Luc. Well, I will marry one day but to try: Here comes your man, now is your husband nigh. my SCENE II. Enter Dromio of Ephefus. Adr. Say, is your tardy mafter now at hand? E. Dro. Nay, he's at two hands with me, and that two ears can witness. Adr. Say, did't thou fpeak with him? know'st thou his mind? E. Dro. Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear. Befhrew his hand, I fcarce could understand it. Luc. Spake he fo doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his meaning? E. Dro. Nay, he ftruck fo plainly, I could too well feel his blows; and withal fo doubtfully, that I could fcarce understand them. Adr. But fay, I pry'thee, is he coming home? It seems, he hath great care to please his wife. E. Dro. Why, mistress, fure, my mafter is hornmad. Adr. Horn-mad, thou villain? E. Dro. I mean not, cuckold-mad; but, fure, he's When I defired him to come home to dinner, that patience which is fo near to idiotical fimplicity, that your next relation would take advantage from it to reprefent you as a fool and beg the guardianship of your fortune, Luc. Luc. Quoth who? E. Dro. Quoth my master: I know, quoth he, no house, no wife, no mistress; I thank him, I bare home upon my upon my fhoulders: For, in conclufion, he did beat me there. Adr. Go back again thou flave, and fetch him home. E. Dro. Go back again, and be new beaten home? For God's fake, fend fome other meffenger. Adr. Back, flave, or I will break thy pate across. ing: Between you I fhall have a holy head. Adr. Hence, prating peafant, fetch thy master home. E. Dro. Am I fo round with you as you with me", That like a foot-ball you do fpurn me thus? You fpurn me hence, and he will fpurn me hither: If I last in this service, you must case me in leather. [Exit. Luc. Fy, how impatience lowreth in your face! Am I fo round with you as you with me,] He plays upon the word round, which fig nifieth spherical applied to him felf, and unrestrained, or free in Speech or action, fpoken of his miftrefs. So the king in Hamlet bids the queen be round with her fon. Of my defeatures. My decayed fair And feeds from home; poor I am but his ftale ". Will lofe his beauty; and the gold 'bides still, } [Exeunt. BY falfhood and corruption doth it fame.] In this miferable condition is this paffage given us. It should be read thus, I fee, the jewel, beft enamelled. Will lofe his beauty; and the gold bides ftill, That others touch; yet often touching will Wear gold: and fo no man, that bath a name, But falfhood, and corruption, doth it fhame. The fenfe is this, "Gold, in. deed, will long bear the hand 66 ling; however, often touching, "will wear even gold; just so "the greatest character, tho' as 66 pure as gold itself, may, in "time, be injured, by the repeated attacks of falfhood and corruption." WARBURTON. σε SCENE SCENE VI. Changes to the Street. Enter Antipholis of Syracufe. Ant. The gold I gave to Dromio is laid up Enter Dromio of Syracufe. How now, Sir? is your merry humour alter'd? S. Dro. What anfwer, Sir? when fpake I fuch a word? Ant. Even now, even here, not half an hour fince. S. Dro. I did not fee you fince you fent me hence Home to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me. Ant. Villain, thou didst deny the gold's receipt; And told'st me of a mistress, and a dinner; For which, I hope, thou felt'ft I was difpleas'd. S. Dro. I'm glad to fee you in this merry vein : What means this jeft, I pray you, mafter, tell me? Ant. Yea, doft thou jeer and flout me in the teeth? Think'ft thou, I jeft? hold, take thou that, and that. [Beats Dro. S. Dro. Hold, Sir, for God's fake, now your jest is earneft; Upon what bargain do you give it me? Do ufe you for my fool, and chat with you, And make a common of my ferious hours. ·S. Dro. Sconce, call you it? fo you would leave battering, I had rather have it a head; an you use thefe blows long, I must get a fconce for my head, and infconce it too, or elfe I fhall feek my wit in my fhoulders: but, I pray, Sir, why am I beaten? Ant. Doft thou not know? S. Dro. Nothing, Sir, but that I am beaten. S. Dro. Ay, Sir, and wherefore; for, they fay, every why hath a wherefore. Ant. Why, firft, for flouting me; and then wherefore, for urging it the fecond time to me. S. Dro. Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season, When, in the why, and wherefore, is neither rhime nor reafon? Well, Sir, I thank you. Ant. Thank me, Sir, for what? S. Dro. Marry, Sir, for this fomething that you gave me for nothing. Ant. I'll make you amends next, to give you nothing for fomething. But fay, Sir, is it dinner-time? S. Dro. No, Sir, I think, the meat wants that I have. Ant. In good time, Sir; what's that? S. Dro. Bafting. Ant. Well, Sir, then 'twill be dry. S. Dro. If it be, Sir, I pray you eat none of it. S. Dro. Left it make you cholerick, and purchase me another dry-bafting. Ant. |