But surely master, not a rag of money.”
Antipholus questions Dromio, “Went'st not thou to her for a purse of ducats?”
Before Dromio can respond, Adriana answers her husband’s question, “He came to me and I deliver'd it.”
And her sister Luciana backs her up. “And I am witness with her that she did.”
“God and the rope-maker bear me witness That I was sent for nothing but a rope!”
Dr. Pinch is ready to take over his “patients.” “Mistress, both man and master is possess'd; I know it by their pale and deadly looks: They must be bound and laid in some dark room.”
Antipholus will not go quietly. “Say, wherefore didst thou lock me forth to-day? And why dost thou deny the bag of gold?”
Adriana still cannot understand her husband’s claims. “I did not, gentle husband, lock thee forth.”
Dromio looks back and forth between his master and his mistress. “And, gentle master, I received no gold; But I confess, sir, that we were lock'd out.”
“Dissembling villain, thou speak'st false in both.”
Antipholus turns back to his wife in anger. “Dissembling harlot, thou art false in all; And art confederate with a darned pack To make a loathsome abject scorn of me: But with these nails I'll pluck out these false eyes That would behold in me this shameful sport.”
Three or four men come forth and offer to bind Antipholus.
After his latest outburst, Adriana fears for her safety. “O, bind him, bind him! let him not come near me.”
Her sister looks on a little more sympathetically. “Ay me, poor man, how pale and wan he looks!”
Antipholus turns his attention to the officer who had arrested him. “Thou gaoler, thou, I am thy prisoner: wilt thou suffer them To make a rescue?”
“Masters, let him go. He is my prisoner, and you shall not have him.”
Dr. Pinch does not give up so easily. “Go bind this man, for he is frantic too.” The others offer to bind Dromio of Ephesus, also.
Adriana turns angrily to the gaoler. “What wilt thou do, thou peevish officer? Hast thou delight to see a wretched man Do outrage and displeasure to himself?”
“He is my prisoner: if I let him go, The debt he owes will be required of me.”
“I will discharge thee ere I go from thee: Bear me forthwith unto his creditor, And, knowing how the debt grows, I will pay it. Good master doctor, see him safe convey'd Home to my house. O most unhappy day!”
Antipholus is getting more and more angry at his wife’s behavior towards him. “O most unhappy strumpet!”
Dromio tries unsuccessfully to comfort his master, “Master, I am here entered in bond for you.”
“Out on thee, villain! wherefore dost thou mad me?”
“Will you be bound for nothing? be mad, good master: cry 'The devil!'”
Luciana looks on in pity at the treatment of Antipholus and Dromio. “God help, poor souls, how idly do they talk!”
But Adriana responds in frustration, “Go bear him hence. Sister, go you with me.” All leave but Adriana, Luciana, Officer and the Courtesan. Adriana turns to the gaoler and asks, “Say now, whose suit is he arrested at?”
“One Angelo, a goldsmith: do you know him?”
“I know the man. What is the sum he owes?”
“Two hundred ducats.”
“Say, how grows it due?”
“Due for a chain your husband had of him.”
“He did bespeak a chain for me, but had it not.”
The Courtesan pipes up, “When as your husband all in rage to-day Came to my house and took away my ring-- The ring I saw upon his finger now-- Straight after did I meet him with a chain.”
“It may be so, but I did never see it. Come, gaoler, bring me where the goldsmith is: I long to know the truth hereof at large.”
At that moment Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse enter. Luciana is alarmed at the sight of them. “God, for thy mercy! they are loose again.”
Adriana echoes her concern, “And come with drawn swords. Let's call more help to have them bound again.”
The gaoler agrees with their concern. “Away! they'll kill us.”
All but Antipholus and Dromio rush away. Antipholus smiles as he and Dromio stand alone. “I see these witches are afraid of swords.”
Dromio laughs in agreement. “She that would be your wife now ran from you.”
“Come to the Centaur; fetch our stuff from thence: I long that we were safe and sound aboard.”
“Faith, stay here this night; they will surely do us no harm: you saw they speak us fair, give us gold: methinks they are such a gentle nation that, but for the mountain of mad flesh that claims marriage of me, I could find in my heart to stay here still and turn witch.”
“I will not stay to-night for all the town; Therefore away, to get our stuff aboard.”
They both rush the opposite direction from where the others have gone.
SCENE ELEVEN
Angelo talks on the street with a merchant. Angelo is trying to explain what’s going on. “I am sorry, sir, that I have hinder'd you; But, I protest, he had the chain of me, Though most dishonestly he doth deny it.”
The merchant asks, “How is the man esteemed here in the city?”
“Of very reverend reputation, sir, Of credit infinite, highly beloved, Second to none that lives here in the city: His word might bear my wealth at any time.”
“Speak softly; yonder, as I think, he walks.”
At that moment Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse walk up the street. Angelo responds angrily, “'Tis so; and that self chain about his neck Which he forswore most monstrously to have. Good sir, draw near to me, I'll speak to him. Signior Antipholus, I wonder much That you would put me to this shame and trouble; And, not without some scandal to yourself, With circumstance and oaths so to deny This chain which now you wear so openly: Beside the charge, the shame, imprisonment, You have done wrong to this my honest friend, Who, but for staying on our controversy, Had hoisted sail and put to sea to-day: This chain you had of me; can you deny it?”
Antipholus (of Syracuse) is surprised at Angelo’s outburst. “I think I had; I never did deny it.”
The merchant interjects, “Yes, that you did, sir, and forswore it too.”
“Who heard me to deny it or forswear it?”
“These ears of mine, thou know'st did hear thee. Fie on thee, wretch! 'tis pity that thou livest To walk where any honest man resort.”
“Thou art a villain to impeach me thus: I'll prove mine honour and mine honesty Against thee presently, if thou darest stand.”
“I dare, and do defy thee for a villain.”
Antipholus (of Syracuse) and the merchant both draw their swords, just as Adriana, Luciana, and the Courtesan enter.
Adriana yells out, “Hold, hurt him not, for God's sake! he is mad. Some get within him, take his sword away: Bind Dromio too, and bear them to my house.”
At the sight of Adriana and Luciana, Dromio (of Syracuse) is anxious for their lives. “Run, master, run; for God's sake, take a house! This is some priory. In, or we are spoil'd!”
Antipholus and Dromio (of Syracuse) both run into the abbey, and the Lady Abbess Emilia comes out onto the street, “Be quiet, people. Wherefore throng you hither?”
Adriana responds quickly, “To fetch my poor distracted husband hence. Let us come in, that we may bind him fast And bear him home for his recovery. Angelo I knew he was not in his perfect wits.”
The merchant is apologetic. “I am sorry now that I did draw on him.”
Emelia inquires further, “How long hath this possession held the man?”
Adriana answers her question. “This week he hath been heavy, sour, sad, And much different from the man he was; But till this afternoon his passion Ne'er brake into extremity of rage.”
“Hath he not lost much wealth by wreck of sea? Buried some dear friend? Hath not else his eye Stray'd his affection in unlawful love? A sin prevailing much in youthful men, Who give their
eyes the liberty of gazing. Which of these sorrows is he subject to?
“To none of these, except it be the last; Namely, some love that drew him oft from home.”
“You should for that have reprehended him.”
“Why, so I did.”
“Ay, but not rough enough.”
“As roughly as my modesty would let me.”
“Haply, in private.”
“And in assemblies too.”
“Ay, but not enough.”
“It was the copy of our conference: In bed he slept not for my urging it; At board he fed not for my urging it; Alone, it was the subject of my theme; In company I often glanced it; Still did I tell him it was vile and bad.”
“And thereof came it that the man was mad. The venom clamours of a jealous woman Poisons more deadly than a mad dog's tooth. It seems his sleeps were hinder'd by thy railing, And therefore comes it that his head is light. Thou say'st his meat was sauced with thy upbraidings: Unquiet meals make ill digestions; Thereof the raging fire of fever bred; And what's a fever but a fit of madness? Thou say'st his sports were hinderd by thy brawls: Sweet recreation barr'd, what doth ensue But moody and dull melancholy, Kinsman to grim and comfortless despair, And at her heels a huge infectious troop Of pale distemperatures and foes to life? In food, in sport and life-preserving rest To be disturb'd, would mad or man or beast: The consequence is then thy jealous fits Have scared thy husband from the use of wits.”
Luciana defends her sister. “She never reprehended him but mildly, When he demean'd himself rough, rude and wildly. Why bear you these rebukes and answer not?”
Adriana explains her silence at Emelia’s reproach. “She did betray me to my own reproof. Good people enter and lay hold on him.”
Emelia