who, since I’ve been in love with Casina, more than in my young days have excelled Neatness herself in neatness; I give employment to all the perfumers; wherever an unguent is excellent, I perfume myself, that I may please her. And I do please her, as I think. But inasmuch as she keeps living on, my wife’s a torment. (Catches sight of his WIFE, and speaks in a low voice.) I espy her standing there in gloominess. This plaguy baggage must be addressed by me with civility. (Going towards her.) My own wife and my delight, what are you about?(Takes hold of her.)CLEOSTRATA(shaking him off.)Get you gone, and keep your hand off!STALINO O fie! my Juno. You shouldn’t be so cross to your own Jupiter. Where art come now?CLEOSTRATA Let me alone. (Moves as if going.) STALINO Do stay. CLEOSTRATA(still going.) I shan’t stay.STALINO I’ troth, then I’ll follow you. (Follows her.) CLEOSTRATA(turning round.) Prithee, are you in your senses?STALINO In my senses, inasmuch as I love you.CLEOSTRATA I don’t want you to love me.STALINO You can’t have your way there.CLEOSTRATA You plague me to death.STALINO I only wish you spoke the truth.CLEOSTRATA There I believe you. (Moves on.) STALINO Do look back, O my sweet one.CLEOSTRATA About as much, I suppose, as you are to me. Whence is this strong smell of perfumes, prithee?STALINO(aside.) O dear, I’m undone; to my misfortune, I’m caught in the fact. Why delay to rub it off my head with my cloak? (Rubs his head with his cloak.) May good MercuryMay good Mercury: He probably mentions Mercury, as being the tutelary Divinity of tradesmen. confound you, you perfumer, who provided me with this.CLEOSTRATA How now, you worthless grey gnat!Worthless grey gnat: Being both troublesome and insignificant. I can hardly restrain myself from saying what you deserve. In your old age, good-for-nothing, are you walking along the streets reeking with perfumes? STALINO I’ faith, I lent my company to a certain friend of mine, while he was purchasing some perfumes.CLEOSTRATA How readily he did trump that up. Are you ashamed of anything?STALINO Of everything that you like.CLEOSTRATA In what dens of iniquity have you been lying?STALINO(with an air of surprise.)I, in dens of iniquity?CLEOSTRATA I know more than you think I do.STALINO What is it that you know?CLEOSTRATAThat not one among all the old men is more worthless than yourself, an old man. Whence come you, good-for-nothing? Where have you been? In what den amusing yourself? Where have you been drinking? You are come, on my word; look at his cloak, how it’s creased. (Points at it.) STALINO May the Gods confound both me and yourself, if I this day have put a drop of wine into my mouth.CLEOSTRATA Very well then; just as you like: