SYR. But still you’ll not mind it. CLIN. I will. SYR. This must be seen to, I say, that your friend’s business as well is placed in a state of security. For if you now go away from us, and leave Bacchis here, our {old man} will immediately come to know that she is Clitipho’s mistress; if you take her away {with you}, it will be concealed just as much as it has been hitherto concealed. CLIN. But still, Syrus, nothing can make more against my marriage than this; for with what face am I to address my father {about it}? You understand what I mean? SYR. Why not? CLIN. What can I say? What excuse can I make? SYR. Nay, I don’t want you to dissemble; tell him the whole case just as it really is. CLIN. What is it you say? SYR. I bid you {do this; tell him} that you are in love with her, and want her for a wife: that this {Bacchis} is Clitipho’s {mistress}. CLIN. You require a thing that is fair and reasonable, and easy to be done. And I suppose, then, you would have me request my father to keep it a secret from your old man. SYR. On the contrary; to tell him directly the matter just as it is. CLIN. What? Are you quite in your senses or sober? Why, you were for ruining him outright. For how could he be in a state of security? Tell me {that}. SYR. For my part, I yield the palm to this device. Here I do pride myself exultingly, in having in myself such exquisite resources, and power of address so great, as to deceive them both by telling the truth: so that when your old man tells ours that she is his son’s mistress, he’ll still not believe him. CLIN. But yet, by these means you again cut off all hopes of my marriage; for as long as {Chremes} believes that she is my mistress, he’ll not give me his daughter. Perhaps you care little what becomes of me, so long as you provide for him. SYR. What the plague, do you suppose I want this pretense to be kept up for an age? ’Tis but for a single day, {only} till I have secured the money: you be quiet; {I ask} no more. CLIN. Is that sufficient? If his father should come to know of it, pray, what then? SYR. What if I have recourse to those who say, “What now if the sky were to fall?”[82] CLIN. I’m afraid to go about it. SYR. You, afraid! As if it was not in your power to clear yourself at any time you like, {and} discover the {whole} matter. CLIN. Well, well; let Bacchis be brought over {to our house}. SYR. Capital! she is coming out of doors. SCENE IV. _Enter BACCHIS and PHRYGIA, from the house of CHREMES._ BACCH. (_pretending not to see CLINIA and SYRUS._) To a very fine purpose,[83] upon my faith, have the promises of Syrus brought me hither, who agreed to lend me ten minæ. If now he deceives me, oft as he may entreat me to come, he shall come in vain. Or else, when I’ve promised to come, and fixed the time, when he has carried word back for certain, {and} Clitipho is on the stretch of expectation, I’ll disappoint him and not come. Syrus will make atonement to me with his back.