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816
(Enter THAIS from her house, followed by PYTHIAS.)
THAIS
What! do you persist, hussy, in talking ambiguously to me?
I do know;
I don’t know;
he has gone off;
I have heard;
I wasn’t there. Don’t you mean to tell me plainly, whatever it is? The girl in tears, with her garments torn, is mute;
the Eunuch is off: for what reason? What has happened? Won’t you speak?
820
What! do you persist, hussy, in talking ambiguously to me?
I do know;
I don’t know;
he has gone off;
I have heard;
I wasn’t there. Don’t you mean to tell me plainly, whatever it is? The girl in tears, with her garments torn, is mute;
the Eunuch is off: for what reason? What has happened? Won’t you speak?
820
PYTHIAS
Wretch that I am, what am I to say to you? They declare that he was not a Eunuch.
Wretch that I am, what am I to say to you? They declare that he was not a Eunuch.
THAIS
What was he then?
What was he then?
PYTHIAS
That Chaerea.
That Chaerea.
THAIS
What Chaerea?
What Chaerea?
PYTHIAS
That stripling, the brother of Phaedria.
That stripling, the brother of Phaedria.
THAIS
What’s that you say, you hag?
What’s that you say, you hag?
PYTHIAS
And I am satisfied of it.
And I am satisfied of it.
THAIS
Pray, what business had he at my house? What brought him there?
825
Pray, what business had he at my house? What brought him there?
825
PYTHIAS
I don’t know; unless, as I suppose, he was in love with Pamphila.
I don’t know; unless, as I suppose, he was in love with Pamphila.
THAIS
Alas! to my confusion, unhappy woman that I am, I’m undone, if what you tell me is true. Is it about this that the girl is crying?
Alas! to my confusion, unhappy woman that I am, I’m undone, if what you tell me is true. Is it about this that the girl is crying?
PYTHIAS
I believe so.
I believe so.
THAIS
How say you, you arch-jade? Did I not warn you about this very thing, when I was going away from here?
How say you, you arch-jade? Did I not warn you about this very thing, when I was going away from here?
PYTHIAS
What could I do? Just as you ordered, she was intrusted to his care only.
830
What could I do? Just as you ordered, she was intrusted to his care only.
830
THAIS
Hussy, I’ve been intrusting the sheep to the wolf. I’m quite ashamed to have been imposed upon in this way. What sort of man was he?
Hussy, I’ve been intrusting the sheep to the wolf. I’m quite ashamed to have been imposed upon in this way. What sort of man was he?
PYTHIAS
Hush! hush! mistress, pray; we are all right. Here we have the very man.
Hush! hush! mistress, pray; we are all right. Here we have the very man.
THAIS
Where is he?
Where is he?
PYTHIAS
Why there, to the left.
Don’t you see?
835
Why there, to the left.
Don’t you see?
835
THAIS
I see.
I see.
PYTHIAS
Order him to be seized as quickly as possible.
Order him to be seized as quickly as possible.
THAIS
What can we do to him, simpleton?
What can we do to him, simpleton?
PYTHIAS
What do to him, do you ask? Pray, do look at him; if his face doesn’t seem an impudent one.
What do to him, do you ask? Pray, do look at him; if his face doesn’t seem an impudent one.
THAIS
Not at all.
1
Not at all.
1
PYTHIAS
Besides, what effrontery he has.
Besides, what effrontery he has.
Eunuchus. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator). Ney York. 1874.
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