Why are you torturing me to death? Listen to this. He (pointing to DAVUS.) never ceased to urge me to tell my father that I would marry her; to advise and persuade me, even until he compelled me. CHARINUS Who was this person? PAMPHILUS Davus. CHARINUS Davus! For what reason? PAMPHILUS I don’t know; except that I must have been under the displeasure of the Gods, for me to have listened to him. CHARINUS Is this the fact, Davus? DAVUS It is the fact. CHARINUS (starting.) Ha! What do you say, you villain? Then may the Gods send you an end worthy of your deeds. Come now, tell me, if all his enemies had wished him to be plunged into a marriage, what advice but this could they have given? DAVUS I have been deceived, but I don’t despair. CHARINUS (ironically.) I’m sure of that. DAVUS This way it has not succeeded; we’ll try another. Unless, perhaps, you think that because it failed at first, this misfortune can not now possibly be changed for better luck. PAMPHILUS Certainly not; for I quite believe that if you set about it, you will be making two marriages for me out of one. DAVUS I owe you this, Pamphilus, in respect of my servitude, to strive with hands and feet, night and day; to submit to hazard of my life, to serve you. It is your part, if any thing has fallen out contrary to expectation, to forgive me. What I was contriving has not succeeded; still, I am using all endeavors; or, do you yourself devise something better, and dismiss me. PAMPHILUS I wish to; restore me to the position in which you found me. DAVUS I’ll do so. PAMPHILUS But it must be done directly. DAVUS But the door of Glycerium’s house here makes a noise. Makes a noise : The doors with the Romans opened in-wardly, while those of the Greeks opened on the outside. It was therefore usual with them, when coming out, to strike the door on the inside with a stick or with the knuckles, that those outside might be warned to get out of the way. Patrick, however, observes with some justice, that the word concrepui may here allude to the creaking of the hinges. See the Curculio of Plautus, l. 160, where the Procuress pours water on the hinges, in order that Cappadox may not hear the opening of the door. PAMPHILUS That’s nothing to you. DAVUS (assuming an attitude of meditation.) I’m in search of— PAMPHILUS (ironically.) Dear me, what, now at last? DAVUS Presently I’ll give you what I’ve hit upon. (Enter MYSIS from the house of GLYCERIUM.) MYSIS (calling at the door to GLYCERIUM within.) Now, wherever he is, I’ll take care that your own Pamphilus shall be found for you, and brought to you by me; do you only, my life, cease to vex yourself. PAMPHILUS Mysis. MYSIS (turning round.) Who is it? Why, Pamphilus, you do present yourself opportunely to me. My mistress charged me to beg of you, if you love her, to come to her directly; she says she wishes to see you. PAMPHILUS (aside.) Alas! I am undone; this dilemma grows apace! (To DAVUS.) For me and her, unfortunate persons, now to be tortured this way through your means; for I am sent for, because she has discovered that my marriage is in preparation. CHARINUS From which, indeed, how easily a respite could have been obtained, if he (pointing to DAVUS.) had kept himself quiet.