Comedy Of Errors

ADRIANA


[Within] Who is that at the door that keeps all
this noise?
 
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE


[Within] By my troth, your town is troubled with
unruly boys.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
OF EPHESUS


Are you there, wife? you might have come before.
 
ADRIANA


[Within] Your wife, sir knave! go get you from the door.
 
DROMIO OF EPHESUS


If you went in pain, master, this 'knave' would go sore.
 
ANGELO


Here is neither cheer, sir, nor welcome: we would
fain have either.
 
BALTHAZAR


In debating which was best, we shall part with neither.
 
DROMIO OF EPHESUS


They stand at the door, master; bid them welcome hither.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
OF EPHESUS


There is something in the wind, that we cannot get in.
 
DROMIO OF EPHESUS


You would say so, master, if your garments were thin.
Your cake there is warm within; you stand here in the cold:
It would make a man mad as a buck, to be so bought and sold.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
OF EPHESUS


Go fetch me something: I'll break ope the gate.
 
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE


[Within] Break any breaking here, and I'll break your
knave's pate.
 
DROMIO OF EPHESUS


A man may break a word with you, sir, and words are but wind,
Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind.
 
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE


[Within] It seems thou want'st breaking: out upon
thee, hind!
 
DROMIO OF EPHESUS


Here's too much 'out upon thee!' I pray thee,
let me in.
 
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE


[Within] Ay, when fowls have no feathers and fish have no fin.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
DROMIO OF EPHESUS


A crow without feather? Master, mean you so?
For a fish without a fin, there's a fowl without a feather;
If a crow help us in, sirrah, we'll pluck a crow together.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
BALTHAZAR


Have patience, sir; O, let it not be so!
Herein you war against your reputation
And draw within the compass of suspect
The unviolated honour of your wife.
Once this,--your long experience of her wisdom,
Her sober virtue, years and modesty,
Plead on her part some cause to you unknown:
And doubt not, sir, but she will well excuse
Why at this time the doors are made against you.
Be ruled by me: depart in patience,
And let us to the Tiger all to dinner,
And about evening come yourself alone
To know the reason of this strange restraint.
If by strong hand you offer to break in
Now in the stirring passage of the day,
A vulgar comment will be made of it,
And that supposed by the common rout
Against your yet ungalled estimation
That may with foul intrusion enter in
And dwell upon your grave when you are dead;
For slander lives upon succession,
For ever housed where it gets possession.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
OF EPHESUS


You have prevailed: I will depart in quiet,
And, in despite of mirth, mean to be merry.
I know a wench of excellent discourse,
Pretty and witty; wild, and yet, too, gentle:
There will we dine. This woman that I mean,
My wife--but, I protest, without desert--
Hath oftentimes upbraided me withal:
To her will we to dinner.

To Angelo

Get you home
And fetch the chain; by this I know 'tis made:
Bring it, I pray you, to the Porpentine;
For there's the house: that chain will I bestow--
Be it for nothing but to spite my wife--
Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste.
Since mine own doors refuse to entertain me,
I'll knock elsewhere, to see if they'll disdain me.
 
ANGELO


I'll meet you at that place some hour hence.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
OF EPHESUS


Do so. This jest shall cost me some expense.

Exeunt
 
SCENE II. The same.



Enter LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse
 
LUCIANA


And may it be that you have quite forgot
A husband's office? shall, Antipholus.
Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot?
Shall love, in building, grow so ruinous?
If you did wed my sister for her wealth,
Then for her wealth's sake use her with more kindness:
Or if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth;
Muffle your false love with some show of blindness:
Let not my sister read it in your eye;
Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator;
Look sweet, be fair, become disloyalty;
Apparel vice like virtue's harbinger;
Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted;
Teach sin the carriage of a holy saint;
Be secret-false: what need she be acquainted?
What simple thief brags of his own attaint?
'Tis double wrong, to truant with your bed
And let her read it in thy looks at board:
Shame hath a bastard fame, well managed;
Ill d eeds are doubled with an evil word.
Alas, poor women! make us but believe,
Being compact of credit, that you love us;
Though others have the arm, show us the sleeve;
We in your motion turn and you may move us.
Then, gentle brother, get you in again;
Comfort my sister, cheer her, call her wife:
'Tis holy sport to be a little vain,
When the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife.
ANTIPHOLUS
 
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