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 That with your other noble parts you'll suit In giving him his right. 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

wantsVar. Serv. 'Twas due on forfeiture, my lord, six

weeks

30

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,
And the detention of long-since-due debts,
Against my honour?
Flav.

Please you, gentlemen,
The time is unagreeable to this business:
Your importunacy cease till after dinner,
That I may make his lordship understand
Wherefore you are not paid.
Tim. Do so, my friends. See them well en-
tertain'd.

[

[Exit. Flav. Pray, draw near.

[Exit.

50

Enter APEMANTUS and Fool.
Caph. Stay, stay, here comes the fool with
Apemantus": let's ha' some sport with 'em.

Var, Serv. Hang him, he 'll abuse us.
Isid. Serv. A plague upon him, dog !
Var. Serv. How dost, fool?
Apem. Dost dialogue with thy shadow
Var. Serv. I speak not to thee.

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.

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 ?

70

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.

80

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 !

90

71. She's e'en setting on custom of plunging the newlywater, etc., she is preparing to killed chicken into boiling water pluck' you; alluding to the before plucking it.

L.

100

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 110 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 walks in.

Var. Serv. Thou art not altogether a fool.

Fool. Nor thou altogether a wise man: much foolery as I have, so much wit thou lackest.

Apem. That answer might have become Apemantus.

All Serv. Aside, aside; here comes Lord Timon.

170

as

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.

140

Flav. Pray you, walk near : I'll speak with you

[Exeunt Servants. Tim. You make me marvel : wherefore ere this

time
Had you not fully laid my state before me,
That I might so have rated my expense,
As I had leave of means ?
Flav.

You would not hear me,
At many leisures I proposed.
Tim.

Go to:
Perchance some single vantages you took,
When my indisposition put you back;
And that unaptness made your minister,
Thus to excuse yourself.
Flav.

O my good lord,
At many times I brought in my accounts,
Laid them before you ; you would throw them off,
And say, you found them in mine honesty.
When, for some trifling present, you have bid me
Return so much, I have shook my head and wept;
Yea, 'gainst the authority of manners, pray'd you
To hold your hand more close: I did endure
Not seldom, nor no slight checks, when I have
Prompted you in the ebb of your estate
And your great flow of debts. My loved lord,
Though you hear now, too late—yet now's a time-
The greatest of your having lacks a half
To pay your present debts.
Tim.

Let all my land be sold. Flav.. 'Tis all engaged, some forfeited and gone; And what remains will hardly stop the mouth Of present dues : the future comes apace :

150

a