Perde 5
[Textpart 2]
What had you done?
855
CHAEREA
A mere trifle.
855
PYTHIAS
Come now, a trifle, you impudent fellow. Does this appear a trifle to you, to ravish a virgin, a citizen?
855
CHAEREA
I took her for my fellow-servant.
PYTHIAS
Fellow-servant? I can hardly restrain myself from flying at his hair. A miscreant! Even of his own free will he comes to make fun of us.
THAIS
Won’t you begone from here, you mad woman?
860
PYTHIAS
Why so? Really, I do believe I should be something in this hang-dog’s debt, if I were to do so; especially as he owns that he is your servant.
860
THAIS
We’ll pass that by. Chaerea, you have behaved unworthily of yourself; for if I am deserving in the highest degree of this affront,
still it is unbecoming of you to be guilty of it. And, upon my faith, I do not know what method now to adopt about this girl: you have so confounded all my plans, that I can not possibly return her to her friends in such a manner as is befitting and as I had intended;
865
in order that, by this means, I might, Chaerea, do a real service to myself.
870
CHAEREA
But now, from henceforth, I hope, Thais, that there will be lasting good-will between us. Many a time, from some affair of this kind and from a bad beginning, great friendships have sprung up. What if some Divinity has willed this?
THAIS
I’faith, for my own part I both take it in that view and wish to do so.
875
CHAEREA
Yes, prithee, do so. Be sure of this one thing, that I did not do it for the sake of affronting you, but in consequence of passion.
THAIS
I understand, and, i’faith, for that reason do I now the more readily forgive you. I am not, Chaerea, of a disposition so ungentle, or so inexperienced,
as not to know what is the power of love.
880
CHAEREA
So may the Deities kindly bless me, Thais; I am now smitten with you as well.
PYTHIAS
Then, i’faith, mistress, I foresee you must have a care of him.
CHAEREA
I would not dare—
PYTHIAS
I won’t trust you at all in any thing.
