_Chr._ I have. _Ph._ You’ll do it? _Chr._ I shall. _Ph._ Bravo! Will you give us the money now? _Chr._ You, sir! _Ph._ I mean to your son; To arrange with the lady. _Chr._ How so? You seem in a vast hurry. I manage my own affairs. Besides the forty pounds Is only a guess. I hope to win the lady for less. Perhaps you thought that if I gave you the round sum, I should not enquire for the balance, and you might manage to save A little commission. No: I manage my own affairs. You can’t take Chremes in as easily as all that. 770 [_Exit._ _Ph._ Ho! ho! ho! ho! What say you! _Pam._ You are a genius. _Ph._ Well! You wanted a present for Gorgo, you told me. Won’t this do? _Pam._ Oh yes! But I am amazed. _Ph._ Come, let’s go in and dress. I hope to bleed Menedemus to better purpose than this. For after all we shan’t see much of this forty pound; And as far as I am concerned it’s money thrown away. [_Exeunt._ ACT ·• III _Enter CHREMES._ _CHREMES._ I never saw such a woman; never in all my life. Upon my word I am sorry for poor Menedemus now: What would he have done without me? What a predicament! Suppose his son had returned, and he with his simple heart 780 Had given in, and had this woman to live in his house— Well, thanks to me he is safe. Forty pounds, I think, Was not so dear a bargain: and yet ’tis a tidy sum. As much as I should make on a small consignment of sponges: And that I have paid on risk—although I cannot doubt But that Menedemus will gladly pay me again—’tis risked. All for this paper, wherein the lady promises In consideration of this same money made over to her, Never again to receive the addresses of her quondam lover, Clinia; signed Gorgo: a genuine business. 790 And yet no wonder she laughed; of course she thinks me a fool To consider her promise of weight. Ah, mistress, giggle and all, I’ve settled your hash. Ha! ha! ’twas clever of Pamphilus: The lad has some of my wits. But still I shall be uneasy, Until I find Menedemus is reasonable:—indeed I’ll lose no time. Menedemus might desire to come And judge for himself: I’ll press him to do so: ’twere best, and then He’ll dine with us after all, & I shall dine much better Myself, I must confess, when I know my money is safe. [_Exit into Menedemus’ garden._