TPTT The Comedy of Errors: ACT IV
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
SCENE I. A public place.
SCENE II. The house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.
SCENE III. A public place.
SCENE IV. A street.
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE I. A public place.
Enter Second Merchant, ANGELO, and an Officer
Second Merchant
      You know since Pentecost the sum is due,
      And since I have not much importuned you;
      Nor now I had not, but that I am bound
      To Persia, and want guilders for my voyage:
5     Therefore make present satisfaction,
      Or I'll attach you by this officer.
ANGELO
      Even just the sum that I do owe to you
      Is growing to me by Antipholus,
      And in the instant that I met with you
10    He had of me a chain: at five o'clock
      I shall receive the money for the same.
      Pleaseth you walk with me down to his house,
      I will discharge my bond and thank you too.
Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus and DROMIO of Ephesus from the courtezan's
Officer
      That labour may you save: see where he comes.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
15    While I go to the goldsmith's house, go thou
      And buy a rope's end: that will I bestow
      Among my wife and her confederates,
      For locking me out of my doors by day.
      But, soft! I see the goldsmith. Get thee gone;
20    Buy thou a rope and bring it home to me.
DROMIO OF EPHESUS
      I buy a thousand pound a year: I buy a rope.
Exit
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      A man is well holp up that trusts to you:
      I promised your presence and the chain;
      But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me.
25    Belike you thought our love would last too long,
      If it were chain'd together, and therefore came not.
ANGELO
      Saving your merry humour, here's the note
      How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat,
      The fineness of the gold and chargeful fashion.
30    Which doth amount to three odd ducats more
      Than I stand debted to this gentleman:
      I pray you, see him presently discharged,
      For he is bound to sea and stays but for it.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      I am not furnish'd with the present money;
35    Besides, I have some business in the town.
      Good signior, take the stranger to my house
      And with you take the chain and bid my wife
      Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof:
      Perchance I will be there as soon as you.
ANGELO
40    Then you will bring the chain to her yourself?
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      No; bear it with you, lest I come not time enough.
ANGELO
      Well, sir, I will. Have you the chain about you?
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      An if I have not, sir, I hope you have;
      Or else you may return without your money.
ANGELO
45    Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain:
      Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman,
      And I, to blame, have held him here too long.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      Good Lord! you use this dalliance to excuse
      Your breach of promise to the Porpentine.
50    I should have chid you for not bringing it,
      But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl.
Second Merchant
      The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, dispatch.
ANGELO
      You hear how he importunes me;--the chain!
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      Why, give it to my wife and fetch your money.
ANGELO
55    Come, come, you know I gave it you even now.
      Either send the chain or send me by some token.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      Fie, now you run this humour out of breath,
      where's the chain? I pray you, let me see it.
Second Merchant
      My business cannot brook this dalliance.
60    Good sir, say whether you'll answer me or no:
      If not, I'll leave him to the officer.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      I answer you! what should I answer you?
ANGELO
      The money that you owe me for the chain.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      I owe you none till I receive the chain.
ANGELO
65    You know I gave it you half an hour since.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      You gave me none: you wrong me much to say so.
ANGELO
      You wrong me more, sir, in denying it:
      Consider how it stands upon my credit.
Second Merchant
      Well, officer, arrest him at my suit.
Officer
70    I do; and charge you in the duke's name to obey me.
ANGELO
      This touches me in reputation.
      Either consent to pay this sum for me
      Or I attach you by this officer.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      Consent to pay thee that I never had!
75    Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou darest.
ANGELO
      Here is thy fee; arrest him, officer,
      I would not spare my brother in this case,
      If he should scorn me so apparently.
Officer
      I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
80    I do obey thee till I give thee bail.
      But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear
      As all the metal in your shop will answer.
ANGELO
      Sir, sir, I will have law in Ephesus,
      To your notorious shame; I doubt it not.
Enter DROMIO of Syracuse, from the bay
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
85    Master, there is a bark of Epidamnum
      That stays but till her owner comes aboard,
      And then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir,
      I have convey'd aboard; and I have bought
      The oil, the balsamum and aqua-vitae.
90    The ship is in her trim; the merry wind
      Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at all
      But for their owner, master, and yourself.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      How now! a madman! Why, thou peevish sheep,
      What ship of Epidamnum stays for me?
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
95    A ship you sent me to, to hire waftage.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
      Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope;
      And told thee to what purpose and what end.
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
      You sent me for a rope's end as soon:
      You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.
ANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS
100   I will debate this matter at more leisure
      And teach your ears to list me with more heed.
      To Adriana, villain, hie thee straight:
      Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk
      That's cover'd o'er with Turkish tapestry,
105   There is a purse of ducats; let her send it:
      Tell her I am arrested in the street
      And that shall bail me; hie thee, slave, be gone!
      On, officer, to prison till it come.
Exeunt Second Merchant, Angelo, Officer, and Antipholus of Ephesus
DROMIO OF SYRACUSE
      To Adriana! that is where we dined,
110   Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband:
      She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.
      Thither I must, although against my will,
      For servants must their masters' minds fulfil.
Exit
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