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667
(Enter PHAEDRIA from the house of LACHES, with DORUS in CHAEREA’s clothes.)
PHAEDRIA
(dragging him out.)
Come out, you villain! What, do you lag behind, you runaway? Out with you, you sorry bargain!
Come out, you villain! What, do you lag behind, you runaway? Out with you, you sorry bargain!
DORUS
(crying out.)
Mercy, I do entreat you!
Mercy, I do entreat you!
PHAEDRIA
Oh, do look at that! How the villain distorts his face.
What means your coming back hither? Why this change of dress? What have you to say? If I had delayed a moment, Pythias, I shouldn’t have found him at home: he had just prepared, in this fashion, for flight.
670
(Pointing at his dress.)
Oh, do look at that! How the villain distorts his face.
What means your coming back hither? Why this change of dress? What have you to say? If I had delayed a moment, Pythias, I shouldn’t have found him at home: he had just prepared, in this fashion, for flight.
670
PYTHIAS
Have you caught the fellow, pray?
Have you caught the fellow, pray?
PHAEDRIA
Caught him, why not?
Caught him, why not?
PYTHIAS
O well done!
O well done!
DORIAS
Upon my faith that really is capital!
Upon my faith that really is capital!
PYTHIAS
Where is he?
Where is he?
PHAEDRIA
Do you ask the question? Don’t you see him?
(Pointing to the EUNUCH.)
Do you ask the question? Don’t you see him?
PYTHIAS
(staring about.)
See whom, pray?
675
See whom, pray?
675
PHAEDRIA
This fellow, to be sure
(pointing).
This fellow, to be sure
(pointing).
PYTHIAS
What person is this?
What person is this?
PHAEDRIA
The same that was brought to your house to-day.
The same that was brought to your house to-day.
PYTHIAS
Not one of our people has ever beheld this person with her eyes, Phaedria.
Not one of our people has ever beheld this person with her eyes, Phaedria.
PHAEDRIA
Not beheld him?
Not beheld him?
PYTHIAS
Prithee, did you fancy that this was he who was brought to our house?
Prithee, did you fancy that this was he who was brought to our house?
PHAEDRIA
Why, I had no other.
Why, I had no other.
PYTHIAS
O dear!
this one really isn’t to be compared with the other. He was of a handsome and genteel appearance.
680
O dear!
this one really isn’t to be compared with the other. He was of a handsome and genteel appearance.
680
PHAEDRIA
He seemed so, just then, because he was decked out in party-colored clothes:
1
now he appears ugly, for this reason—because he hasn’t got them on.
He seemed so, just then, because he was decked out in party-colored clothes:
1
now he appears ugly, for this reason—because he hasn’t got them on.
PYTHIAS
Prithee, do hold your tongue; as though indeed the difference was so trifling.
A young man was brought to our house to-day, whom, really, Phaedria, you would have liked to look upon. This is a withered, antiquated, lethargic, old fellow, with a speckled complexion.
2
685
Prithee, do hold your tongue; as though indeed the difference was so trifling.
A young man was brought to our house to-day, whom, really, Phaedria, you would have liked to look upon. This is a withered, antiquated, lethargic, old fellow, with a speckled complexion.
2
685
PHAEDRIA
(starting.)
Hah! What tale is this? You’ll so befool me that I sha’n’t know what I bought.
(To DORUS.) How now, sirrah, did I not buy you?
690
Hah! What tale is this? You’ll so befool me that I sha’n’t know what I bought.
(To DORUS.) How now, sirrah, did I not buy you?
690
DORUS
You did buy me.
You did buy me.
PYTHIAS
Bid him answer me in my turn.
Bid him answer me in my turn.
PHAEDRIA
Question him.
Question him.
PYTHIAS
(to DORUS.)
Did you come here to-day to our house?
(DORUS shakes his head.) He says, no. But it was the other one that came, about sixteen years of age; whom Parmeno brought with him.
Did you come here to-day to our house?
(DORUS shakes his head.) He says, no. But it was the other one that came, about sixteen years of age; whom Parmeno brought with him.
PHAEDRIA
(to DORUS.)
Well now, in the first place tell me this, where did you get that dress that you have on? What, are you silent?
Monster of a fellow, are you not going to speak?
695
(Shakes him.)
Well now, in the first place tell me this, where did you get that dress that you have on? What, are you silent?
Monster of a fellow, are you not going to speak?
695
DORUS
Chaerea came.
Chaerea came.
PHAEDRIA
What, my brother?
What, my brother?
DORUS
Yes.
Yes.
PHAEDRIA
When?
When?
DORUS
To-day.
To-day.
PHAEDRIA
How long since?
How long since?
DORUS
Just now.
Just now.
PHAEDRIA
With whom?
With whom?
DORUS
With Parmeno.
With Parmeno.
PHAEDRIA
Did you know him before?
Did you know him before?
DORUS
No.
No.
PHAEDRIA
How did you know he was my brother?
How did you know he was my brother?
DORUS
Parmeno
said he was. He gave me these clothes.
700
Parmeno
said he was. He gave me these clothes.
700
PHAEDRIA
I’m undone!
I’m undone!
DORUS
He himself put on mine; afterward, they both went out together.
He himself put on mine; afterward, they both went out together.
PYTHIAS
Now are you quite satisfied that I am sober, and that we have told you no falsehood? Is it now sufficiently evident that the girl has been ravished?
Now are you quite satisfied that I am sober, and that we have told you no falsehood? Is it now sufficiently evident that the girl has been ravished?
PHAEDRIA
Avaunt, you beast, do you believe what he says?
Avaunt, you beast, do you believe what he says?
PYTHIAS
What is there to believe? The thing speaks for itself.
What is there to believe? The thing speaks for itself.
PHAEDRIA
(apart to DORUS.)
Step aside a little this way. Do you hear?
(DORUS steps aside.) A little further still. That will do. Now tell me this once more; did Chaerea take your clothes off you?
705
Step aside a little this way. Do you hear?
(DORUS steps aside.) A little further still. That will do. Now tell me this once more; did Chaerea take your clothes off you?
705
DORUS
He did.
He did.
PHAEDRIA
And did he put them on?
And did he put them on?
DORUS
He did.
He did.
PHAEDRIA
And was he brought here instead of you?
And was he brought here instead of you?
DORUS
Yes.
Yes.
PHAEDRIA
Great Jupiter! O wicked and audacious fellow!
Great Jupiter! O wicked and audacious fellow!
PYTHIAS
Woe unto me! Now at last will you believe that we have been insulted in a disgraceful manner?
Woe unto me! Now at last will you believe that we have been insulted in a disgraceful manner?
PHAEDRIA
It is no wonder that you believe what the fellow says.
(Aside.) What I’m to do I know not.
(Aside to DORUS.) Hark you, deny it all again.
(Aloud.) Can I not this day extract the truth from you? Did you really see my brother Chaerea?
710
It is no wonder that you believe what the fellow says.
(Aside.) What I’m to do I know not.
(Aside to DORUS.) Hark you, deny it all again.
(Aloud.) Can I not this day extract the truth from you? Did you really see my brother Chaerea?
710
DORUS
No.
No.
PHAEDRIA
He can’t be brought to confess without being punished, I see: follow me this way. At one moment he affirms, at another denies.
(Aside.) Ask pardon of me.
He can’t be brought to confess without being punished, I see: follow me this way. At one moment he affirms, at another denies.
(Aside.) Ask pardon of me.
DORUS
Indeed, I do entreat you, Phaedria.
Indeed, I do entreat you, Phaedria.
PHAEDRIA
(kicking him.)
Be off in-doors.
Be off in-doors.
DORUS
Oh! oh!
Oh! oh!
PHAEDRIA
(aside.)
How in any other fashion to get decently out of this I don’t know; for really it’s all up with me.
(Aloud, with pretended indignation.) Will you be trifling with me even here, you knave?
715
(Follows DORUS into the house.)
How in any other fashion to get decently out of this I don’t know; for really it’s all up with me.
(Aloud, with pretended indignation.) Will you be trifling with me even here, you knave?
715
PYTHIAS
I’m as certain that this is the contrivance of Parmeno as that I’m alive.
I’m as certain that this is the contrivance of Parmeno as that I’m alive.
DORIAS
So it is, no doubt.
So it is, no doubt.
PYTHIAS
I’faith, I’ll find out a method to-day to be even with him. But now, what do you think ought to be done, Dorias?
I’faith, I’ll find out a method to-day to be even with him. But now, what do you think ought to be done, Dorias?
DORIAS
Do you mean with regard to this
girl?
720
Do you mean with regard to this
girl?
720
PYTHIAS
Yes; whether I ought to mention it or be silent?
Yes; whether I ought to mention it or be silent?
DORIAS
PYTHIAS
I’ll do so.
I’ll do so.
DORIAS
But don’t I see Chremes? Thais will be here just now.
But don’t I see Chremes? Thais will be here just now.
PYTHIAS
Why so?
Why so?
DORIAS
Because when I came away from there, a quarrel had just commenced between them.
Because when I came away from there, a quarrel had just commenced between them.
PYTHIAS
Take in these golden trinkets; I shall learn from him what’s the matter.
(DORIAS takes the casket into the house.)
Take in these golden trinkets; I shall learn from him what’s the matter.
Eunuchus. Publius Terentius Afer (Terence). Henry Thomas Riley (Translator), George Colman (Translator). Ney York. 1874.
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