But yet, on the other hand, when I reflect with myself on this notion, if there were anything of that, there would have been enquiries of me. I’ll go in-doors, that I may lay up the ship Lay up the ship : He means his wife, who is all dressed out ready for her voyage to her neighbours, and whom he will now order to be unrigged and towed into dock. again in the dockyard. (Goes into his house.) (Enter CLEOSTRATA, from her house.) CLEOSTRATA (to herself.) Now he has been finely made a fool of. In what a bustle are these unfortunate old fellows. Now I do wish that that good-for-nothing decrepit husband of mine would come, that I might make a fool of him in his turn, after I have thus fooled the other one. For I long to make a bit of a quarrel between these two. But look, he’s coming. Why, when you see him so serious, you’d think him a decent person. (She stands on one side, unseen.) (Enter STALINO.) STALINO (aloud, to himself.) It’s a great folly, to my notion at least, for any man that’s in love to go to the Forum on that day on which the object which he loves is close at hand Is close at hand : In mundo. There is some doubt what is the meaning of this expression here. Warner renders it in all her trim. ; as I in my folly have been doing; I’ve spent the day, standing pleading Standing pleading : It was the custom at Rome, as with us for the advocate to stand while pleading the cause of his client. for a certain relative of mine, who, faith, I’m very delighted has lost his cause; so that he hasn’t for nothing chosen me as his advocate to-day. He ought first to ask and make enquiry, whether his mind is at home or not at home, whom he’s choosing for his advocate; if he says it isn’t, without his mind he should send him off home. (Catches sight of his wife.) But look, there’s my wife before the house! Alas! wretch that I am! I’m afraid that she isn’t deaf, and has heard this. CLEOSTRATA (apart.) By my troth, I have heard it to your great cost. STALINO I’ll go nearer to her. (Goes up to CLEOSTRATA.) What are you about, my delight? CLEOSTRATA I’ faith, I was waiting for you. STALINO Are the things ready now? Have you by this brought over here to our house this female neighbour of yours, who was to assist you? CLEOSTRATA I sent for her as you requested me; but this companion of yours, your very good friend, was in a pet with his wife about something, I don’t know what; he said, when I went to fetch her, that he wouldn’t send her. STALINO That’s your greatest fault; you are not courteous enough. CLEOSTRATA It’s not the part of matrons, but of harlots, to be showing courtesies, my husband, to the husbands of others. Go yourself and fetch her; I wish to attend in-doors, my husband, to what is requisite to be done. STALINO Make haste then. CLEOSTRATA Very well. (Aside.) Now, faith, I shall inspire some apprehensions in his heart. I’ll this day render this lovesick man completely miserable. (She goes into the house.) (Enter ALCESIMUS, from his house.) ALCESIMUS (to himself.) I’ll go see here if the lover has come back home from the Forum, who, an old ghost, has been making fools of myself and my wife. But see, there he is before his house. (Addressing STALINO.) I’ faith, ’twas just in good time I was coming to your house. STALINO And, i’ faith, I to yours. How say you, you good-for-nothing fellow? What did I enjoin you? What did I beg of you? ALCESIMUS What’s the matter? STALINO How nicely you’ve had your house empty for me! How well you have sent your wife over to our house here! Isn’t it through yourself that I and the opportunity are lost, both of us? ALCESIMUS Why don’t you go hang yourself? Why, ’twas you yourself said that your wife would come and fetch mine from our house? STALINO Then she declares that she has been to fetch her, and that you said you wouldn’t let her go. ALCESIMUS But she herself, of her own accord, said to me that she didn’t care for her assistance. STALINO But ’tis she But ’tis she : The repetition of quin, but, is intended as a ludicrous mark of the contempt that these antagonists have for each other. herself who has deputed me to come and fetch her. ALCESIMUS But I don’t care for that. STALINO But you are proving my ruin. ALCESIMUS But that’s as it should be. But I shall still go on delaying; but I very much long for—