MERC. Pass on, my dear friend; believe me, no one here will listen to you. I respect wine. Go away, make yourself scarce, and leave Amphitryon to the pleasures which he is tasting. AMPH. What! Is Amphitryon in there? MERC. Rather: covered with the laurels of his fine victory, he is side by side with the lovely Alcmene enjoying the delights of a charming tete-a-tete. They are tasting the pleasures of being reconciled, now their love-tiff has blown over. Take care how you disturb their sweet privacy, unless you wish him to punish you for your excessive rashness. SCENE III AMPHITRYON Ah! What a frightful blow he has given me! How cruelly has he put me to confusion! If matters are as this villain says, to what a state are my honour and my affection reduced? What course can I adopt? Am I to noise it abroad or keep it secret? Ought I, in my anger, to keep the dishonour of my house to myself or make it public? Come! Must one even think what to do in so gross an affront? I have no standing, nothing to hope for; all my anxiety now shall be how to avenge myself. SCENE IV SOSIE, NAUCRATES, POLIDAS, AMPHITRYON SOS. All I have been able to do, Monsieur, with all my diligence, is to have brought these gentlemen here. AMPH. Ah! You are here? SOS. Monsieur. AMPH. Insolent, bold rascal! SOS. What? AMPH. I shall teach you to treat me thus. SOS. What is it? What is the matter with you? AMPH. What is the matter with me, villain? SOS. Hullo, gentlemen, come here quickly. NAU. Ah! Stay, I beseech you. SOS. Of what am I guilty? AMPH. You ask me that, you scoundrel? Let me satisfy my righteous anger. SOS. When they hang any one, they tell him why they do it. NAU. At least condescend to tell us what his crime may be. SOS. I beseech you, gentlemen, keep a tight hold of me. AMPH. Yes! He has just had the audacity to shut the door in my face, and to add threats to a thousand impudent jeers! Ah! You villain! SOS. I am dead. NAU. Restrain this anger. SOS. Gentlemen. POL. What is it? SOS. Has he struck me? AMPH. No, he must have his reward for the language he has made free to use just now. SOS. How could that be when I was elsewhere busy carrying out your orders? These gentlemen here can bear witness that I have just invited them to dine with you. NAU. That is true: he has just delivered us this message, and would not quit us. AMPH. Who gave you that order? SOS. You. AMPH. When? SOS. After you made your peace, when you were rejoicing at the delight of having appeased Alcmene's anger. AMPH. O Heaven! Every instant, every step, adds something to my cruel martyrdom; I am so utterly confused that I no longer know either what to believe or what to say. NAU. All he has just told us, of what has happened at your house, surpasses what is natural so much, that before doing anything and before flying into such a passion, you ought to clear up the whole of this adventure.