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The Comedy of Errors
Prev: The Comedy of Errors: Act 3, Scene 2
Next: The Comedy of Errors: Act 4, Scene 2
Act IV, Scene i:
The same.
- [Enter a MERCHANT, ANGELO, and an OFFICER.]
- MERCHANT:
- You know, since Pentecost the sum is due,
And since I have not much importun'd you;
Nor now I had not, but that I am bound
To Persia, and want guilders for my voyage;
Therefore make present satisfaction,
Or I'll attach you by this officer.
- ANGELO:
- Even just the sum that I do owe to you
Is growing to me by Antipholus;
And in the instant that I met with you
He had of me a chain; at five o'clock
I shall receive the money for the same:
Pleaseth you walk with me down to his house,
I will discharge my bond, and thank you too.
- [Enter ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS, and DROMIO OF EPHESUS.]
- OFFICER:
- That labour may you save: see where he comes.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- While I go to the goldsmith's house, go thou
And buy a rope's end; that will I bestow
Among my wife and her confederates,
For locking me out of my doors by day.—
But, soft; I see the goldsmith: get thee gone;
Buy thou a rope, and bring it home to me.
- DROMIO OF EPHESUS:
- I buy a thousand pound a year! I buy a rope!
- [Exit DROMIO.]
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- A man is well holp up that trusts to you:
I promised your presence, and the chain;
But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me:
Belike you thought our love would last too long,
If it were chain'd together; and therefore came not.
- ANGELO:
- Saving your merry humour, here's the note,
How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat;
The fineness of the gold, and chargeful fashion;
Which doth amount to three odd ducats more
Than I stand debted to this gentleman:
I pray you, see him presently discharg'd,
For he is bound to sea, and stays but for it.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- I am not furnished with the present money;
Besides I have some business in the town:
Good Signior, take the stranger to my house,
And with you take the chain, and bid my wife
Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof;
Perchance I will be there as soon as you.
- ANGELO:
- Then you will bring the chain to her yourself?
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- No; bear it with you, lest I come not time enough.
- ANGELO:
- Well, sir, I will: have you the chain about you?
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- An if I have not, sir, I hope you have,
Or else you may return without your money.
- ANGELO:
- Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain;
Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman,
And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- Good Lord, you use this dalliance to excuse
Your breach of promise to the Porcupine:
I should have chid you for not bringing it,
But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl.
- MERCHANT:
- The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, despatch.
- ANGELO:
- You hear how he importunes me: the chain,—
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- Why, give it to my wife, and fetch your money.
- ANGELO:
- Come, come, you know I gave it you even now;
Either send the chain or send by me some token.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- Fie! now you run this humour out of breath:
Come, where's the chain? I pray you, let me see it.
- MERCHANT:
- My business cannot brook this dalliance:
Good sir, say whe'r you'll answer me or no;
If not, I'll leave him to the officer.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- I answer you! What should I answer you?
- ANGELO:
- The money that you owe me for the chain.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- I owe you none till I receive the chain.
- ANGELO:
- You know I gave it you half-an-hour since.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- You gave me none: you wrong me much to say so.
- ANGELO:
- You wrong me more, sir, in denying it:
Consider how it stands upon my credit.
- MERCHANT:
- Well, officer, arrest him at my suit.
- OFFICER:
- I do; and charge you in the duke's name to obey me.
- ANGELO:
- This touches me in reputation:
Either consent to pay this sum for me,
Or I attach you by this officer.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- Consent to pay thee that I never had!
Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou dar'st.
- ANGELO:
- Here is thy fee; arrest him, officer:—
I would not spare my brother in this case,
If he should scorn me so apparently.
- OFFICER:
- I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- I do obey thee till I give thee bail:—
But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear
As all the metal in your shop will answer.
- ANGELO:
- Sir, sir, I shall have law in Ephesus,
To your notorious shame, I doubt it not.
- [Enter DROMIO OF SYRACUSE.]
- DROMIO OF SYRACUSE:
- Master, there's a bark of Epidamnum
That stays but till her owner comes aboard,
And then, sir, bears away: our fraughtage, sir,
I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought
The oil, the balsamum, and aqua-vitae.
The ship is in her trim; the merry wind
Blows fair from land; they stay for nought at all
But for their owner, master, and yourself.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- How now! a madman? Why, thou peevish sheep,
What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?
- DROMIO OF SYRACUSE:
- A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- Thou drunken slave! I sent the for a rope;
And told thee to what purpose and what end.
- DROMIO OF SYRACUSE:
- You sent me, sir, for a rope's end as soon:
You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.
- ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS:
- I will debate this matter at more leisure,
And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight:
Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry
There is a purse of ducats; let her send it:
Tell her I am arrested in the street,
And that shall bail me: hie thee, slave; be gone.
On, officer, to prison till it come.
- [Exeunt MERCHANT, ANGELO, OFFICER, and ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS.]
- DROMIO OF SYRACUSE:
- To Adriana! that is where we din'd,
Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband:
She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.
Thither I must, although against my will,
For servants must their masters' minds fulfil.
- [Exit.]
The Comedy of Errors
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Next: The Comedy of Errors: Act 4, Scene 2