violence;
And she fled hither to conceal her labor
From you and from your family."--Alas!
When I but call her earnest prayers to mind,
I can not choose but weep.--"Whatever chance,"
Continued she, "whatever accident,
Brought you to-day thus suddenly upon us,
By that we both conjure you--if in justice
And equity we may--to keep in silence,
And cover her distress.--Oh, Pamphilus,
If e'er you witness'd her affection for you,
By that affection she implores you now
Not to refuse us!--for recalling her,
Do as your own discretion shall direct.
That she's in labor now, or has conceiv'd
By any other person, is a secret
Known but to you alone. For I've been told,
The two first months you had no commerce with her,
And it is now the seventh since your union.
Your sentiments on this are evident.
But now, my Pamphilus, if possible,
I'll call it a miscarriage: no one else
But will believe, as probable, 'tis yours.
The child shall be immediately expos'd.
No inconvenience will arise to you;
While thus you shall conceal the injury
That my poor girl unworthily sustain'd."
--I promis'd her; and I will keep my word.
But to recall her would be poor indeed:
Nor will I do it, though I love her still.
And former commerce binds me strongly to her.
--I can't but weep, to think how sad and lonely
My future life will be.--Oh fickle fortune!
How transient are thy smiles!--But I've been school'd
To patience by my former hapless passion,
Which I subdued by reason: and I'll try
By reason to subdue this too.--But yonder
Comes Parmeno, I see, with th' other slaves!
He must by no means now be present, since
To him alone I formerly reveal'd
That I abstain'd from her when first we married:
And if he hears her frequent cries, I fear
That he'll discover her to be in labor.
I must dispatch him on some idle errand,
Until Philumena's deliver'd.

SCENE VI.

_Enter at a distance PARMENO, SOSIA, and other slaves with baggage._

PAR. (_to SOSIA_). Aye?
And had you such a wretched voyage, say you?

SOSIA. Oh Parmeno, words can't express how wretched
A sea-life is.

PAR. Indeed?

SOSIA. Oh happy Parmeno!
You little know the dangers you've escap'd,
Who've never been at sea.--For not to dwell
On other hardships, only think of this!
I was on shipboard thirty days or more,
In constant fear of sinking all the while,
The winds so contrary, such stormy weather!

PAR. Dreadful!

SOSIA. I found it so, I promise you.
In short, were I assur'd