Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me. Dro. E. I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a rope! [Exit DROMIO. Ant. E. A man is well holp up, that trusts to you: I promised your presence, and the chain: But neither chain, nor goldsmith, came to me: I pray you, see him presently discharg'd, Ant. E. I am not furnish'd with the present money; Ang. Then you will bring the chain to her yourself? Ant. E. No; bear it with you, lest I come not time enough. Ang. Well, sir, I will: Have you the chain about you? Ant. E. An if I have not, sir, I hope you have; Or else you may return without your money. Ang. Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain; Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman, And I, to blame, have held him here too long. Ant. E. Good lord, you use this dalliance, to excuse Your breach of promise to the Porcupine: money. Ang. Come, come, you know, I gave it you even now; Either send the chain, or send me by some token. Ant. E. Fye! now you run this humour out of breath : Come, where's the chain? I pray you, let me see it. Mer. My business cannot brook this dalliance: Good sir, say, whe'r you'll answer me, or no; If not, I'll leave him to the officer. Ant. E. I answer you! What should I answer you? Ang. The money, that you owe me for the chain. Ant. E. I owe you none, till I receive the chain. Ang. You know, I gave it you half an hour since. Ant. E. You gave me none; you wrong me much to say so. Ang. You wrong me more, sir, in denying it: Consider, how it stands upon my credit. Mer. Well, officer, arrest him at my suit. Off. I do; and charge you, in the duke's name, to obey me. Ang. This touches me in reputation : Either consent to pay this sum for me, Or I attach you by this officer. Ant. E. Consent to pay thee that, I never had! Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar'st. Ang. Here is thy fee; arrest him, officer: I would not spare my brother in this case, Off. I do arrest you, sir; you hear the suit. Ang. Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus, Enter DROMIO of Syracuse. Dro. S. Master, there is a bark of Epidamnum, Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at all, Ant. E. How now! a madman? Why, thou peevish sheep, What ship of Epidamnum stays for me? Dro. S. A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage. Ant. E. Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope; And told thee to what purpose, and what end. Dro. S. You sent me, sir, for a rope's-end as soon: You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark. Ant. E. I will debate this matter at more leisure, And teach your ears to listen with more heed. To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight; Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry, There is a purse of ducats; let her send it; Tell her I am arrested in the street, And that shall bail me: hie thee, slave; be gone. [Exeunt Merchant, ANGELO, Officer, and ANT. E. For servants must their masters' minds fulfil. [Exit. SCENE II.-The same. Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA. Adr. Ah, Luciana, did he tempt thee so? Look'd he or red, or pale; or sad, or merrily? Luc. First, he denied you had in him no right. were. Luc. Then pleaded I for you. Adr. And what said he? Luc. That love, I begg'd for you, he begg'd of me. Adr. With what persuasion did he tempt thy love? Luc. With words, that in an honest suit might move. First, he did praise my beauty; then, my speech. Adr. Did'st speak him fair? Luc. Have patience, I beseech. Adr. I cannot, nor I will not, hold me still; My tongue, though not my heart, shall have his will. Ill-fac'd, worse-bodied, shapeless every where; 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, Far from her nest the lapwing cries away; 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 garment hath him, One, whose hard heart is buttoned 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 counter mands The passages of alleys, creeks, and narrow lands; A hound, that runs counter, and yet draws dry-foot well; One, that, before the judgment, carries poor souls to hell. |