Enter TIMON, ALCIBIADES, and Lords, etc. Tim. So soon as dinner 's done, we 'll forth again, My Alcibiades. With me? what is your will ? Caph. My lord, here is a note of certain dues. Tim. Dues! Whence are you? Caph. Of Athens here, my lord. Tim. Go to my steward. Caph. Please it your lordship, he hath put me off To the succession of new days this month: My master is awaked by great occasion To call upon his own, and humbly prays you Tim. Mine honest friend, I prithee, but repair to me next morning. Caph. Nay, good my lord,— Tim. Contain thyself, good friend. Var. Serv. One Varro's servant, my good lord,— Isid. Serv. From Isidore; He humbly prays your speedy payment. Caph. If you did know, my lord, my master's wants Var. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six weeks And past. Isid. Serv. Your steward puts me off, my lord; And I am sent expressly to your lordship. Tim. Give me breath. I do beseech you, good my lords, keep on; I'll wait upon you instantly. [Exeunt Alcibiades and Lords. [To Flav.] Come hither: pray you, How goes the world, that I am thus encounter'd 20. To the succession, etc., to the time of the new moon. With clamorous demands of date-broke bonds, Against my honour? Flav. Please you, gentlemen, 40 The time is unagreeable to this business: Tim. Do so, my friends. tertain❜d. Flav. Pray, draw near. See them well en Enter APEMANTUS and Fool. [Exit. [Exit. Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with Var. Serv. Hang him, he'll abuse us. Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow? Apem. No, 'tis to thyself. [To the Fool] Come away. Isid. Serv. There's the fool hangs on your back already. Apem. No, thou stand'st single, thou 'rt not on him yet. Caph. Where's the fool now? Apem. He last asked the question. 50 Poor 60 rogues, and usurers' men! bawds between gold and want! All Serv. What are we, Apemantus ? Apem. Asses. All Serv. Why? Apem. That you ask me what you are, and do not know yourselves. Speak to 'em, fool. Fool. How do you, gentlemen? All Serv. Gramercies, good fool: how does your mistress ? Fool. She's e'en setting on water to scald such chickens as you are. Would we could see you at Corinth! Apem. Good! gramercy. Enter Page. Fool. Look you, here comes my mistress' page. Page. [To the Fool] Why, how now, captain! what do you in this wise company? How dost thou, Apemantus ? Apem. Would I had a rod in my mouth, that I might answer thee profitably. Page. Prithee, Apemantus, read me the superscription of these letters: I know not which is which. Apem. Canst not read? Page. No. Apem. There will little learning die then, that day thou art hanged. This is to Lord Timon; this to Alcibiades. Go; thou wast born a bastard, and thou 't die a bawd. Page. Thou wast whelped a dog, and thou shalt famish a dog's death. Answer not; I am gone. [Exit. Apem. E'en so thou outrunnest grace. Fool, I will go with you to Lord Timon's. Fool. Will you leave me there? Apem. If Timon stay at home. You three serve three usurers? All Serv. Ay; would they served us! 71. She's een setting on water, etc., she is preparing to 'pluck' you; alluding to the 70 80 90 custom of plunging the newlykilled chicken into boiling water before plucking it. L. Apem. So would I, -as good a trick as ever hangman served thief. Fool. Are you three usurers' men? All Serv. Ay, fool. Fool. I think no usurer but has a fool to his servant my mistress is one, and I am her fool. When men come to borrow of your masters, they approach sadly, and go away merry; but they enter my mistress' house merrily, and go away sadly the reason of this? Var. Serv. I could render one. Apem. Do it then, that we may account thee 11 a whore-master and a knave; which notwithstanding, thou shalt be no less esteemed. Var. Serv. What is a whore-master, fool? Fool. A fool in good clothes, and something like thee. 'Tis a spirit sometime 't appears like a lord; sometime like a lawyer; sometime like a philosopher, with two stones moe than's artificial one he is very often like a knight; and, generally, in all shapes that man goes up and down in from fourscore to thirteen, this spirit 120 walks in. Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool. Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man : as much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest. Apem. That answer might have become Ape mantus. All Serv. Aside, aside; here comes Lord Timon. Re-enter TIMON and FLAVIUS. Apem. Come with me, fool, come. Fool. I do not always follow lover, elder brother 130 and woman; sometime the philosopher. [Exeunt Apemantus and Fool. anon. Flav. Pray you, walk near: I'll speak with you Had you not fully laid my state before me, As I had leave of means? Flav. You would not hear me, At many leisures I proposed. Go to: Tim. Flav. To pay your present debts. Tim. Let all my land be sold. Flav.. 'Tis all engaged, some forfeited and gone; 135. rated, calculated. 152. This is the reading of the Folios, but Hanmer's emenda 140 150 tion-Though you hear now, yet now's too late a time'. seems to accord with the sense of the succeeding lines. |