SCENE II.

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.