University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

LYCONIDES
entering.
Who can this be, that moans so bitterly
Before our house?—Ha! it is Euclio sure:
'Tis he, I think.—I'm ruin'd,—all's discover'd.
He is acquainted with his daughter's labour.—
What shall I do?—I'm all uncertainty.—
Were't best to go or stay?—Shall I accost him,
Or shun his sight?—I know not what to do.

Eucl.
Who's that, that speaks there?

Lyc.
I, Sir.

Eucl.
I, Sir, am
A wretch, a ruin'd wretch, such dread calamity,
Such sorrow has befallen me.

Lyc.
Take courage.—

Eucl.
Prithee how can I?

Lyc.
Since the deed, that now
Troubles your mind, I did,—and I confess it.

Eucl.
What do I hear you say?

Lyc.
The truth.

Eucl.
Young man,
In what have I deserv'd such usage from you,
That you should treat me thus, and go the way
To ruin me and my poor child?

Lyc.
A God
Was my enticer; he allur'd me.

Eucl.
How!

Lyc.
I own my crime, I know I am to blame,
And therefore come I to implore your pardon.

Eucl.
How durst you to lay violent hands on that
You had no right to touch?

Lyc.
'Tis past.—What's done
Cannot be undone.—I believe, the Gods
Would have it so: if not, it had not been.

Eucl.
I believe, the Gods would have me hang myself
Before your face.

Lyc.
Ah! say not so.

Eucl.
But why
Would you lay hands, I pray, on what was mine
Against my inclination?

Eucl.
Love and wine
Did prompt me.

Eucl.
What consummate impudence!
How dare you come to me with such a speech?
If this is right, if this excuse will hold,
Why we may strip a lady of her jewels
In open day-light,—then, if we are taken,
Plead in excuse forsooth, that love and wine
Led us to do it.—Oh, this love and wine
Is of great value, if it can impower
The lover and the drunkard to indulge
In whatsoever likes him with impunity.

Lyc.
I come to beg you to forgive my folly.

Eucl.
I relish not these fellows, who commit
A misdemeanor, and then dare defend it.
You knew you had no right; not being your's,
You should have kept hands off.

Lyc.
But as I dar'd
Make the attempt, I shall have no objection
To have and hold.

Eucl.
To have and hold what's mine,
At my disposal?—and against my will?

Lyc.
Against your will I ask not;—but I think,
It is my right, and you yourself will find
I have a just claim.

Eucl.
If you don't return me—

Lyc.
Return you what?

Eucl.
What you have stol'n of mine,
I'll have you 'fore the Prætor, and commence
A suit against you.

Lyc.
Stol'n of your's? how? where?
What is't you mean?

Eucl.
As if you did not know!

Lyc.
Not I, except you tell me what it is.

Eucl.
The pot of gold, I say, which you confess'd
You stole,—restore it to me.

Lyc.
I ne'er said
A syllable about it, nor have taken it.

Eucl.
Will you deny it?

Lyc.
Yes, deny it wholly:
Nor do I know what gold, what pot you mean.

Eucl.
That which you stole out of Sylvanus' grove.
Come, give it me:—I'll rather halve it with you.
Though you have robb'd me, I'll not trouble you:
Come then, restore it to me.

Lyc.
Are you mad,
To call me thief?—I thought that you had got
Scent of another matter, that concerns me:
'Tis of importance, and if leisure serves,
I should be glad to talk with you upon it.

Eucl.
Tell me, upon your faith: you have not stol'n
This gold?

Lyc.
Upon my faith.

Eucl.
Nor do you know
Who took it?

Lyc.
No, upon my faith.

Eucl.
And if
You should discover him, you'll reveal him to me?

Lyc.
I'll do't.

Eucl.
Nor will you take, whoe'er he be,
A portion of the spoil, to hide the thief?

Lyc.
I will not.

Eucl.
What if you deceive me?

Lyc.
Then
May Jupiter do with me what he will!

Eucl.
I'm satisfy'd.—Now tell me, what's your pleasure?

Lyc.
If you're a stranger to my birth and family,
Know, Megadorus yonder is my uncle,
My father was Antimachus, my name
Lyconides, Eunomia is my mother.

Eucl.
I know your family.—Then what's your business?
I should be glad to learn.

Lyc.
You have a daughter.

Eucl.
I have; she is within.

Lyc.
If I mistake not,
You have betroth'd her to my uncle.

Eucl.
Right.
You know the whole.

Lyc.
He has commanded me
To bring you his refusal.

Eucl.
How?—refusal,—
When ev'ry thing is ready for the wedding?
May all the Gods confound him! for through him,
Wretch that I am! I've lost so great a treasure.

Lyc.
Be comforted: don't curse: but let us hope,
That this affair will turn out happily
To you and to your daughter.—Say, Heav'n grant
It may!

Eucl.
Heav'n grant it may!

Lyc.
And to me too.—
Now give me your attention. Never was there
A man so worthless, that had done a fault,
But was asham'd, and sought to clear himself.
I do conjure you, Euclio, to forgive me,
If all unwittingly I have offended
You and your daughter: give her me to wife,
According to the laws: for I confess,
That on the night of Ceres' festival,
Heated with liquor, and impell'd by youth,
I injur'd her fair honour.

Eucl.
Out alas!
What do I hear? O monstrous villainy!

Lyc.
Why do you howl thus? It is true, I've made you
A grandsire on your daughter's wedding-day:
She's brought to-bed, ten months are past, pray reckon.
On this account my uncle Megadorus
Sent a refusal. But go in, enquire
If 'tis not as I say.

Eucl.
Undone for ever!
So many evils are combin'd to plague me.
I'll in, and know the truth.

Lyc.
I'll follow you.

[Euclio goes in.