No Fear Shakespeare
The Comedy of Errors
Get this No Fear to go!
Act 2, Scene 1, Page 3
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Enter DROMIO OF EPHESUS
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS enters. |
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ADRIANA
Say, is your tardy master now at hand?
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ADRIANA
Tell me, is your tardy master close at hand?
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Nay, he’s at two hands with me, and that my two ears can
witness.
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
No; but he came at me with two hands—just ask my ears.
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ADRIANA
Say, didst thou speak with him? Know’st thou his mind?
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ADRIANA
Did you talk to him? Do you know his plans?
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Ay, ay, he told his mind upon mine ear.
Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it.
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Yes, yes, he told me his plans on my ears. Damn his hands—I could barely understand it.
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LUCIANA
Spake he so doubtfully thou couldst not feel his meaning?
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LUCIANA
Did he speak so ambiguously that you couldn’t get a feeling for what he meant?
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Nay, he struck so plainly I could too well feel his blows, and
withal so doubtfully that I could scarce understand them.
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
No; he hit me very clearly and I felt his punches perfectly well. They were so dreadful, I could barely stand up under them.
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ADRIANA
But say, I prithee, is he coming home?
It seems he hath great care to please his wife.
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ADRIANA
But please, tell me: is he coming home? It seems he has taken great care to please his wife.
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Why, mistress, sure my master is horn mad.
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
Why, mistress, my master is as angry as a bull with horns.
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ADRIANA
Horn mad, thou villain!
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ADRIANA
Horns? You bastard!
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
I mean not cuckold mad,
But sure he is stark mad.
When I desired him to come home to dinner,
He asked me for a thousand marks in gold.
“'Tis dinnertime,” quoth I. “My gold,” quoth he.
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DROMIO OF EPHESUS
I don’t mean he’s cuckold mad. But he sure is angry. When I asked him to come home to lunch, he asked me for a thousand marks. “It’s lunchtime,” I said. “My gold,” he said. “The meat’s burning,” I said. “My gold,” he said. “Will you come home?” I said.
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