Chapter 48

ENTER _Euclio_ WITHOUT SEEING _Strobilus._

_Eucl._

Tu modo cave quoiquam indicassis aurum meum esse istic, Fides: non metuo ne quisquam inveniat, ita probe in latebris situmst. edepol ne illic pulchram praedam agat, si quis illam invenerit 610 aulam onustam auri; verum id te quaeso ut prohibessis, Fides.

(_plaintively_) Only be sure you don’t let anyone know my gold is there. Faith: no fear of anyone finding it, not after the lovely way I tucked it in that dark nook, (_pauses_) Oh my God, what a beautiful haul he would get, if anyone should find it--a pot just crammed with gold! For mercy’s sake, though, Faith, don’t let him!

nunc lavabo, ut rem divinam faciam, ne affinem morer quin ubi accersat meam extemplo filiam ducat domum. vide, Fides, etiam atque etiam nunc, salvam ut aulam abs te auferam: tuae fide concredidi aurum, in tuo loco et fano est situm.

(_walks slowly toward house_) Now I’ll have a bath, so that I may sacrifice and not hinder my prospective son-in-law from marrying my girl the moment he claims her. (_looking down street toward temple_) Take care now, Faith, do, do, do take care I get my pot back from you safe. I’ve trusted my gold to your good faith, laid it away in your grove and shrine. [EXIT _Euclio_ INTO HOUSE.

_Strob._

Di immortales, quod ego hunc hominem facinus audivi loqui: se aulam onustam auri abstrusisse hic intus in fano Fide. cave tu illi fidelis, quaeso, potius fueris, quam mihi. atque hic pater est, ut ego opinor, huius erus quam amat, virginis.

(_jumping up_) Ye immortal gods! What’s all this I heard the fellow tell of! A pot just crammed with gold hidden in the shrine of Faith here! For the love of heaven, Faith, don’t be more faithful to him than to me. Yes, and he’s the father of the girl that is master’s sweetheart, or I’m mistaken.

ibo hinc intro, perscrutabor fanum, si inveniam uspiam 620 aurum, dum his est occupatus. sed si repperero, o Fides, mulsi congialem plenam faciam tibi fideliam. id adeo tibi faciam; verum ego mihi bibam, ubi id fecero.

I’m going in there: I’ll search that shrine from top to bottom and see if I can’t find the gold somewhere while he’s busy here. But if I come across it--oh, Faith, I’ll pour you out a five pint pot of wine and honey! There now! that’s what I’ll do for you; and when I’ve done that for you, why, I’ll drink it up for myself. [EXIT TO TEMPLE AT A RUN.

IV. 3.