Perde 4
[Textpart 2]
I really have a longing now to swindle this swindler, if I can cozen him out of these thousand Philippean pieces
CHARMIDES
which he has said that I have given to him. A person, that I know not who he is, and have never beheld him with my eyes before this day, should I be entrusting gold to him? A man, to whom, if his life were at stake, I would not entrust a dump of lead. This fellow must be adroitly dealt with by me. Hallo! Mister Hush, I want three words with you.
960
A SHARPER.
Even three hundred, if you like.
CHARMIDES
Have you that gold which you received from Charmides?
A SHARPER.
Yes, and Philippeans, too, counted out on the table with his own hand, a thousand pieces.
965
CHARMIDES
You received it, you mean, from Charmides himself?
A SHARPER.
’Twere a wonder if I had received it of his father, or of his grandfather, who are dead.
CHARMIDES
Then, young man, hand me over this gold.
A SHARPER.
What gold am I to give you?
CHARMIDES
That which you have owned you received from me.
A SHARPER.
Received from you?
A SHARPER.
Who are you?
970
CHARMIDES
I am Charmides, who gave you the thousand pieces of money.
970
A SHARPER.
I’ faith, you are not he; and this day, you never shall be he, for this gold, at any rate. Away with you, if you please, you impostor! (Aside.) You are trying to cheat the cheater.
CHARMIDES
I am Charmides.
A SHARPER.
I’ faith, you are so to no purpose, for I carry For I carry: He takes the other to be as great a rogue as himself and means, that his being Charmides only depended on whether he himself admitted that he was in possession of the gold of Charmides. no gold. Right cleverly were you down upon me, at the very nick of time.
After I said that I was bringing the gold, that instant you became Charmides. Before I made mention of the gold, you were not he. It won’t do. Just, therefore, in such manner as you Charmidised yourself, do you again un-Charmidise yourself.
975
CHARMIDES
Who am I, then, if in fact I am not he who I really am?
A SHARPER.
What matters that to me? So long as you are not he whom I do not choose you to be, you may be who you like, for what I care.
