I’ faith, I thought so. What were you coming to my house for? Ridiculous; are you afraid that I sha’n’t do what I have once undertaken? Hark you, whatever is my poverty, still, of this one thing I have taken due care, not to forfeit my word.CHREMES(to DEMIPHO.)Is she not genteel-looking,Is she not genteel-looking: Patrick has the following note here: One can not conceive any thing more happy or just than these words of Chremes. Demipho’s thoughts are wholly taken up how to recover the money, and Phormio is equally solicitous to retain it; but Chremes, who had just left his daughter, is regardless of their discourse, and fresh from the impressions which she had made on him, longs to know if his brother’s sentiments of her were equally favorable, and naturally puts this paternal question to him. just as I told you? DEMIPHOVery much so.PHORMIOAnd this is what I’m come to tell you, Demipho, that I’m quite ready; whenever you please, give me my wife. For I postponed all my other business, as was fit I should, when I understood that you were so very desirous to have it so.DEMIPHO(pointing to CHREMES.)But he has dissuaded me from giving her to you. For what, says he, will be the talk among people if you do this? Formerly, when she might have been handsomely disposed of, then she wasn’t given; now it’s a disgrace for her to be turned out of doors, a repudiated woman; pretty nearly, in fact, all the reasons which you yourself, some little time since, were urging to me.PHORMIOUpon my faith, you are treating me in a very insulting manner.DEMIPHOHow so?PHORMIODo you ask me? Because I shall not be able to marry the other person I mentioned; for with what face shall I return to her whom I’ve slighted?CHREMESThen besides, I see that Antipho is unwilling to part with her. (Aside, prompting DEMIPHO.) Say so.DEMIPHOThen besides, I see that my son is very unwilling to part with the damsel. But have the goodness to step over to the Forum, and order this money to be transferred to my account,Transferred to my account: Rescribere argentum, or nummos, meant to transfer, or set down money to the account of another person in one’s banker’s books. A passage in the Asinaria of Plautus, l. 445, seems to have the same meaning. Phormio.PHORMIOWhat, when I’ve paid it over to the persons to whom I was indebted?DEMIPHOWhat’s to be done, then?PHORMIOIf you will let me have her for a wife,as you promised, I’ll take her; but if you prefer that she should stay with you, the portion must stay with me, Demipho. For it isn’t fair that I should be misled for you, as it was for your own sakes that I broke off with the other woman, who was to have brought me a portion just as large.DEMIPHOAway with you to utter perdition, with this swaggering, you vagabond. What, then, do you fancy we don’t know you, or your doings? PHORMIOYou are provoking me.DEMIPHOWould you have married her, if she had been given to you?PHORMIOTry the experiment.DEMIPHOThat my son might cohabit with her at your house, that was your design.PHORMIOPray, what is that you say?DEMIPHOThen do you give me my money?PHORMIONay, but do you give me my wife?DEMIPHOCome before a magistrate. (Going to seize hold of him.) PHORMIOWhy, really, if you persist in being troublesome—DEMIPHOWhat will you do?PHORMIOWhat, I? You fancy, perhaps, just now, that I am the protector of the portionless; for the well portioned,For the well portioned: Though Colman thinks otherwise, it is pretty clear that he alludes to Nausistrata in these words.I’m in the habit of being so as well.