Part 7 (1/2)
_Ge_ O, how do you do, good Chres with you? _Chr_ One finds h--very many _Ge_ That's so Have you heard about Antipho? _Chr_ The whole story _Ge_ [_to De him? [_To Chremes_] It's a shame, Chre the situation with hi it over, too, and I think I have found a way out of it _Chr_ How's that, Geta? _Dem_ A way out of it? _Ge_ [_in a confidential tone_] Just nohen I left you, I chanced to irl's-- _Chr_ O, I see _Ge_ I thought I'd test the fellow, so I got him off alone, and said: ”Now, Phormio, don't you see that it's better to settle this matter in a friendly way than to have a row about it? My entleman, and hates a fuss If it wasn't for that he would have sent this girl packing, as all his friends advised hietting at? _Ge_ ”Do you say that the laill make him suffer for it if he casts her out? Oh, we've looked into that point
I tell you you'll sweat for it if you ever get into a law-suit with that ular corker But suppose you do win out; it's not a es Now here, just between ourselves, how irl away and make us no more trouble” _Ant_ [_aside_] Good heavens, is the fellow crazy? _Ge_ ”For I know that if you ood fellow, and will take you up in a minute” _Dem_ Who told you to say that? _Chr_ There, there, we couldn't have gained our point better _Ant_ [_aside_] I'o on with your story _Ge_ At first the felloild _Chr_ Coether too much Said he: ”Well, a ht” _Dem_ Confound his impudence! Has he no shame? _Ge_ That's just what I said Said I: ”What if he were ain it's been to hiirl One has been found to call for a dowry just the sa story short, he finally said: ”I've wanted froht that I should; but, to tell you the honest truth, I've got to find a ill bring h to payto pay irl to whoirl of yours” _Dem_ What if he is over his head in debt? _Ge_ Says he: ”I have a little fared for two hundred dollars” _Deive hied for two hundred ht Let him have that two hundred from me _Ge_ ”Then I ot to have a littleexpenses Put all that down at an even two hundredas ive a cent What, is the dirty fellow ame of me? _Chr_ O, do please keep still! I only ask that you have your sonsent off for ht that I should pay for it _Ge_ Phor to give Phaniueirl; for her people have proive it to hiirl
_Deain! _Chr_ [_to Deht some money with me--the rent I have collected from my wife's Lemnian estate I'll take it out of that, and tell her that you needed it
The two old o into Chrenant Antipho, who has hardly been able to contain hiue, in which his as being coolly bargained away It is only with the greatest difficulty that Geta can room appreciate the ruse by which the money has been obtained for Phaedria's use In the end Antipho goes off to tell the news to Phaedria De of money in his hand He wants it understood that no one can cheat hi to be very business-like and have ample witness to the transactions Chremes' only desire is that the business may be settled as soon as possible Demipho now tells Geta to lead the way to Phormio, and they start toward the Forum Chrehter's e with Antipho seehter and her mother? That they are here in Athens fills hiht, :
Where _can_ I find those women noonder?
And just at this moment out from Demipho's house coreat distress:
O, what _shall_ I do? Where shall I find a friend in et help? For I'et into trouble froe that I persuaded her into I hear that the young man's father is very much put out about it _Chr_ [_aside_] Who in the world is this old wo out of my brother's house? _So_ But want e was a bit shaky, in order that for awhile at least we reat excitement_] By Jove! unless I'hter's nurse! _So_ And I can't get any trace of the o up to her, or shall I wait until I understand better what she's talking about? _So_ But if I could only find hi to fear _Chr_ [_aside_] It _is_ Sophrona; I'll speak to her [_Calling softly_] Sophrona! _So_ Who is this I hear callingthe right way_] My goodness gracious! Is this Stilpho? _Chr_ No _So_ No? _Chr_ [_drawing her cautiously away from the vicinity of his house_] Say, Sophrona, come away a little from that door, will you?
And don't you ever call oodness, aren't you the man you always said you were? _Chr_ sh!+ _So_ What e wife shut up there I gave you the wrong nahtlessly blurt it out in public soet wind of it _So_ And so that's the reason e poor women could never find you here _Chr_ Tell me nohat business you have with this household from which you have just come out Where are those women? _So_ [_with a burst of tears_] O dear me! _Chr_ How?
What's that? Aren't they alive? _So_ Your daughter is But the mother, sick at heart over this business, is dead _Chr_ That's too bad! _So_ And then, considering that I was just a lonely old woe city without a cent of irl, for Iman the heir of this family here _Chr_ What, Antipho? _So_ Why, yes! _Chr_ You don't racious, no! This is the only one _Chr_ But what about that other girl who is said to be related to him? _So_ Why, this is the one _Chr_ [_beside himself with joy and wonder_] You don't ht marry her without a dowry _Chr_ Thank heaven for that! How often things come about by mere chance that you wouldn't dare hope for! Here I find hter happily married to the very man I had picked out for her! Whatabout, here this old woman, without any help froot to bestir ourselves The young man's father is back, and they say he's in a terrible stew about it _Chr_ O, there's no danger on that score But, for heaven's sake, don't let any one find out that she's hter _So_ Well, no one shall find it out from me _Chr_ Now you follow o into Demipho's house_]
Deruain which they have just made with Phormio He disappears into his brother's house Geta, left alone, soliloquizes upon the situation and sums it up so far as it is known to him As he disappears into De out of his brother's house with his brother's wife, Nausistrata, who in to see Phaniuements that have been made for her
And just at thisout of his brother's house; he calls to De in his excitee
_Chr_ Say, Demipho! Have you paid the money yet? _Dem_ Yes, I've tended to that _Chr_ Well, I wish you hadn't [_Aside as he sees his wife_] Gracious! There's my wife! I almost said too much _Deht _Deirl on whose account I' Nausistrata in? _Chr_ Yes, I've had a talk with her _Dem_ Well, what does she say? _Chr_ She can't be disturbed _Dem_ Why can't she? _Chr_ O, because--they're so fond of each other _Dereat deal And besides, I've found that she's related to us, after all _Dem_ What's that? You're off your base _Chr_ No, I' about I remember all about it now _De you won't do any harm to a relative
_Deave the wrong name for her father That's where you make your mistake _Dem_ Nonsense! Didn't she know her own father? _Chr_ Yes, she knew hiht name? _Chr_ [_apart to Demipho, in low, desperate tones_] Won't you ever let up? Won't you understand? _De? _Chr_ O, you'll be the death of me _Naus_ I wonder what it's all about
_Dem_ I'll be blest if I know _Chr_ Do you want to know? I swear to you there's no one nearer to her than you and I _Deet to the bottom of this business [_He starts toward his house with Nausistrata_]
_Chr_ I say, Derily_]
Have you so little confidence in me as that? _Dem_ Do you want me to take your word for it? Do you want ht, so be it But what about the daughter of our friend? What's to becoht _Dem_ Are we to drop her, then? _Chr_ Why not? _Dem_ And is Phaniuuess ill excuse you [_Exit Nausistrata into her own house_] Now, Chremes, what in the world is all this about? _Chr_ Is that door tight shut?
_De his brother well out of earshot of the house_] O Jupiter! The Gods are on our side My daughter I have found--married--to your son! _Dem_ What? How can that be? _Chr_ It isn't safe to talk about it here _Deo inside then _Chr_ But see here, I don't want even our sons to find this out [_They go into Demipho's house_]
Antipho has seen Phaedria's business happily settled, and now coloomy about his own affairs His deep dejection serves as a happy contrast to the fortunate turn of his affairs which we have just witnessed In his unsettled state he starts off to find the faithful Geta, when Phorh spirits over his success in cheating the old men out of their money in behalf of Phaedria It is his own role now, he says, to keep well in the background Now the door of Deesticulating:
O luck! O great good luck! How suddenly have you heaped your choicest gifts on my master Antipho this day! _Ant_ [_apart_] What can hehere for? I'll throw my cloak over my shoulder and hurry up and find the s have turned out _Ant_ [_aside_]
Do you knohat this fellow is talking about? _Pho_ No, do you?
_Ant_ No _Pho_ No more do I _Ge_ I'll run over to Dorio's house
They are there now _Ant_ [_calling_] hello, Geta! _Ge_ [_without looking back_] hello yourself! That's an old trick, to call a fellow back when he's started to run _Ant_ I say, Geta! _Ge_ Keep it up; you won't catch o hang _Ant_ That's ill happen to you, you rogue, unless you hold on _Ge_ This fellow must be one of the family by the way he threatens But isn't it the ht off _Ant_ What is it? _Ge_ O, of all men alive you are the luckiest! There's no doubt about it, Antipho, you are the pet child of heaven _Ant_ I wish I were But please tell h if I say that you are fairly dripping with joy? _Ant_ You're just killingtalk, Geta, and tell us your news _Ge_ O, you were there, were you, Phormio? _Pho_ Yes, I was; but hurry up _Ge_ Well, then, listen Just now, after we gave you the ht home; and then my master sent me in to your wife _Ant_ What for? _Ge_ Neverto do with this story When I am about to enter the woman's apartments, the slave-boy Mida runs up to me, plucks me by the coat and pulls me back I look around, and ask hiainst orders for any one to go to the young mistress ”Sophrona has just taken the old man's brother Chremes in there,” he says, ”and he's in there with 'em now” As soon as I heard that, I tiptoed toward the door of the rooot there, stood still, held my breath and put my ear to the key-hole So I listened as hard as I could to catch what they said _Ant_ Good for you, Geta! _Ge_ And then I heard the finest piece of news I declare I almost shouted for joy! _Ant_ What for? _Ge_ What do you think?
_Ant_ I haven't the slightest idea _Ge_ But, I tell you, it was the grandest thing! Your uncle turns out to be--the father of--Phanium--your wife! _Ant_ What? How can that be? _Ge_ He lived with her irl have known her own father? _Ge_ Be sure there's some explanation of it, Phor that passed between them, from outside the door? _Ant_ Now I think of it, I too have had soive you still further proof: pretty soon your uncle co he coo in And now they both say that youyou to them
_Ant_ [_all excite for? _Ge_ Coood-by!
_Pho_ Good-by, lad it's turned out well for you
Antipho and Geta hurry away to Demipho's house, while Phormio retires up a convenient alley to await future develop on Phoriven hiain eet back their money How the poet treats us to the liveliest scene of all after the more important matters have been settled, is now to be seen De each other upon the happy turn which their affairs have taken
_Deht to thank the Gods, as indeed I do, that these matters have turned out so well for us, brother _Chr_ Isn't she a fine girl, just as I told you? _Dem_ Yes, indeed But noe et our six hundred dollars back again before he e in a lordly ithout seeht to Demipho's door, upon which he raps loudly and calls to the attendant within:
If De up fro to see you, Phormio _Pho_ On the same business, perhaps? _De to me? It's absurd Were you afraid that I wouldn't do what I had promised? No fear of that For, however poor I may be, I have always been particularly careful to keep my word
And so I have coive me my wife For I put all ht, when I saw that you wanted this so much _Dem_ [_who does not know quite what to say_] But ive her to you ”For,” says he, ”what a scandal there will be if you do that! At the tiiven to you honorably it was not done; and noould be a disgrace to cast her off” Aled upon all! _Dem_ What do you irl now; for hat face could I go back to her after I had once thrown her over? _Chr_ [_pro De to to let his wife go”--tell hi his wife go But con this ain _Pho_ How can I, when I have already used it to pay my debts with? _Dem_ Well, what then?