Has any one of the servants done amiss? Do either the maid or the men-servants give you saucy answers? Speak out; it shan’t be done with impunity.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. You are trifling. MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Surely you are angry at some one of the domestics?THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. You are trifling. MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Are you angry with me at all events?THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Now you are not trifling. MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. I’ faith, I haven’t done wrong in anything.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Ah! now you are trifling again.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Wife, what’s the matter? THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Do you ask me that?MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Do you wish me to ask him?(To PENICULUS.)What’s the matter?THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. The mantle. MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. The mantle?THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. A certain person has taken a mantle.(MENAECHMUS starts.)PENICULUS(to MENAECHMUS.) Why are you alarmed?MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. For my part, I’m not alarmed at all—(aside) except about one thing; the mantle makesThe mantle makes: Palla pallorem incutit. In his alarm he cannot avoid a pun on the resemblance between palla, the mantle, and pallor, paleness. The meaning is, literally, the mantle strikes paleness into me; but an attempt is made in the Translation to imitate the play upon the words. my face mantle.PENICULUS(aside to MENAECHMUS.) But as for me, you shouldn’t have slily devoured the breakfast. (To the WIFE.) Go on against your husband.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus.(making signs to PENICULUS.) Won’t you hold your tongue?PENICULUS Faith, I really will not hold my tongue. (To the WIFE.) He’s nodding to me not to speak.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. On my word, I really never did nod to you, or wink in any way.PENICULUS Nothing is more audacious than this man, who resolutely denies those things which you see.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. By Jupiter and all the Gods, I swear, wife, that I did not nod to him; isn’t that enough for you?PENICULUS She now believes you about that matter; go back again there.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Go back where? PENICULUS Why, to the embroiderer, as I suppose. Go and bring the mantle back.MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. What mantle is it? PENICULUS Now I hold my tongue, since he doesn’t remember his own business.THE WIFE OF MENAECHMUS of Epidamnus. Did you suppose that you could possibly commit these villanies unknown to me?