ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
An if I have not, sir, I hope you have,
Or else you may return without your money.
ANGELO.
Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain;
Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman,
And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
Good Lord, you use this dalliance to excuse
Your breach of promise to the Porcupine:
I should have chid you for not bringing it,
But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl.
MERCHANT.
The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, despatch.
ANGELO.
You hear how he importunes me: the chain,—
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money.
ANGELO.
Come, come, you know I gave it you even now;
Either send the chain or send by me some token.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
Fie! now you run this humour out of breath:
Come, where’s the chain? I pray you, let me see it.
MERCHANT.
My business cannot brook this dalliance:
Good sir, say whe’r you’ll answer me or no;
If not, I’ll leave him to the officer.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
I answer you! What should I answer you?
ANGELO.
The money that you owe me for the chain.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
I owe you none till I receive the chain.
ANGELO.
You know I gave it you half-an-hour since.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
You gave me none: you wrong me much to say so.
ANGELO.
You wrong me more, sir, in denying it:
Consider how it stands upon my credit.
MERCHANT.
Well, officer, arrest him at my suit.
OFFICER.
I do; and charge you in the duke’s name to obey me.
ANGELO.
This touches me in reputation:
Either consent to pay this sum for me,
Or I attach you by this officer.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
Consent to pay thee that I never had!
Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar’st.
ANGELO.
Here is thy fee; arrest him, officer:—
I would not spare my brother in this case,
If he should scorn me so apparently.
OFFICER.
I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
I do obey thee till I give thee bail:—
But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear
As all the metal in your shop will answer.
ANGELO.
Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,
To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.
SCENE II
[Enter DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.]
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.
Master, there’s a bark of Epidamnum
That stays but till her owner comes aboard,
And then, sir, bears away: our fraughtage, sir,
I have convey’d aboard; and I have bought
The oil, the balsamum, and aqua-vitae.
The ship is in her trim; the merry wind
Blows fair from land; they stay for nought at all
But for their owner, master, and yourself.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
How now! a madman? Why, thou peevish sheep,
What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.
A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
Thou drunken slave! I sent the for a rope;
And told thee to what purpose and what end.
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.
You sent me, sir, for a rope’s end as soon:
You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.
I will debate this matter at more leisure,
And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight:
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That’s cover’d o’er with Turkish tapestry
There is a purse of ducats; let her send it:
Tell her I am arrested in the street,
And that shall bail me: hie thee, slave; be gone.
On, officer, to prison till it come.
[Exeunt MERCHANT, ANGELO, OFFICER, and ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.]
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.
To Adriana! that is where we din’d,
Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband:
She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.
Thither I must, although against my will,
For servants must their masters’ minds fulfil.
[Exit.]
SCENE III
The same.
[Enter ADRIANA and LUCIANA.]
ADRIANA.
Ah, Luciana, did he tempt thee so?
Might’st thou perceive austerely in his eye
That he did plead in