Perde 4
[Textpart 3]
you expect, you dirty fellow, to be both a maker of wallets Maker of wallets: Vitor, or vietor, was a maker of viduli, or wallets, which were made of osier, and then covered with leather of various colours. and a fisherman. Either you must show me a fish that is a wallet, or else you shall carry nothing off that wasn’t produced in the sea and has no scales.
990
GRIPUS
What, did you never hear before to-day that a wallet was a fish?
TRACHALIO
Villain, there is no such fish.
GRIPUS
Yes, there certainly is; I, who am a fisherman, know it.
But it is seldom caught; no fish more rarely comes near the land.
995
TRACHALIO
It’s to no purpose; you hope that you can be cheating me, you rogue. Of what colour is it?
GRIPUS
Of this colour very few are caught: some are of a purple skin, there are great and black ones also.
TRACHALIO
I understand; by my troth, you’ll be turning into a wallet-fish I fancy, if you don’t take care;
your skin will be purple, and then afterwards black.
1000
GRIPUS
What a villain this that I have met with to-day!
TRACHALIO
We are wasting words; the day wears apace. Consider, please, by whose arbitration do you wish us to proceed?
GRIPUS
By the arbitration of the wallet.
TRACHALIO
Really so, indeed? You are a fool.
GRIPUS
My respects to you, Mister Thales Thales : Thales of Miletus was one of the seven wise men of Greece. Gripus ironically calls Trachalio by this name, in reply to the other having called him a fool.
TRACHALIO
You shan’t carry that off this day, unless you find a place of safe keeping for it, or an umpire,
by whose arbitration this matter may be settled.
1005
GRIPUS
Prithee, are you in your senses?
1005
TRACHALIO
I’m mad, in need of hellebore.
GRIPUS
But I’m troubled with sprites; still I shan’t let this go.
TRACHALIO
Only add a single word more, that instant I’ll drive my fists smash into your brains. This instant on this spot, just as a new napkin is wont to be wrung, I’ll wring out of you whatever moisture there is, if you don’t let this go.
