Then fairly I bespoke the officer, To go in person with me to my house. 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 mere anatomy, a mountebank, A thread-bare juggler, and a fortune-teller; 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, you first forswore it on the mart, After And, thereupon, I drew my sword on you; From whence, I think, you are come by miracle. Duke. Why, what an intricate impeach is this! If here you hous'd him, here he would have been; 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? 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,4 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, Syracusan, what thou wilt. Ege. Is not your name, sir, call'd Antipholus? And is not that your bondman Dromio? 4 Confounded Dro. E. Within this hour I was his bondman, sir, But he, I thank him, gnaw'd in two my cords; Now am I Dromio, and his man, unbound. Ege. I am sure, you both of you remember me. Dro. E. Ourselves we do remember, sir, by you; For lately we were bound as you are now. You are not Pinch's patient, are you, sir? Ege. Why look you strange on me? you know me well. Ant. E. I never saw you in my life, till now. Ege. Oh! grief hath chang'd me, since you saw me last; And careful hours, with Time's deformed hand But tell me yet, dost thou not know my voice? Æge. 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! Hast thou so crack'd and splitted my poor tongue, In seven short years, that here my only son Knows not my feeble key of untun'd cares? SAlteration of features. My dull deaf ears a little use to hear: All these old witnesses (I cannot err,) 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, Syracusan, twenty years During which time he ne'er saw Syracusa : Enter the Abbess, with ANTIPHOLUS Syracusan, and Abb. Most mighty duke behold a man much [All gather to see him. wrong'd. 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. Ægeon, 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, And gain a husband by his liberty : VOL. IV. Speak, old Ægeon, if thou be'st the man Æge. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia; Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right;" These two Antipholus's, these two so like, And these two Dromio's, one in semblance,— Besides her urging of her wreck at sea,— These are the parents to these children, Which accidentally are met together. Antipholus, thou cam'st from Corinth first. Ant. S. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse. Duke. Stay, stand apart; I know not which is which. Ant. E. I came from Corinth, my most gracious lord. Dro. E. And I with him. Ant. E. Brought to this town with that most famous warrior ? The morning story is what Egeon tells the Duke in the first scene of this play. |