Only, be off in-doors. PERIPLECOMENUS I’m off. (Exit.) (PALAESTRIO alone.) PALAESTRIO And I’ll go home, too; and I’ll conceal the fact that I am giving her my aid in seeking out the man, which fellow-servant of mine it was, that to-day was following the monkey. For it cannot be but in his conversation he must have made some one of the household acquainted about the lady of his master, how that he himself has seen her next door here toying with some stranger spark. I know the habit myself; I can’t hold my tongue on that which I know alone. If I find out the person who saw it, I’ll plant against him all my mantelets My mantelets : Vinea was a contrivance used in warfare, made of timber covered with raw hides to prevent its being burnt, under which the assailants were sheltered in their attempts to scale the walls of a fortification. It probably answered very nearly to what is called a mantelet, in the language of fortification. Pluteus was a similar engine, in the form of a turret, and moving on wheels. and covered works. The material is prepared; ’tis a sure matter that I must take this person by force, and by thus besieging him. If so I don’t find the man, just like a hound I’ll go smelling about, even until I shall have traced out the fox by his track. But our door makes a noise: I’ll lower my voice; for here is the keeper of Philocomasium, my fellow-servant, coming out of doors. (Stands aside.) (Enter SCLEDRUS from the CAPTAIN’s house.) SCELEDRUS Unless, in fact, I have been walking this day in my sleep upon the tiles, i’ faith, I know for sure that I have seen here, at our neighbour’s next door, Philocomasium, the lady of my master, on the high road On the high road : Sibi malam rem quaerare . Literally, is seeking a bad job for herself. to mischief to herself. PALAESTRIO (aside.) ’Twas he that saw her billing, so far as I have heard him say. SCELEDRUS Who’s that? PALAESTRIO Your fellow-servant. How are you, Sceledrus? SCELEDRUS I am glad that I have met you, Palaestrio. PAT. What now? Or what’s the matter? Let me know. SCELEDRUS I’m afraid. PALAESTRIO What are you afraid of? SCELEDRUS By my troth, lest, this day, as many domestics as there are of us here, we shall jump into a most woful punishmient by way of torture. PALAESTRIO Jump you alone, please; for I don’t at all like this jumping in This jumping in : Some critics think that there is some hidden meaning or allusion in the words insulturam and desulturam . That hardly seems to be the case, for Palaestrio might naturally say in return to the warning of the other, I like neither your jumping in nor our jumping out. and jumping out. SCELEDRUS Perhaps you don’t know what new mischance has happened at home? PALAESTRIO What mischance is this? SCELEDRUS A disgraceful one. PALAESTRIO Do you then keep it to yourself alone: don’t tell it me; I don’t want to know it. SCELEDRUS But I won’t let you not know it. To-day I was following our monkey upon the tiles, next door there. (Points to the house.) PALAESTRIO By my troth, Sceledrus, a worthless fellow, you were following a worthless beast.