Perde 3
[Textpart 3]
Are the things ready now? Have you by this brought over here to our house this female neighbour of yours,
STALINO
who was to assist you?
580
CLEOSTRATA
I sent for her as you requested me; but this companion of yours, your very good friend, was in a pet with his wife about something, I don’t know what; he said, when I went to fetch her, that he wouldn’t send her.
580
STALINO
That’s your greatest fault; you are not courteous enough.
CLEOSTRATA
It’s not the part of matrons, but of harlots, to be showing courtesies, my husband, to the husbands of others. Go yourself and fetch her; I wish to attend in-doors, my husband, to what is requisite to be done.
585
CLEOSTRATA
Very well. (Aside.) Now, faith, I shall inspire some apprehensions in his heart.
I’ll this day render this lovesick man completely miserable.
590
[Textpart 4]
I’ll go see here if the lover has come back home from the Forum, who, an old ghost, has been making fools of myself and my wife. But see, there he is before his house. (Addressing STALINO.) I’ faith, ’twas just in good time I was coming to your house.
STALINO
And, i’ faith, I to yours. How say you, you good-for-nothing fellow? What did I enjoin you? What did I beg of you?
ALCESIMUS
What’s the matter?
595
STALINO
How nicely you’ve had your house empty for me! How well you have sent your wife over to our house here! Isn’t it through yourself that I and the opportunity are lost, both of us?
ALCESIMUS
Why don’t you go hang yourself? Why, ’twas you yourself said that
your wife would come and fetch mine from our house?
600
STALINO
Then she declares that she has been to fetch her, and that you said you wouldn’t let her go.
ALCESIMUS
But she herself, of her own accord, said to me that she didn’t care for her assistance.
STALINO
But ’tis sheBut ’tis she: The repetition of quin, but, is intended as a ludicrous mark of the contempt that these antagonists have for each other. herself who has deputed me to come and fetch her.
ALCESIMUS
But I don’t care for that.
605
STALINO
But you are proving my ruin.
605
ALCESIMUS
But that’s as it should be. But I shall still go on delaying; but I very much long for—
605
