

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 the home?

Dro. E. To a rope's end, sir; and to that end am I return'd.

4 Correct them all.