otherwise than, what is so likely, the child was by you. It shall be instantly exposed; in that case there is no inconvenience whatever to yourself, and you will be concealing an outrage so undeservingly committed upon her,[42] poor thing!” I promised {this}, and I am resolved to keep faith in what I said. But as to taking her back, really I do not think that would be at all creditable, nor will I do so, although love for her, and habit, have a strong influence upon me. I weep when it occurs to my mind, what must be her life, and {how great} her loneliness in future. O Fortune, thou hast never been found constant! But by this time {my} former passion has taught me experience in the present case. The means by which I got rid of that, I must employ on the present occasion. Parmeno is coming with the servants; it is far from convenient that he should be here under present circumstances, for he was the only person to whom I trusted the secret that I kept aloof from her when I first married her. I am afraid lest, if he should frequently hear her cries, he might find out that she is in labor. He must be dispatched by me somewhere till Philumena is delivered. SCENE VI. _Enter at a distance PARMENO and SOSIA, with people carrying baggage._ PAR. (_to SOSIA._) Do you say that this voyage was disagreeable to you? SOSIA. Upon my faith, Parmeno, it can not be so much as expressed in words, how disagreeable it is to go on a voyage. PAR. Do you say so? SOSIA. O lucky man! You don’t know what evils you have escaped, by never having been at sea. For to say nothing of other hardships, mark this one only; thirty days or more[43] was I on board that ship, and every moment, to my horror, was in continual expectation of death: such unfavorable weather did we always meet with. PAR. How annoying! SOSIA. That’s not unknown to me: in fine, upon my faith, I would rather run away than go back, if I knew that I should have to go back there. PAR. Why really, but slight causes formerly made you, Sosia, do what now you are threatening to do. But I see Pamphilus himself standing before the door. (_To the Attendants, who go into the house of LACHES._) Go in-doors; I’ll accost him, {to see} if he wants any thing with me. (_Accosts PAMPHILUS._) What, still standing here, master? PAM. Yes, and waiting for you. PAR. What’s the matter? PAM. You must run across to the citadel.[44] PAR. Who must? PAM. You. PAR. To the citadel? Why thither? PAM. To meet Callidemides, my entertainer at Myconos, who came over in the same ship with me. PAR. (_aside._) Confusion! I should say he has made a vow that if ever he should return home safe, he would rupture me[45] with walking. PAM. Why are you lingering? PAR. What do you wish me to say? Or am I to meet him only? PAM. No; say that I can not meet him to-day, as I appointed, so that he may not wait for me to no purpose. Fly! PAR. But I don’t know the man’s appearance.