Look round at me. SOPHRONA (seeing him.) Ye Gods, I do beseech you, isn’t this Stilpho? CHREMES No. SOPHRONA Do you deny it? CHREMES (in a low voice.) Step a little this way from that door, Sophrona, if you please (pointing) . Don’t you, henceforth, be calling me by that name. SOPHRONA Why? Pray, are you not the person you always used to say you were? CHREMES Hush! (pointing to his own house.) SOPHRONA Why are you afraid about that door? CHREMES (in a low voice.) I have got a shrew of a wife shut up there. For by that name I formerly falsely called myself, in order that you might not chance indiscreetly to blab it out of doors, and then my wife, by some means or other, might come to know of it. SOPHRONA I’ faith, that’s the very reason why we, wretched creatures, have never been able to find you out here. CHREMES Well, but tell me, what business have you with that family from whose house you were coming out? Where are the ladies? Where are the ladies? : Ubi illae? literally, Where are these women? SOPHRONA Ah, wretched me! CHREMES Hah! What’s the matter? Are they still alive? SOPHRONA Your daughter is alive. Her poor mother died of grief. CHREMES An unfortunate thing! SOPHRONA As for me, being a lone old woman, in want, and unknown, I contrived, as well as I could, to get the young woman married to the young man who is master of this house (pointing) . CHREMES What! to Antipho? SOPHRONA The very same, I say. CHREMES What? Has he got two wives? SOPHRONA Dear no, prithee, he has only got this one. CHREMES What about the other one that’s called his relative? SOPHRONA Why, this is she. CHREMES What is it you say? SOPHRONA It was done on purpose, in order that her lover might be enabled to marry her without a portion. CHREMES Ye Gods, by our trust in you! How often do those things come about through accident, which you couldn’t dare to hope for? On my return, I have found my daughter matched with the very person I wished, and just as I wanted; a thing that we were both using our endeavors, with the greatest earnestness, to bring about. Without any very great management on our part, by her own management, she has by herself brought this about. SOPHRONA Now consider what’s to be done. The young man’s father has returned, and they say that he bears this with feelings highly offended. CHREMES There’s no danger of that. But, by Gods and men, do take care that no one comes to know that she’s my daughter.