That may with foul intrusion enter in, And dwell upon your grave when you are dead : For ever hous'd, where it once gets possession. Pretty and witty, wild, and, yet too, gentle ;- For there's the house; that chain will I bestow Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste : SCENE II. [Exeunt. The same. Enter LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse. Luc. And may it be that you have quite forgot A husband's office? Shall, Antipholus, hate, Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot? Shall love, in building, grow so ruinate? If you did wed my sister for her wealth, Then, for her wealth's sake,use her with more kindness: Or, if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth ; Muffle your false love with some show of blindness : Let not my sister read it in your eye; Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator; Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted; Be secret-false; what need she be acquainted? Shame hath a bastard fame, well managed; Being compact of credit, that you love us; Comfort my sister, cheer her, call her wife : "Tis holy sport, to be a little vain,4 When the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife. Less, in your knowledge, and your grace, you show not Your weeping sister is no wife of mine, Far more, far more, to you do I decline. Spread o'er the silver waves thy golden hairs, And, in that glorious supposition, think He gains by death, that hath such means to die : Let love, being light, be drowned if she sink! Luc. What are you mad, that you do reason so ? Ant. S. Not mad, but mated; how, I do not know. Luc. It is a fault that springeth from your eye. Ant.S. For gazing on your beams, fair sun, being by. Luc. Gaze where you should, and that will clear your sight. Ant.S. As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night. Ant. S. Thy sister's sister. [4] Vain, light of tongue, not veracious. JOHNSON. Luc. That's my sister. Ant. S. No; It is thyself, mine own self's better part; Mine eye's clear eye, my dear heart's dearer heart; Give me thy hand. Luc. O, soft, sir, hold you still; I'll fetch my sister, to get her good-will. [Exit Luc. Enter, from the house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, DROMIO of Syracuse. Ant. S. Why, how now, Dromio? where runn'st thou so fast? Dro.S. Do you know me, sir? am I Dromio? am I your man? am I myself? Ant. S. Thou art Dromio, thou art my man, thou art thyself. Dro.S. I am an ass, I am a woman's man, and besides myself. Ant. S. What woman's man? and how besides thyself? Dro. S. Marry, sir, besides myself, I am due to a woman; one that claims me, one that haunts me, one that will have me. Ant. S. What claim lays she to thee? Dro.S. Marry, sir, such a claim as you would lay to your horse; and she would have me as a beast: not that, I being a beast, she would have me; but that she, being a very beastly creature, lays claim to me. Ant.S. What is she? Dro.S. A very reverent body; ay, such a one as a man may not speak of, without he say, sir reverence: I have but lean luck in the match, and yet is she a wondrous fat marriage. Ant.S. How dost thou mean, a fat marriage? Dro.S. Marry, sir, she's the kitchen-wench, and all grease; and I know not what use to put her to, but to make a lamp of her, and run from her by her own light. [5] When he calls the girl his only heaven on the earth, he utters the com mon cant of lovers. When he calls her his heaven's claim, I cannot underst and him. Perhaps he means that which he asks of heaven. JOHNSON. |