CHARINUS, PAMPHILUS, DAVUS.
_Pam._ Oh! Charinus, unless the gods assist us, my imprudence has
undone both you and myself!
_Char._ What! imprudence! So you found an excuse at last. You have
broken your promise, Sir.
_Pam._ How! at last?
_Char._ Do you think that any thing you can say will impose upon me a
second time?
_Pam._ What do you mean, Sir?
_Char._ As soon as I had told you of my love for Philumena, she pleased
you forsooth! Alas! fool that I was! I judged of your heart by my own.
I believed you to be sincere, and you deceived me.
_Pam._ You deceive yourself.
_Char._ Did you think that your happiness would not be complete, unless
you could delude an unfortunate lover by nourishing his vain hopes?
Well, take her[162].
_Pam._ I take her! Alas, you know not half the miseries that oppress
me; nor how my rascal Davus has embarrassed me with his pernicious
advice.
_Char._ No wonder! I suppose he follows the fine example you set him.
_Pam._ You would not talk thus if you knew me, or my love.
_Char._ (_ironically._) Oh! I know every thing: you have been in high
dispute with your father; and he is now most prodigiously angry with
you: and has been striving, in vain, all this day, to prevail upon you
to wed Philumena.
_Pam._ To prove how little you know of my misfortunes, learn, that no
marriage was expected to take place: neither did my father think of
constraining my inclinations.
_Char._ O no! ’tis your inclinations that constrain you.
_Pam._ Hear me: you do not yet understand――――
_Char._ I understand but too well that you are about to wed Philumena.
_Pam._ Why do you vex me thus[163]? hear me, I say: he never ceased
urging me to tell my father that I was ready to marry: he prayed, he
entreated, until, at length, I was induced to comply.
_Char._ Who did this?
_Pam._ Davus.
_Char._ Davus?
_Pam._ Davus has marred all.
_Char._ Why?
_Pam._ I know not, unless the gods, in their anger, decreed that I
should follow his pernicious counsel.
_Char._ Is this so, Davus?
_Davus._ It is indeed but too true.
_Char._ What can you say for yourself, you rascal? May the gods punish
you as you deserve! Answer me, Slave, I say, if his greatest enemies
had been desirous of entangling him in this marriage, what worse advice
could they possibly have given him?
_Davus._ I have been deceived, but am not disheartened.
_Char._ Indeed!
_Davus._ Our last plan was unsuccessful, but we’ll try another: unless
you think that because the first prospered so indifferently, the evil
cannot be remedied?
_Pam._ Oh, far otherwise! for I have no doubt, that if that wise head
of yours goes to work, instead of the one wife you have provided me
with already, you’ll find me two.
_Davus._ Pamphilus, I am your slave; and, as such, it is my duty to
exert myself to the utmost to serve you, to labour for you night and
day, and even to expose my life to peril, to do you service; but,
’tis your part, if any thing should happen cross, to pardon me: my
endeavours have been unsuccessful ’tis true; but, indeed, I did my
best; if you can do better, dismiss me.
_Pam._ Certainly; but first place me in the situation in which you
found me.
_Davus._ I will.
_Pam._ But it must be done directly.
_Davus._ Hist! Glycera’s door opens[164].
_Pam._ What can that signify to you?
_Davus._ I’m studying for an expedient.
_Pam._ How, at last!
_Davus._ And have no doubt but I shall soon find one.