Dro. of Syr. Spread for dinner! I am afraid I shall

Be somewhat awkward, as I am not
Acquainted with the ways of the house;
Though, I suppose they'll be so courteous
As to instruct a new comer. Ay, there they go ;-
The house with the green doors, and have taken
My master with them; I must follow-Sure
We are in the fairy land, and converse with
'Sprites and goblins. I wish they mayn't have
Infected my poor master already; for, even
Now, he swore to a discourse, I held with him
On the Mart: when I can swear, I was talking
To the strong box at the Centaur.-Mighty odd
All this! However, my comfort is, that, whatsoever
Mischief we light on, the master takes place

Of the servant, and must fall into it first.

[Exit.

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

A Street, with a View of ANTIPHOLIS'S House..

Enter ANTIPHOLIS OF EPHESUS, DROMIO OF EPHESUS, ANGELO, and BALTHASAR.

Ant. of Eph. Good Signor Angelo, you must ex

cuse us;

My wife is shrewish, when I keep not hours.
Say, that I linger'd with you at your shop,

D

To see the making of her bracelet,
And that, to-morrow, you will bring it home.
But here's a villain, that would face me down,
He met me on the Mart, and, that I beat him,
And charged him with a thousand marks in gold,
And, that I did deny my wife and house.-
Thou drunkard, thou, what didst thou mean by

this?

Dro. of Eph. Say what you will, sir, but I know what I know,

That you beat me at the Mart, I have the marks to

witness.

Ant. of Eph. Silence, thou sot, or I shall sober thee!

You're sad, Signor Balthasar; 'pray Heaven, our cheer May answer my good will, and your good welcomeBut soft, my door is locked-Sirrah, ring the bell !

Dro. of Eph. Oh, he's a little soberer, and he does know his own house now!

Ant. of Eph. Will they not hear?

[Rings.

Dro. of Eph. In good truth, I think they will notMy mistress, sure, means to be quits with you, master-you denied her a while ago, and now she's determined to deny you.

Ant. of Eph. Have done, thou varlet! Call to them; bid them let us in.

Dro. of Eph. Maud! Bridget! Marian! Cicely, Gillian! Madge!

Dro. of Syr. [Within.] Mome, Malt-horse, Capon, Coxcomb, Idiot, Patch!-Dost thou conjure for wenches, that thou call'st for such store, when one is one too many. - Go, get thee from the gate!

Dro. of Eph. What patch is made our porter?-My master stays in the street.

Dro. of Syr. [Within.] Let him walk from whence he came, lest he catch cold in his feet.

Ant. of Eph. Who talks within there?-Hoa! open the door!

Dro. of Syr. [Within.] Right, sir-I'll tell you

when, an you'll tell me wherefore.

Ant. of Eph. What art thou, there, that keep'st me from mine own house?

Dro. of Syr. [Within.] The porter, sir, and my

name is Dromio.

Dro. of Eph. O villain, thou hast stole both mine office, and my name.

Bridget. [Within.] Why, what a coil is there!

Dromio, who are those, at the door?

Dro. of Eph. Let my master in, Bridget.

Bridget. [Within.] Peace, fool! thy master's here already.

Ant. of Eph. Do you hear, you minion?-you'll let us in, I trow?

Bridget. [Within.] Can you tell for whose sake? Dro. of Eph. Master, knock at the door hard. Dro. of Syr. [Within.] Let him knock till it ake. Adriana. [Within.] Who is at the gate, that keeps all this noise ?

Ant. of Eph. Are you there, wife? you might have come before.

Adr. [Within.] Your wife, Sir Knave!-Go, get you from the gate.

Ant. of Eph. Get from the gate! What means this

saucy language ?
There's something more in this!--Why, Adriana!
Adr. [Within.] Hence, you familiar coxcomb!-
Cease your noise,

Or you shall dearly pay for all this outrage.
Dromio, be sure you keep fast the doors against them.
Ant. of Eph. Why, wife, I say !-

Dro. of Syr. [Within.] She's gone back to dinner, sir, to take a refreshing cup, and has no time to answer idle questions now.

Ant. of Eph. Now, on my soul, some strange mys

terious guile,

Lurks underneath this unaccustom'd usage.

Some shameful minion here is entertain'd-
Shall I be thus shut forth from my own house,
While they are revelling to my dishonour?
Go, fetch an instrument, I'll break the door,
Shatter it all to pieces, but I'll enter.

1

Balt. Have patience, sir-O, let it not be thus; Herein you war against your reputation, And draw within the compass of suspect Th' inviolated honour of your wife. Your long experience of her wisdom, sir, Her sober virtue, years, and modesty, Plead, on her part, some cause to you unknown; And, doubt it not, but she will well excuse Why, at this time, the doors are barr'd against you. Angelo. Be rul'd by me-depart in patience, And let us to the Tiger, all to dinner; And, about evening, come yourself, alone, To know the reason of this strange restraint. If, by strong hand, you offer to break in, Now, in the stirring passage of the day, A vulgar comment will be made of it; And that supposed, by the common rout, Against your yet ungalled estimation, That may with foul intrusion enter in, And dwell upon your grave when you are dead. For slander lives ev'n to posterity,

For ever hous'd, when once it gets possession.

Ant. of Eph. You have prevail'd-I will depart in

quiet,

And, in despite of wrath, try to be merry.
I know a wench of excellent discourse,
Pretty and witty-wild, and yet right gentle;
There will we dine. This woman, that I mean,
My wife (but, I protest, without desert)
Hath oftentimes upbraided me withal.
To her will we to dinner. Get you home,
And fetch the jewel-by this, I guess, 'tis made-
Bring it, I pray you, to the Porcupine,

For there's the house, and there will I bestow it,
(Be it for nothing but to spite my wife)
Upon mine hostess. Good sir, use despatch.

hence.

Angelo. I'll meet you at that place some hour, sir, [Exit. Ant. of Eph. I thank you, sir. And now, my dainty wife,

Checking my rage, I'll leave you to your follies Some few short hours; enjoy them while you may, Perchance to-morrow you may rue your jest.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

A Garden.

ANTIPHOLIS OF SYRACUSE, ADRIANA, LUCIANA, and HERMIA, discovered.

Adr. Why, why was I to this keen mock'ry born? How at your hands have I deserv'd this coldness ? In sooth, you do me wrong. There was a time When I believ'd, so fond was my credulity, The sun was scarce so true unto the day, As you to me.

Ant. of Syr. I would, some friendly light, Might chase away the mist, that clouds our fancies, And give this dream a meaning! True, I see These beauteous bowers, in nature's fragrance, rich; Behold the painted children of her hand, Flaunting in gay luxuriance all around! I see imperial Phœbus' trembling beam Dance on the curly brook; whose gentle current Glides imperceptibly away, scarce staying To kiss th' embracing bank.