To scorch your face, and to disfigure you. [Cry within. Hark, hark, I hear him, mistress: fly, be gone. Duke. Come, stand by me; fear nothing. Guard with halberds! Adr. Ah me, it is my husband! Witness you, That he is borne about invisible: Even now we hous'd him in the abbey here, Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Ephesus. Ant. E. Justice, most gracious duke! O! grant me justice, Even for the service that long since I did thee, When I bestrid thee in the wars, and took Deep scars to save thy life; even for the blood Ant. E. Justice, sweet prince, against that woman there! She whom thou gav'st to me to be my wife, That hath abused and dishonour'd me, Even in the strength and height of injury. Beyond imagination is the wrong, That she this day hath shameless thrown on me. Duke. Discover how, and thou shalt find me just. Ant. E. This day, great duke, she shut the doors upon me, While she with harlots feasted in my house. Duke. A grievous fault. Adr. No, my good lord: To-day did dine together. Say, woman, did'st thou so? myself, he, and my sister, So befal my soul, 9 — with HARLOTS] Harlot was a term of reproach applied to cheats among men, as well as to wantons among women. Horne Tooke says it means a hireling, and derives it from hire, of which there is little question: it is used only to signify a servant in Chaucer's "Sompnoure's Tale," as Steevens remarks. As this is false he burdens me withal. Luc. Ne'er may I look on day, nor sleep on night, But she tells to your highness simple truth. Ang. O perjur'd woman! They are both forsworn: In this the madman justly chargeth them. Ant. E. My liege, I am advised what I say; There did this perjur'd goldsmith swear me down, I did obey, and sent my peasant home For certain ducats: he with none return'd. Then fairly I bespoke the officer, To go in person with me to my house. By the way we met My wife, her sister, and a rabble more Of vile confederates: along with them They brought one Pinch, a hungry lean-fac'd villain, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller, Cries out, I was possess'd. Then, altogether There left me and my man, both bound together; Ran hither to your grace, whom I beseech For these deep shames, and great indignities. Ang. My lord, in truth, thus far I witness with him, That he dined not at home, but was lock'd out. Duke. But had he such a chain of thee, or no? Ang. He had, my lord; and when he ran in here, These people saw the chain about his neck. Mer. Besides, I will be sworn, these ears of mine Heard you confess you had the chain of him, After you first forswore it on the mart, Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! Dro. E. Sir, he dined with her, there, at the Porcupine. Cour. He did, and from my finger snatch'd that ring. Ant. E. "Tis true, my liege; this ring I had of her. Duke. Saw'st thou him enter at the abbey here? 1 And this is false you burden me withal.] A repetition of an expression previously used by Adriana: see the preceding page. Cour. As sure, my liege, as I do see your grace. Duke. Why, this is strange.-Go call the abbess hither. I think you are all mated, or stark mad. [Exit an Attendant. Ege. Most mighty duke, vouchsafe me speak a word. Haply, I see a friend will save my life, And pay the sum that may deliver me. Duke. Speak freely, Syracusian, what thou wilt. Ege. Is not your name, sir, call'd Antipholus, And is not that your bondman Dromio? Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir; Æge. I am sure you both of you remember me. Æge. Why look you strange on me? you know me well. Ant. E. I never saw you in my life, till now. Ege. O grief hath chang'd me, since you saw me last; And careful hours, with time's deformed hand, Have written strange defeatures in my face: But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? Ege. Dromio, nor thou? Dro. E. No, trust me, sir, nor I. Ege. I am sure thou dost. Dro. E. Ay, sir; but I am sure I do not; and whatsoever a man denies, you are now bound to believe him. Ege. Not know my voice? O, time's extremity! Though now this grained face of mine be hid Ant. E. I never saw my father in my life. Ant. E. The duke, and all that know me in the city, Can witness with me that it is not so. I ne'er saw Syracusa in my life. Duke. I tell thee, Syracusian, twenty years During which time he ne'er saw Syracusa. Enter Abbess, with ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse and DROMIO of Syracuse. Abb. Most mighty duke, behold a man much wrong'd. [All gather to see them". Adr. I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me! Duke. One of these men is Genius to the other; And so of these: which is the natural man, And which the spirit? Who deciphers them? Dro. S. I, sir, am Dromio: command him away. Dro. E. I, sir, am Dromio: pray let me stay. Ant. S. Egeon, art thou not? or else his ghost? Dro. S. O, my old master! who hath bound him here? Abb. Whoever bound him, I will loose his bonds, ? All gather to see THEM.] This is the stage-direction of the old folios, applicable to Antipholus and Dromio; but the modern editors, without the slightest reason, substitute him for them. |