(_aside_) When he agrees to give he wants to grab! Mouth wide open to gobble down my gold! Holds up a bit of bread in one hand and has a stone in the other! I don’t trust one of these rich fellows when he’s so monstrous civil to a poor man. They give you a cordial handshake, and squeeze something out of you at the same time. I know all about those octopuses that touch a thing and then--stick. _Mega._ Da mi operam parumper. paucis, Euclio, est quod te volo de communi re appellare mea et tua. I should be glad to have a moment of your time, Euclio. I want to have a brief talk with you on a matter that concerns us both. _Eucl._ Ei misero mihi, 200 aurum mi intus harpagatum est. nunc hic eam rem volt scio, mecum adire ad pactionem. verum intervisam domum. (_aside_) Oh, God save us! My gold’s been hooked, and now he wants to make a deal with me! I see it all! But I’ll go in and look. (_hurries toward house_) _Mega._ Quo abis? Where are you off to? _Eucl._ Iam ad te revortar. nunc est quod visam domum. Just a moment!... I’ll be back ... the fact is ... I must see to something at home. [EXIT INTO HOUSE. _Mega._ Credo edepol, ubi mentionem ego fecero de filia mi ut despondeat, sese a me derideri rebitur, neque illo quisquam est alter hodie ex paupertate parcior. By Jove! I suppose he’ll think I’m making fun of him when I speak about his giving me his daughter; poverty never made a fellow closer-fisted. RE-ENTER _Euclio_ _Eucl._ Di me servant, salva res est. salvom est si quid non perit nimis male timui. prius quam intro redii, exanimatus fui. redeo ad te, Megadore, si quid me vis. (_aside_) Thank the Lord, I’m saved! It’s safe--that is, if it’s all there. Ah, but that was a dreadful moment! I nearly expired before I got in the house. (_to Megadorus_) Here I am, Megadorus, if you want anything of me. _Mega._ Habeo gratiam. quaeso, quod te percontabor, ne id te pigeat pro loqui. 210 Thanks. Now I trust you won’t mind answering the questions I’m going to ask. _Eucl._ Dum quidem ne quid perconteris quod non lubeat proloqui. (_cautiously_) No-no--that is, if you don’t ask any I don’t like to answer. _Mega._ Dic mihi. quali me arbitrare genere prognatum? Frankly now, what do you think of my family connections? _Eucl._ Bono. (_grudgingly_) Good. _Mega._ Quid fide? And my sense of honour? _Eucl._ Bona. Good. _Mega._ Quid factis? And my general conduct? _Eucl._ Neque malis neque improbis. Not bad, not disreputable. _Mega._ Aetatem meam scis? You know my age? _Eucl._ Scio esse grandem, item ut pecuniam. Getting on, getting on, I know that--(_aside_) financially, too. _Mega._