arrived safe.
DEMIPHO: Have you heard what has happened to my son in my absence, Chremes?
CHREMES: ‘Tis that which now makes me uncertain what to do; for if I should marry her to a stranger, I must tell him how she’s my daughter, and who’s her mother: I know that you wish me as well as I do myself; but if one who was no relation before should marry her, he’ll be silent as long as there’s a good understanding betwixt us; but if he begins to have no value for me, I shall wish he did not know so much of me: and I’m afraid it should come to my wife’s knowledge; and should it, I’ve nothing to do but to brush off, and leave my house; for I’m the only friend I have at home.
DEMIPHO: I know it; and that’s what troubles me; nor will I desist, till I have performed all that I’ve promised you.
ACT III, SCENE II
( Geta , Chremes, and Demipho )
GETA ( to himself, not seeing Chremes and Demipho ): Surely there never was a cunninger fellow than Phormio: I went to him, to inform him that money must be had, and how it might be got: he understood me before I had spoke half what I had to say: he rejoiced, commended me, enquired after the old man, and thanked the Gods that he had an opportunity to shew himself as much Phaedria’s friend as Antipho’s: I bade him wait for me at the market, where I would bring the old man to him: but here he is: who is that behind him? Egad, ‘tis Phædria’s father: but why, like a beast, should I be afraid? Because I have two in my power now to choose instead of one? ’Tis better, I think, to have two strings to a bow: I’ll set upon him that I first proposed; if I get it from him, ‘tis well; if I make nothing of him, then I must attack this newcomer.
ACT III, SCENE III
(Antipho, Geta, Chremes, and Demipho)
ANTIPHO ( to himself): I expect Geta here:—but surely that’s my uncle standing with my father there: Death! I’m in pain to know what effect his arrival will have on my father in my affair!
GETA ( to himself): I’ll go up to ‘em. ( Aloud ) Welcome home, Master Chremes.
CHREMES: How is‘t, Geta?
GETA: I’m glad to see you safe returned.
CHREMES: I believe you.
GETA: How go affairs?
CHREMES: I meet with many alterations here, according to custom.
GETA: True: have you heard what has happened to Antipho?
CHREMES: Yes, all.
GETA ( to Demipho): Have you informed him? What a shameful thing ‘tis, Chremes, to be so imposed upon!
DEMIPHO: That’s what I was talking to him about now.
GETA: By Hercules, as I was thinking seriously of it with myself, I believe I found a remedy to this evil.
CHREMES: What is it, Geta?
DEMIPHO: What remedy?
GETA: As I went from you, I happened to meet Phormio.
CHREMES: Who, Phormio?
GETA: The same that took the young woman’s part.
CHREMES: I know whom you mean.
GETA: I thought it proper to pump him first. I take him aside: “Phormio,” quoth I, “why don’t we see and make an end of this business by fair means rather than by foul? My master’s a generous man, and hates strife; I can assure you that all his friends have unanimously advised him to turn her out.”
ANTIPHO ( to himself ): What is the fellow about, or what will this come to at last?
GETA: Do you think he’s in any danger from the laws, if he should turn her out? He has had counsel about that; pshaw, you’ll have enough to do, if you go to law with him, he does not want words: but suppose you should cast him, he won’t lose his life, a little money will bring him off.“ When I perceived that what I had said had took down his courage, ”We are now alone here,“ continued I; ”hark y‘, what would you expect down to drop this suit, to have her sent back, and to let us be no more troubled with you?—“
ANTIPHO (to himself ): Is the devil in him?
GETA: “—I very well know, if you should make a proposal any way just and reasonable, that he’s so good a man, you will not have three words to a bargain.”
DEMIPHO: By what authority did you
DEMIPHO: Have you heard what has happened to my son in my absence, Chremes?
CHREMES: ‘Tis that which now makes me uncertain what to do; for if I should marry her to a stranger, I must tell him how she’s my daughter, and who’s her mother: I know that you wish me as well as I do myself; but if one who was no relation before should marry her, he’ll be silent as long as there’s a good understanding betwixt us; but if he begins to have no value for me, I shall wish he did not know so much of me: and I’m afraid it should come to my wife’s knowledge; and should it, I’ve nothing to do but to brush off, and leave my house; for I’m the only friend I have at home.
DEMIPHO: I know it; and that’s what troubles me; nor will I desist, till I have performed all that I’ve promised you.
ACT III, SCENE II
( Geta , Chremes, and Demipho )
GETA ( to himself, not seeing Chremes and Demipho ): Surely there never was a cunninger fellow than Phormio: I went to him, to inform him that money must be had, and how it might be got: he understood me before I had spoke half what I had to say: he rejoiced, commended me, enquired after the old man, and thanked the Gods that he had an opportunity to shew himself as much Phaedria’s friend as Antipho’s: I bade him wait for me at the market, where I would bring the old man to him: but here he is: who is that behind him? Egad, ‘tis Phædria’s father: but why, like a beast, should I be afraid? Because I have two in my power now to choose instead of one? ’Tis better, I think, to have two strings to a bow: I’ll set upon him that I first proposed; if I get it from him, ‘tis well; if I make nothing of him, then I must attack this newcomer.
ACT III, SCENE III
(Antipho, Geta, Chremes, and Demipho)
ANTIPHO ( to himself): I expect Geta here:—but surely that’s my uncle standing with my father there: Death! I’m in pain to know what effect his arrival will have on my father in my affair!
GETA ( to himself): I’ll go up to ‘em. ( Aloud ) Welcome home, Master Chremes.
CHREMES: How is‘t, Geta?
GETA: I’m glad to see you safe returned.
CHREMES: I believe you.
GETA: How go affairs?
CHREMES: I meet with many alterations here, according to custom.
GETA: True: have you heard what has happened to Antipho?
CHREMES: Yes, all.
GETA ( to Demipho): Have you informed him? What a shameful thing ‘tis, Chremes, to be so imposed upon!
DEMIPHO: That’s what I was talking to him about now.
GETA: By Hercules, as I was thinking seriously of it with myself, I believe I found a remedy to this evil.
CHREMES: What is it, Geta?
DEMIPHO: What remedy?
GETA: As I went from you, I happened to meet Phormio.
CHREMES: Who, Phormio?
GETA: The same that took the young woman’s part.
CHREMES: I know whom you mean.
GETA: I thought it proper to pump him first. I take him aside: “Phormio,” quoth I, “why don’t we see and make an end of this business by fair means rather than by foul? My master’s a generous man, and hates strife; I can assure you that all his friends have unanimously advised him to turn her out.”
ANTIPHO ( to himself ): What is the fellow about, or what will this come to at last?
GETA: Do you think he’s in any danger from the laws, if he should turn her out? He has had counsel about that; pshaw, you’ll have enough to do, if you go to law with him, he does not want words: but suppose you should cast him, he won’t lose his life, a little money will bring him off.“ When I perceived that what I had said had took down his courage, ”We are now alone here,“ continued I; ”hark y‘, what would you expect down to drop this suit, to have her sent back, and to let us be no more troubled with you?—“
ANTIPHO (to himself ): Is the devil in him?
GETA: “—I very well know, if you should make a proposal any way just and reasonable, that he’s so good a man, you will not have three words to a bargain.”
DEMIPHO: By what authority did you
Similar Books
